NIGK15031U Urban Forestry, Urban Greening
MSc Programme in Landscape Architecture
The "re-naturing" of cities has come to the fore-front of urban planning the world over. From Singapore to Copenhagen, city leaders have implemented large-scale tree planting campaigns and the greening of post-industrial sites with urban parks and community gardens. But why are green spaces so important for today's cities and towns? How do we develop sustainable and multifunctional green structures that meet the expectations of local citizens, politicians and other diverse interests? How can green spaces and trees provide nature-based solutions for a climate-resilient future? These are some of the questions delt with in this course. Working with a Nordic and international perspective, students are challenged to conceptualize and apply key concepts, theories, and methods involved in the strategic management and planning of urban parks, woodlands, street trees, community gardens and other green areas. This is a must-have course for students with a professional interest in the greening and re-naturing of cities.
Thus this course challenges students to shift perspectives
from the spatial to the political. In this regard Urban Forestry
Urban Greening is a problem- and knowledge-based
course drawing on relevant urban green space governance cases
from the Danish and international context . The course
explores international literature and Danish cases as an
introduction to the planning, management, and
governance of public urban green spaces. The course provides
an in-depth perspective on the following topics:
- The concept of Urban Forestry & Urban Greening (UFUG)
approach, definitions etc. touching on its relation to urban green
infrastructure and the ecologicalization of the urban fabric.
- History, background, developments and current status of UFUG
resources in Europe and abroad
- Strategic management of the urban green resource
- Benefits, values and uses of urban green areas (ecological,
economic, social, cultural, human health etc.)
- UFUG policies, planning legislation and regulations in urban
areas
- Development of tools for strategic management (tree inventories,
tree appraisal, marketing strategies, biodiversity indicators etc.)
- Different actors, stakeholders and professions involved
- Organisation in relation to maintenance operations (public -
private / private - private partnerships)
- Various methods of public engagement and
co-creation
The main objective of the course is to provide a theoretical
introduction to the governance (planning, maintenance, management
and steering of decision making processes ) of public urban
green spaces from a strategic point of view, and to provide
training in developing an urban green space management plan. These
course objectives are supported through case-based group work
resulting in a written management report at the end of the block.
In this course we work with "real-world" cases often
engaging directly with a municipality, community groups and parks
organizations thus we aim to move from theory to praxis within the
course.
The course is integrated in the Master program in Landscape
Architecture, as an introduction to the Green Space Management
specialisation.
After completing the course the student should be able to:
Knowledge:
- Describe and challenge relevant theories related to the
combination of public administration, landscape
urbanism, green space management, and governance.
-Describe and challenge, using relevant models, the actors and
aspects involved in urban green space management and governance,
and specifically explain and challenge the role of a public manager
within a basic democratic system.
- Reflect upon the different user groups, their wishes and needs,
and possible conflicts between different user groups.
-Describe and challenge the different organizational levels in a
typical green space management organization, including the roles of
the different parts of the organization.
-Summarize and complicate the various benefits of urban green
spaces.
-Mention a number of tools that can be used to aid long term
(strategic) management of urban green spaces.
-List the most important methods of public participation and
reflect upon their suitability in different situations.
- Describe in detail how a strategic Green Space Management Plan
may be structured, and developed over time.
Skills:
- Read and analyze peer-reviewed scientific publications
- Make oral presentations of preformed analyses, developed visions
and planned actions
- Structure reports and presentations in a correct manner
- Select and asses relevant information for the course project
- Discuss central tools, their scope and values in relation to
green space management.
- Discuss the most important urban green space benefits in detail.
- Develop a Green Space Management Plan, including both short and
long term visions and related means to fulfill the plan.
Competences:
-Work independently
-Cooperate effectively in a multidisciplinary and multicultural
group with a common project
-Apply the course theory to related subjects and/or to different
work situations, e.g. in other countries
See Absalon for a list of course literature.
Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
- Category
- Hours
- Exam
- 5
- Excursions
- 20
- Guidance
- 16
- Lectures
- 40
- Preparation
- 131
- Project work
- 160
- Theory exercises
- 40
- Total
- 412
Feedback will be given in two-way formats. Students will frequently be asked to assess the course lecture content and relevance as well as their personal learning experience. This will be done orally. I will give oral feedback during group-work presentations. All students will comment on their peers progress in group presentations as part of peer-feedback. Individual feedback will be given upon request. Each student will receive feedback at their exam when the grade is given.
- Credit
- 15 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Oral examination, 20 minutesOral exam, with use of all materials allowed. Question to be drawn prior to exam, followed by 20 minutes of preparation time.
- Exam registration requirements
Students must complete a written green space management plan and deliver it in order to take the exam. Students are strongly recommended to participate in their assigned group to complete the assigned green space management plan.
- Aid
- All aids allowed
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- External censorship
- Re-exam
Oral exam 20 minuttes, with use of all materials allowed. Question to be drawn prior to exam, followed by 20 minutes of preparation time. Students who have not handed in the green space management plan prior to the ordinary exam, have to hand it in three weeks before the re-exam in order to participate in the exam.
Criteria for exam assesment
Please see learning outcome.
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- NIGK15031U
- Credit
- 15 ECTS
- Level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
- 1 block
- Placement
- Block 2
- Schedule
- A And C
- Course capacity
- 40
- Continuing and further education
- Study board
- Study Board of Geosciences and Management
Contracting department
- Department of Geoscience and Natural Resource Management
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Science
Course Coordinators
- Natalie Marie Gulsrud (nagu@ign.ku.dk)
Lecturers
Natalie Gulsrud