Air quality objectives and action themes
4.7 Theme 6: Green Infrastructure Green infrastructure offers numerous microclimate benefits including providing shade to alleviate heat stress, supporting urban biodiversity, water retention, and flood alleviation. The development of green areas within the city acts as a natural response to air pollution. This includes the allocation of specific areas for new tree planting to increase tree cover across the city. Creating areas of maximum biodiversity is also a contributor to improving air quality (and is also aesthetically pleasing). Creating new habitats for native flora and fauna e.g. urban orchards, allotments, green roofs and green walls; will assist in negating the ‘heat island effect’. This upsurge in biodiversity can be expanded through the creation of potential ecological corridors and connectivity between areas. This corridor concept can also be used to open up culverted rivers and secure wetland areas. The development of green infrastructure will involve utilising in-house expertise as well as the capability and knowledge of regional experts such as the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and research organizations (UCC, MTU, and the Research Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine, UCC (MaREI)). This expertise will be used to map areas considered beneficial for re-wilding and increasing the green footprint of the city. An enhancement of the city’s green infrastructure can have the dual benefit of delivering local carbon offsets through carbon sequestration as well as enhancing air quality. The effective integration of nature-based solutions in all City Council development works (roads, housing, architecture, parks and water infrastructure) will be a key component of this theme.
On Street Parklet, Douglas Street, Cork
Fitzgerald’s Park, Cork
Theme Summary » Increase tree cover (urban woodland areas). » Develop and enhance ecological corridors. » Create new flora and fauna habitats. » Secure wetland areas. » Develop green infrastructure and enhance biodiversity. » Install Citytrees (Air Quality Moss Walls) in city centre to improve ambient air quality. » Deliver pocket parks or parklets in specified areas across the city. » Develop a broad initiative that includes the expertise of regional players. » Deliver the Heritage and Biodiversity Plan. » Expand areas that may be used to offset carbon levels. » Develop nature-based solutions (NBS) – Planter boxes, bio-swales, green roofs, green walls, high level green terraces, etc.
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