Direct Speech:
Does the city need meadows?
Column by Svetlana Danilova, Associate professor at the Department of Architectural Environment and Landscape Design,
Director of the Centre for Development of a Comfortable Urban Environment at SPbGASU
Svetlana Danilova
Cities are not just places for people to live. Plants, insects and small vertebrates are the neighbours and important links in any natural ecosystem. Our health is inextricably linked to the city’s wildlife. Humans are a part of nature, and it is there that we instinctively seek harmony, relief from stress and the healing power, escaping the invasion of cars, depressing stone walls and lifelessness of asphalt.
Mowing the grass
The impact of natural components on the psychophysical health of people has been scientifically proven: humidity, noise levels, clean air, emotional comfort are reflected in our bodies and level of stress, brain and other organs’ functions, moreover, it takes place since childhood. In the fast-changing pandemic conditions or during the fatal heat, like this summer, islets of greenery close to home become the only opportunity for residents to come into contact with the living environment. And for birds, animals and insects, the presence of plants and trees is the only and, most importantly, necessary condition for survival and preservation of offspring, and the quality of the green areas themselves is an important factor in the vital activity of living organisms. This is today the cornerstone of St. Petersburg's green policy and the need to restore the green framework of the city, which is a priority task for any civilised megapolis. What is simple, traditional for austere architecture and easy to maintain for municipal services does not mean being useful for residents and wildlife, as research conducted in line with the modern ecosystem approach reveals. And here we discover many problems and nuanced issues, which it is important to talk about with the involvement of the public and the professional community, competent specialists in ecology, soil science, botany, dendrology, management and maintenance of green spaces.
It is worth noting that residents themselves are increasingly paying attention to dust storms and parched ground, mass mortality of bugs and the silence of birds, often simply unable to find food in their usual environment after the drastic grass-cutting by municipal services.
It was on the initiative of St. Petersburg citizens who aren’t indifferent to nature that the SPbGASU students studying Landscape Architecture developed proposals to create a concept of a 'green corridor' for Ufimskaya Street in Petrogradsky district including the improvement of adjacent public spaces, with a special emphasis on using perennial flower species and a range of plants comfortable for insects and small vertebrate animals.
On 19 July, the final day of the students’ summer practice, their works were presented at a field meeting with representatives of the St. Petersburg Committee for Urban Improvement and the Aptekarsky Island municipality. The meeting in the presence of the media and interviews with the authors took place right on the site. On 22 July, the Committee for Urban Improvement initiated a roundtable on the issue of improving the city's lawns with the general public, professionals and lawmakers. After all, it is not the first year that residents have raised questions of desiccation, mowing the grass in the heat and the lack of conditions for sustainable development of the natural framework of urban spaces that affect the health of people, life of insects and birds. {gallery name="данилова_луга"}
Lawns in Hannover and in St. Petersburg compared
The work of municipal services was also criticised. There was a discussion about the possibility of engaging firefighters and watering lawns using water from canals. During the roundtable on July 22, the Centre for Development of a Comfortable Urban Environment presented well-elaborated proposals to implement a strategic approach to organising and maintaining green spaces and the Ufimskaya Street green corridor design including a public space with two public gardens as a pilot proposal. The main goal is to have intensive multi-layered greenery in these areas, covering at least 70% of the area. It is this approach that will unlock the untapped potential of the green spaces, provide recreational facilities and living conditions for our little friends.
The design projects also include solutions for installing playgrounds, recreational and public areas, elements of integrated landscaping, lighting and architectural illumination in a unified design code.
The floral design proposals have been accepted for consideration by the public and the Urban Improvement Committee, and the city will have meadows as part of an ecosystem approach, which is the long-awaited result of joint efforts. The implementation of the Ufimskaya Street green corridor project with adjoining public gardens using perennial and cereal plants is scheduled for 2022.
Editor of the Russian text: Gleb Barbashinov
Photos courtesy of the column author
Svetlana Danilova’s photo: by Sergey Klishis
