Gardens, parks, reserves and trees have been linked to cultural, spiritual and alternative medical solutions. Natural or seminatural land areas can also deliver ecosystem services such as food supply, storm-water management and climate control. Cities can plan and manage these for maximum benefit.
Our research team works on the Integrative Green Infrastructure Planning project, a collaboration between the University of Pretoria in South Africa and Aarhus University in Denmark. We reviewed policy documents relating to green infrastructure in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (Pretoria and surrounds) to look for ways to plan, manage and maintain these green-space resources. We also interviewed city officials and held workshops with officials and consultants.
We discovered that Tshwane needs guidelines based on green infrastructure principles. An increase in the awareness of green infrastructure among city officials and residents will increase the many benefits that green spaces can deliver.
RAPID DEVELOPMENT
Tshwane is an area rich in biodiversity. It is also one of the world’s largest metropolitan municipalities by area, and is growing at 3,1% a year. Despite the change of government to democratic rule in 1994, the impact of the apartheid era still shows in the city’s neighbourhoods and land development. People are still separated spatially, and some areas have more services, facilities and access to planned green infrastructure than others.
CITIES NEED TO BALANCE RESIDENTS’ DAILY NEEDS WITH THE CONSERVATION OF GREEN SPACES FOR BIODIVERSITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Denne historien er fra Farmer's Weekly 10 March 2023-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra Farmer's Weekly 10 March 2023-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Optimising cherry production and quality
Growing cherries in a suboptimal climate requires manipulating trees and temperatures. But with a considerable market advantage, it is worth the effort. Lindi Botha visited ZZ2's Toscana farm, which for four weeks of the year takes prime position in the cherry market.
Biosecurity & nutrition: the foundation of pig farming success
JD Mostert, a consulting swine nutritionist at CS Vet, and Dr Stefan Steyn, a veterinarian at Afrivet, shared their expertise with Sinenhlanhla Mncwango, delving into why biosecurity and nutrition are critical pillars in establishing and maintaining a productive pig farm geared for long-term success.
The business of pig farming: practical steps for success
Running a pork farm requires knowledge and expertise. Mosele Lepheane, director of a small piggery in the Free State, spoke to Sinenhlanhla Mncwango about the structured approach needed to succeed, from drafting a business plan and managing cash flow to sourcing equipment and expanding market access.
A bright future awaits SA's Boran
Hurwitz Farming has become synonymous with Boran cattle in South Africa. But it hasn't always been plain sailing. Simeon Hurwitz spoke to Janine Ryan about the increasing popularity of this breed.
Get calves' feed exactly right
Give calves dry feed from two to three weeks. Milk alone isn’t enough, said this dairyman.
Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
