Ecosystem Services

Urban ecosystem services are the benefits people receive from nature within and around towns and cities. Green spaces, such as parks, gardens and urban forests, and blue spaces, such as lakes, ponds, rivers and wetlands, provide these benefits through ecological processes as well as opportunities for recreation and contact with nature.

Regulating services: moderating heat, water and pollution

Vegetation, soils and water bodies help regulate the urban environment, reducing exposure to heat, flooding and some pollutants.

• Trees provide shade, while evapotranspiration from vegetation helps cool surroundings and moderate the urban heat island effect.
• Vegetated ground allows infiltration, while wetlands, ponds and floodplains can store stormwater and slow runoff, reducing flood risk.
• Wetland vegetation, soils and microorganisms can trap sediments and remove or transform some pollutants, improving water quality.
• Trees and other vegetation can intercept airborne particles, although their effectiveness depends on species, location and surrounding conditions.
• Vegetation and soils store carbon, while plant growth removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through carbon sequestration.

Supporting services: sustaining ecological processes

These services maintain the ecological foundations on which other benefits depend.

• Parks, wetlands and connected green corridors provide habitat for birds, insects and other organisms, supporting urban biodiversity.
• Nutrient cycling, decomposition and soil formation maintain soil fertility and support vegetation.
• Photosynthesis produces plant biomass that sustains food webs, while suitable vegetation provides resources for pollinators.

Provisioning services: supplying useful resources

Provisioning services are material products obtained from ecosystems. Their importance varies with the type, condition and management of the urban space.

• Urban gardens, orchards and suitable water bodies can provide food, including fruits, vegetables and fish.
• Lakes and other water bodies can contribute to water supply, but water intended for human use requires appropriate quality assessment and treatment.

Cultural services: improving well-being and urban life

Cultural services are the non-material benefits people gain from ecosystems.

• Accessible parks and waterfronts provide opportunities for recreation and physical activity.
• Contact with nature offers relaxation and can support mental well-being.
• Green and blue spaces contribute aesthetic value, support social interaction and strengthen people's sense of place.
• These spaces provide opportunities for environmental education and observation of biodiversity.