2021 / Built environment + Urban design, Landscape design, Urban

From Sanitary to Sustainable to Sacred: Metro Nature Experiences and Engagement

Citation

Wolf, K. L. (2021). From sanitary to sustainable to sacred: Metro nature experiences and engagement. In: Muramatsu, S., McGee, T.G., Mori, K. (eds) Living in the Megacity: Towards Sustainable Urban Environments. Global Environmental Studies. Springer, Tokyo. doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-56901-5_8

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Cities keep changing, and so does the way nature fits into them. Planners and city leaders are juggling many challenges at once, and nearby nature has become part of the solution, largely because time in green spaces is good for human health and well-being.

Traditional systems, like pipes and treatment plants, handle the basics: sanitation, hygiene, and preventing disease. Newer approaches blend built and natural systems together. This “green infrastructure” leans on ecological functions to deliver services while also making cities more livable. And the return of nature to cities can do more than meet practical needs. It can create places that ease stress, offer quiet moments of solace, and bring people together — what some call the “civic sacred.”

Sacred spaces are often shaped by the people who use them. They might be natural features a culture holds dear, outdoor sites created as secular memorials, or everyday places that take on meaning through community involvement. The health benefits of these spaces ripple outward, from individuals to whole neighborhoods. And when people have good experiences there, they tend to form deep attachments to a place and a lasting commitment to care for it.

The author calls on local government policies, programs, and research to better understand and implement equitable sacred spaces in cities.

Abstract

The expression of nature and ecology in cities is adaptive, as planners and managers address multiple urbanization challenges and pursue multiple goals. Human health and wellness are benefits of nearby nature experiences, elevating the importance of natural areas and urban ecology for health promotion. Engineered and gray infrastructure systems can address the sanitary needs of residents such as hygiene and disease prevention. More recent innovations that integrate built and natural systems for green infrastructure provide necessary services by relying more on ecological functions. While addressing practical needs, the reintroduction of nature in cities can also be planned to offer places that reduce human stress, provide solace, and promote community—the civic sacred. Sacred spaces are often socially constructed. They may be distinctive natural features that are culturally revered outdoor spaces, or are sites created and consecrated as secular memorials, or places that take on meaning through community engagement. The health benefits of such spaces extend from individuals to entire communities, and positive experiences can lead to place attachment and environmental stewardship commitments. Local government policies, programs, and research are needed to better understand and implement sacred spaces in cities, including attention to equity to assure that all residents have access.