Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

What Really Matters in Green Infrastructure for the Urban Quality of Life? Santiago de Chile as a Showcase City

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Urban Transformations

Part of the book series: Future City ((FUCI,volume 10))

Abstract

The built, green and social environment express the situation of a city and, to a large extent, indicate the development of the urban area. These components of the urban environment have a strong impact on the quality of life of citizens. Along with the concepts of resource efficiency and resilience in cities, the quality of life forms one of the three pillars on which our research on urban transformations is grounded. We approach the concept of quality of life from the environmental perspective and understand the human well-being as an integral part of the broader concept of quality of life. In this study we focus on green infrastructure (GI) as an indication for quality of life research. Here, we measure the extent to which people can access GI as a service and profit from this infrastructure for health-related and social dimensions (Scottish Executive 2005; Bognar 2005). Rapid urbanisation processes accelerate land-use changes that mostly go along with extensive urban land consumption and involve population developments. Such multi-dimensional changes in urban land use and land-consumption patterns are very dynamic and widely ramified. They can evoke unsustainable structures that entangle social-spatial differentiations which are discussed in the context of urban growth and shrinkage processes (see Haase et al. in this volume, dealing with urban dynamics, Seto et al. 2011; Kabisch and Kuhlicke 2014). As land is a limited and contested resource, it demands for infrastructural provision and, particularly with respect to urban quality of life and a sustainable urban development, for the provision of green infrastructure.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Banzhaf E, Reyes-Paecke S, Müller A, Kindler A (2013) Do demographic and land-use changes contrast urban and suburban dynamics? A sophisticated reflection on Santiago de Chile. Habitat Int 39:179–191

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Banzhaf E, Kabisch S, Knapp S, Rink D, Wolff M (2017) Integrated research on land-use changes in the face of urban transformations – an analytic framework for further studies. Land Use Policy 60:403–407

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benedict MA, McMahon ET (2006) Green infrastructure: linking landscapes and communities. Island Press, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Bognar G (2005) The concept of quality of life. Soc Theory Pract 321(4):561–580

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Briggs D (2003) Making a difference: indicators to improve children’s environmental health. World Health Organization, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Cilliers S, Cilliers J, Lubbe R, Siebert S (2013) Ecosystem services of urban green spaces in African countries – perspectives and challenges. Urban Ecosyst 16(4):681–702

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Groot RS, Alkemade R, Braat L, Hein L, Willemen L (2010) Challenges in integrating the concept of ecosystem services and values in landscape planning, management and decision making. Ecol Complex 7:260–272

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De la Barrera F, Reyes-Paecke S, Banzhaf E (2016a) Indicators for green spaces in contrasting urban settings. Ecol Indic 62:212–219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De la Barrera F, Rubio P, Banzhaf E (2016b) The value of vegetation cover for ecosystem services in the suburban context. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 16:110–122

    Google Scholar 

  • De la Barrera F, Reyes-Paecke S, Harris J, Bascuñán D, Farías JM (2016c) People’s perception influences on the use of green spaces in socio-economically differentiated neighborhoods. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 20:254–264

    Google Scholar 

  • Díaz IA, Armesto JJ (2003) La conservación de aves silvestres en ambientes urbanos de Santiago (wild birds conservation in urban environments of Santiago). Ambiente y Desarrollo (Chile) XIX:31–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Dobbs C, Escobedo FJ, Zipperer WC (2011) A framework for developing urban forest ecosystem services and goods indicators. Landsc Urban Plan 99:196–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • EC – European Commission (2013) Green infrastructure (GI)—enhancing Europe’s natural capital. European Commission, Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • EC – European Commission (2016) Environment, nature & biodiversity. Green infrastructure. European Commission, Brussels. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/ecosystems/index_en.htm. Accessed Sept 2016

  • EEA – European Environmental Agency (2011) Green infrastructure and territorial cohesion. The concept of green infrastructure and its integration into policies using monitoring systems. Technical report 18. European Environment Agency, Copenhagen, Denmark.[online] URL: http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/green-infrastructure-and-territorial-cohesion. Accessed Sept 2016

  • EEA – European Environmental Agency (2015) SOER 2015 – The European environment – state and outlook 2015. A comprehensive assessment of the European environment’s state, trends and prospects, in a global context. European Environmental Agency, Copenhagen. http://www.eea.europa.eu/soer. Accessed Sept 2016

  • Encuesta CASEN (2009) National socio-economic characterization survey. Ministry of Planning, Government of Chile (MIDEPLAN), Santiago de Chile

    Google Scholar 

  • Escobedo FJ, Nowak DJ, Wagner JE, De la Maza CL, Rodríguez M, Crane DE et al (2006) The socioeconomics and management of Santiago de Chile’s public urban forests. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 4(3):105–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuentes E, Espinoza G, Fuenzalida I (1984) Cambios vegetacionales recientes y percepción ambiental: El caso de Santiago de Chile. Revista de Geografía Norte Grande 11:45–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Giles-Corti B, Broomhall MH, Knuiman M, Collins C, Douglas K et al (2005) Increasing walking: how important is distance to, attractiveness, and size of public open space? Am J Prev Med 28(2S2):169–176

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Haines-Young RH, Potschin M (2010) The links between biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being. In: Raffaelli D, Frid C (eds) Ecosystem ecology: a new synthesis, BES ecological reviews series. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Halper EB, Scott CA, Yool SR (2012) Correlating vegetation, water use, and surface temperature in a semiarid city: a multiscale analysis of the impacts of irrigation by single-family residences. Geogr Anal 44(3):235–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hansen R, Werner R, Santos A, Luz AC, Száraz L, Tosics I et al. (2016) Advanced urban green infrastructure planning and implementation – innovative approaches and strategies from European cities. Technical report, April 2016, p 205. doi: 10.13140/RG.2.1.3948.9680

  • Holmgren M (2002) Exotic herbivores as drivers of plant invasion and switch to ecosystem alternative states. Biol Invasions 4:25–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Inostroza L, Palme M, De la Barrera F (2016) A heat vulnerability index: spatial patterns of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity for Santiago de Chile. PLoS One 11(9):e0162464. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0162464

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Jenerette GD, Harlan SL, Brazel A, Jones N, Larsen L, Stefanov WL (2007) Regional relationships between surface temperature, vegetation, and human settlement in a rapidly urbanizing ecosystem. Landsc Ecol 22(3):353–365

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jim CY, Lo AY, Byrne JA (2015) Charting the green and climate-adaptive city. Landsc Urban Plan 138:51–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kabisch S, Kuhlicke C (2014) Urban transformations and the idea of resource-efficiency, quality of life and resilience: first conceptual considerations for an interdisciplinary research program. Built Environ 40(4):497–507

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Landry S, Chakraborty J (2009) Street trees and equity: evaluating the spatial distribution of an urban amenity. Environ Plann A 41:2651–2670

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lapham SC, Cohen DA, Han B, Williamson S, Evenson KR, McKenzie TL et al (2016) How important is the perception of safety to park use? A four city survey. Urban Stud 53(12):2624–2636. doi:10.1177/0042098015592822

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lehmann I, Matheya J, Rößler S, Bräuer A, Goldberg V (2014) Urban vegetation structure types as a methodological approach for identifying ecosystem services – application to the analysis of micro-climatic effects. Ecol Indic 42:58–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Livert Aquino F, Gainza X (2014) Understanding density in an Uneven City, Santiago de Chile: implications for social and environmental sustainability. Sustainability 6(9):5876–5897

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loibl W, Toetzer T (2003) Modeling growth and densification processes in suburban regions – simulation of landscape transition with spatial agents. Environ Model Softw 18(6):553–563

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Margules CR, Pressey RL (2000) Systematic conservation planning. Nature 405:243–253

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McDonald L, Allen W, Benedict M, O’Connor K (2005) Green infrastructure plan evaluation frameworks. J Conserv Plann 1:12–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Naumann S, Anzaldua G, Gerdes H, Frelih-Larsen A, Davis M, Berry P et al (2011a) Assessment of the potential of ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation and mitigation in Europe. Final report to the European Commission, DG Environment, Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • Naumann S, Davis M, Kaphengst T, Pieterse M, Rayment M (2011b) Design, implementation and cost elements of green infrastructure projects, Final report. European Commission, Brussels, p 138

    Google Scholar 

  • OECD – Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (1997) Better understanding our cities. The role of urban indicators. Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development, Paris, Report, 94 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Parra DC, Gomez LF, Fleischer NL, Pinzon JD (2010) Built environment characteristics and perceived active park use among older adults: results from a multilevel study in Bogotá. Health Place 16:1174–1181

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pavez E, Lobos G, Jaksic F (2010) Cambios de largo plazo en el paisaje y los ensambles de micromamíferos y rapaces en Chile central. Rev Chil Hist Nat 83:99–111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pham T, Apparicio P, Séguin A, Landry S, Gagnon M (2012) Spatial distribution of vegetation in montreal: an uneven distribution or environmental inequity? Landsc Urban Plan 107(3):214–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reyes-Paecke S, Figueroa I (2010) Distribución, superficie y accesibilidad de las áreas verdes urbanas en Santiago de Chile. EURE 36(109):89–110

    Google Scholar 

  • Reyes-Paecke S, Meza L (2011) Jardines residenciales en Santiago de Chile: extensión, distribución y cobertura vegetal (Residential gardens in Santiago de Chile: extent, distribution and vegetation cover). Rev Chil Hist Nat 84:581–592

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romero H (2007) Cambio climático y crecimiento urbano de las metrópolis chilenas. Mesa redonda sobre aspectos urbanos. Sao Paulo: III conferencia regional sobre cambios globales en América del Sur. 06 de Noviembre de 2007

    Google Scholar 

  • Romero H, Vásquez A (2005) Evaluación ambiental del proceso de urbanización de las cuencas del piedemonte andino de Santiago de Chile. Revista EURE 94:97–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Romero H, Vásquez A, Fuentes C, Salgado M, Schmidt A, Banzhaf E (2012) Assessing urban environmental segregation (UES): the case of Santiago de Chile. Ecol Indic 23:76–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salmond JA, Tadaki M, Vardoulakis S et al (2016) Health and climate related ecosystem services provided by street trees in the urban environment. Environ Health 15(Suppl 1):36. doi:10.1186/s12940-016-0103-6

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Scottish Executive (2005) Quality of life and well-being: measuring the benefits of culture and sport: a literature review and thinkpiece. Scottish Executive Social Research, Edinburgh. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/socialresearch. Accessed Nov 2016

  • Seto KC, Fragkias M, Günerralp B, Reilly MK (2011) A meta-analysis of global urban land expansion. PLoS One 6(8):1–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Soule ME (1991) Land use planning and wildlife maintenance: guidelines for conserving wildlife in an urban landscape. J Am Plan Assoc 57:313–323

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • TEEB (2010) The economics of ecosystems and biodiversity: mainstreaming the economics of nature: a synthesis of the approach, conclusions and recommendations of TEEB. http://www.teebweb.org

  • The Conservation Fund (2016) Strategic conservation planning. Green Infrastructure. http://www.conservationfund.org/what-we-do/strategic-conservation-planning. Accessed Sept 2016

  • The Conservation Measures Partnership – CMP (2013) Open standards for the practice of conservation. Version30 / April 2013. http://www.iai.int/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/CMP_Open_Standards_Version_3.0_April_2013.pdf. Accessed Sept 2016

  • Troy A, Grove JM, O’Neil-Dunne J (2012) The relationship between tree canopy and crime rates across an urban-rural gradient in the greater Baltimore region. Landsc Urban Plan 106:262–270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UN – United Nations (2011) World population prospects: the revision 2010. United Nations publications ST/ESA/SER.A/313 and ST/ESA/SER.A/317. http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/urbanization/WUP2011_Report.pdf. Accessed Sept 2016

  • UN – United Nations (2012) World urbanization prospects the 2011 revision. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), Population Division, Population Estimates and Projections Section, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • UN – United Nations (2016) Global sustainable development report 2016. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • UNEP – United Nations Environment Programme (2010) Global environmental outlook: Latin America and the Caribbean (GEO LAC 3) http://www.unep.org/pdf/GEOLAC_3_English.pdf. Accessed 20 Apr 2016

  • World Bank (2014) The World Bank annual report 2014. © World Bank, Washington, DC. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/20093 License: CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGO

  • Wright H (2011) Understanding green infrastructure: the development of a contested concept in England. Local Environ 16(10):1003–1019

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright-Wendel H, Zarger RK, Mihelcic JR (2012) Accessibility and usability: green space preferences, perceptions, and barriers in a rapidly urbanizing city in Latin America. Landsc Urban Plan 107:272–282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu F (2010) Gated and packaged suburbia: packaging and branding Chinese suburban residential development. Cities 27(5):385–396

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urban and Environmental Sociology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany

    Ellen Banzhaf

  2. Department of Ecosystems and Environment, Faculty of Agronomy and Forestry Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Center for Sustainable Urban Development (CEDEUS), Santiago, Chile

    Sonia M. Reyes-Paecke

  3. Institute of Geography, Centre for Urban Sustainable Development, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile

    Francisco de la Barrera

Authors
  1. Ellen Banzhaf
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sonia M. Reyes-Paecke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Francisco de la Barrera
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ellen Banzhaf .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urban and Environment Sociology, Helmholtz Centre for Environment Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany

    Sigrun Kabisch

  2. Department of Urban and Environment Sociology, Helmholtz Centre for Environment Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany

    Florian Koch

  3. Department of Economics, Helmholtz Centre for Environment Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany

    Erik Gawel

  4. Department of Urban and Environment Sociology, Helmholtz Centre for Environment Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany

    Annegret Haase

  5. Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environment Research-UFZ, Halle (Saale), Germany

    Sonja Knapp

  6. Department of Urban and Environment Sociology, Helmholtz Centre for Environment Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany

    Kerstin Krellenberg

  7. Centre for Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany

    Jaime Nivala

  8. Centre for Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany

    Andreas Zehnsdorf

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Banzhaf, E., Reyes-Paecke, S.M., de la Barrera, F. (2018). What Really Matters in Green Infrastructure for the Urban Quality of Life? Santiago de Chile as a Showcase City. In: Kabisch, S., et al. Urban Transformations. Future City, vol 10. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59324-1_15

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59324-1_15

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-59323-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-59324-1

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation