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Urban Nature Plan – safeguarding biodiversity and promoting the recreational use of nature in Espoo

The Urban Nature Plan is a publication that the European Commission recommends cities to prepare on the basis of the EU biodiversity strategy. Urban Nature Plan by Espoo describes such practices and measures that are included in already completed action plans. Through these planned and partly implemented measures, Espoo supports the high quality of green areas, ecological connectivity, ecosystem services and recreational use of nature. The publication has been compiled by Espoo Environmental Protection.

The Espoo Urban Nature Plan has been published in Finnish and English.

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Summary

Espoo is one of the fastest growing cities in Finland. Rapid population growth requires the establishment of new residential areas. Also, infill development is needed. This means that construction is being carried out also in local recreational areas. In the Espoo story, i.e. the city’s strategy, Espoo is committed to ensuring that urban development maintains, revives and increases biodiversity.

Once, Espoo was a lively coastal and rural parish. Espoo became a city in 1972, around the time when its current urban structure consisting of five urban centres started to take shape.

For such a large city, Espoo still has exceptionally much nature that provides Espoo residents with a wide range of ecosystem services. The city collects a lot of information on the state of nature and the environment. In Espoo, city planning secures the most important natural values, and sufficient quantities of recreational areas. Espoo is constantly developing new tools and methods to ensure the high quality and quantity of natural values.

Detailed plan and master plan regulations have many ways to support biodiversity.Photo: Hannu Vallas, Tage Strandström, Olli Urpela, dspmedia, Patrik Fagerström

Programmes and action plans guiding development of urban greenery in Espoo

Espoo protects biodiversity by, for example, establishing new nature reserves, combatting invasive species, and establishing and managing meadows. In park and street areas, for example, the use of domestic plant species and natural stormwater management methods promote the diversity of species. By forest management, Espoo secures the biodiversity of forest nature and promotes the sustainable recreational use of forests. Also, the city builds and maintains a comprehensive network of outdoor trails and nature services.

Nature exercise services provided by the city include, for example, nature trails, swimming places and disc golf courses. Almost every Espoo resident lives within 300 metres of the nearest green recreation area.

Espoo restores lakes and streams whose natural condition has deteriorated or that have become eutrophic. The city offers Espoo residents the opportunity to take responsibility for the care of their own local environment. Espoo also implements its own restoration measures to improve the state of its water bodies. Participatory planning is part of Espoo’s urban planning, green area planning and nature management planning.

How can you help?

In order to achieve no net loss of biodiversity, Espoo has launched the project Nature-wise Espoo. The work will result in a roadmap that defines Espoo’s objectives, operating principles and development needs to secure Espoo´s biodiversity and ecosystem services.