GREEN TRAMWAY TRACKS – A FLAWLESS NATURE-BASED SOLUTION FOR URBAN GREENING?

 

By Jakub Osmański

 

Although they had been known and used for over 100 years, the interest in green tram tracks and their application have been gaining momentum all over the world just recently. What’s all the fuss about it?

Proponents of green tram tracks point out that they serve as precipitation storage, relieving the sewage systems in case of stormwater runoff. They allegedly decrease the reflection of noise coming from the trams and contribute to lowering the effect of urban heat island. Last but not least, they just look better than conventional tram tracks with concrete or rubble foundations – and it is proven that the presence of greenery around us positively affects our health. In other words, the unbeneficial impact of trams on the environment is reduced. So, a silver bullet solution? Let’s take a closer look.  

For the clarity of the analysis, all consulted literature revolved around the temperate climate and Central-European cities.

The three most common solutions for greening the tracks emerge from the research on the temperate climate. These are: grass; low-maintained grass with ruderal plants; and sedum, a succulent, which looks like that:

We need to bear in mind that tram tracks could create precarious conditions for plants due to limited shade and heavy irradiation. Thus, slowly growing species of short height and low nutrient demands are favored. “Weeds” and sedum do not need to be mowed or irrigated. Thus, they grab an easy victory, since their maintenance needs are very limited compared to the grass which requires it quite often. More effort here might mean less sustainability.

The urban heat island effect is a serious phenomenon, resulting in higher temperatures inside the city center, where the built environment is denser, and basically where concrete (which heats up easily) has the upper hand over greenery. With climatic anomalies becoming more frequent, its minimalization is desired as never before.

Consequent building up of more space with concrete at the expense of greenery makes it even more difficult to hamper the floods – that is where the hydrophilic species step up to absorb rainwater. Studies demonstrate that sedum and grass are capable of retaining, respectively, 50% and 70% of the annual precipitation onto their areas, whereas during the summer grass can hold up to 90%! This is explicable by the metabolism of grass that opens its stomata to exchange gas during the daytime. This allows for receiving more water. Sedum, on the other hand, opens its stomata at night, that in turn lets it endure in much higher temperatures.

Telling calculations from Berlin show that its whole 45 km network of grass tracks after a rainy day can contribute to cooling down 5 km³ of air by 10 degrees. Although grass excels in water storage, there are virtually no differences when it comes to the ability to reflect sunlight, and the succulents alone are believed to reduce temperatures by the tracks by 5-7 degrees.

Sedum does not retain as many harmful fine particles or CO₂ as grass or “weeds”, but on the other hand, more pollutants are emitted during grass maintenance processes. The advantages and disadvantages sort of even out this time.

Although often cited as a great benefit, noise cancellation is not that evident due to the implementation of green tracks – various studies say about 1-4 dB gained. The surface of compared plants is too similar to yield different results here. Nevertheless, the valid point of subjective sensations could be raised – regardless of a near-placebo effect, people still perceive green tracks as less disturbing.

Several studies indicated that less- or unmanaged green tracks are more biodiverse than perfectly cared-for lawns. Just like with water retention, less manicured greenery allows the natural processes to happen – after some years the less tolerant wild species would be gone, letting the more suitable, indigenous species, accommodate – tramway habitats could be perfect refuges for endangered and rare species.  And ever since sedum is proven to contribute less to biodiversity than ruderal species, due to competing with and forcing them out, it is still preferable to trimmed grass. Some research demonstrates, though, tram track areas are not very crucial size-wise in contributing to urban biodiversity.

Although studies mainly show vast public support for greening tram tracks, the preferred solution used to be high-maintenance lawns, which is contrary to the biodiversity and sustainability argument. However, with the increasing general consciousness about biological issues in society, this trend tends to reverse, and ruderal, wilder flora is becoming more valued. We can attribute changing perception of green tracks over time, as turf starts to mature. As already said, in the “weeded” surfaces, changes occur, not leaving the observers with the thought of “a forgotten greenery”, whilst keeping the costs to a minimum. The viable option could be opting for a ruderal finish in less generally visible areas while keeping the “prettier” greenery in closer sight of the people.

The choice between grass and sedum may come down to aesthetics, price, and maintenance. I will let the readers decide on the beauty question, but also kindly remind that there is no ultimate solution and no one requires to resort to one species on the entire network! In the temperate climate it is undoubtedly cheaper to use grass, but adding the costs of extensive upkeeping, it becomes less straightforward. Obviously, the conventional tracks are notably the cheapest option – but will that matter then once heatwave or rainstorm come?

PS Let me present a symptomatic case study of different approaches to greening the tram tracks in two Polish cities – Gdańsk and Poznań. Gdańsk is very reluctant to implementation of this nature-based solution, whereas Poznań had already two times more green tracks in 2018 and is confidently developing it further, basically citing the main takeaways from this blog entry. Gdańsk, however, turns its nose at green tracks due to difficulties in the lawns’ maintenance which reflects in bigger costs. The Roads and Greenery Authority spokesperson openly says that the drawbacks are outnumbering the benefits. Is it “concrete-washing” already?

 

CONSULTED WORKS:

BEMBNISTA, B. (2018, December 2). ZDMiKP nie chce w Bydgoszczy zielonych torowisk. Jak na argumenty o kosztach odpowiada Poznań?, Metropolia Bydgoska  https://metropoliabydgoska.pl/zdmikp-nie-chce-w-bydgoszczy-zielonych-torowisk-jak-na-argumenty-o-kosztach-odpowiada-poznan/

JAKUBCOVÁ, E.; HORVÁTHOVÁ, E. Costs and benefits of green tramway tracks. Scientia Agriculturae Bohemica, 2020, 51.4: 99-106.

KALKOWSKI, K. (2020, July 17th). Zielone torowiska—Dlaczego Gdańsk ma ich tak mało?, Puls Gdańska https://pulsgdanska.pl/artykul/zielone-torowiska--dlaczego/1021316

KAPPIS, C., SCHREITER, K. Effect and function of green tram tracks. Grüngleisnetzwerk internet publication, n.d. http://www.gruengleisnetzwerk.de/images/downloads/effects.pdf

RENDEKOVÁ, A., et al. Comparison of the differences in the composition of ruderal flora between conventional tram tracks and managed green tram tracks in the urban ecosystem of the city of Bratislava. Hacquetia, 2022, 21.1: 73-88.

RMTransit (2022, May 17). How to Spruce Up Your Tracks: The Magic of Green Track. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UC-aGO-wa5k

SIKORSKI P., et al. Low-maintenance green tram tracks as a socially acceptable solution to greening a city. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 2018, 35: 148-164.

STECKLER, P., et al. Green Track–Environmental Performance Evaluation for “Green” Tramway Superstructure. Road and Rail Infrastructure II, 2012, 683-691.

USED PHOTOS

1. Green grass tram track in Gdańsk, Poland; Grzegorz Mehring, gdansk.pl

2. Sedum spurium; cebule.pl

3. Green ruderal tram track in Bratislava, Slovakia; retrieved from: https://greenfond.eu/en/gallery/extensive-green-roof/green-tram-tracks-bratislava-slovakia/

4. Green sedum tram track in Poznań, Poland; Poznańskie Inwestycje Miejskie, retrieved from: https://raportkolejowy.pl/tomasz-plociniczak-poznanskie-inwestycje-miejskie-rozchodnik-rozwiazanie-na-ekstremalne-warunki-zdjecia/

 

Beyond green and blue belts: why we should also look at the soils

 

By Joshua Le Bourhis

Blue and Green networks

Blue and green belts are a well known tool to allow natural ecosystems to flourish even in urban environments, to favor their environmental quality. Their implementation aims at limiting the fragmentation of natural environments and so improving biodiversity thanks to a better circulation of the different species through a greater connectivity between these natural areas. However, these networks are often only considered in two dimensions: the connectivity is only analyzed through maps, omitting to consider the vertical dimension which includes the air, but also, obviously the soil.

The soil: an overlooked resource of biodiversity

Indeed, the land can be an incredible underground life reserve: they are home to about a quarter of our planet’s biodiversity. A rich soil can be full of life. They contain bacteria, archaea, fungi, but also soils animals such as springtails, mites, millipedes, earthworms or termites and finally some vertebrates as well (moles, field mice, reptiles…).

 

 These organisms are involved in many processes which allows the soil to perform several ecosystem services, contributing to enhance human well-being:

●      Biodiversity: The soil is richer and more diverse in species than the surface even in a thin layer.

●      Water cycle: Contrary to impervious soils which are very present in urban landscapes, soil in the open ground containing a good biodiversity enables the infiltration of water, its circulation and water then becomes available for plants.

●      Nutrient cycle: the organisms living in the ground are recycling natural wastes into nutrients to be consumed by plants.

●      CO² absorption and storage: Atmospheric CO² is captured by organic matter deep into the ground, preventing it from being released again.

●      Remediation: The soil filters water and organisms can also degrade toxic components.

●      Soil health: Significant biodiversity allows the different species to help each other through symbioses or cooperation, limiting the impacts of parasites and soilborne diseases.

 

            This rich biodiversity highly depends on the nature of the soil and its physical and chemical characteristics (pH, humidity, density, depth…) allowing the different species to live in an adapted environment. Contrary to common misconceptions, the urban unsealed soils actually contain a lot of biodiversity: the multiplicity of soil types in cities is an asset for living beings and the cities are now often spared of the use of pesticides. Thus, springtails - which are often used as a biodiversity indicator - are 8 times more prevalent and with 1.6 times more species in vegetable gardens than in agricultural lands. In the same way, parks and roofs are home to high levels of microbial biomass.

 

            Urban soils are valuable allies when it comes to managing water flows and inhibiting urban heat island, thus they must be protected and extended.

How to connect the land: the brown networks

            In order to improve the quality of the soil in urban areas a new tool is being developed, following the model of blue and green belts: the brown network. It aims at improving the continuity of the soil by connecting places in open ground and creating ecological corridors in the city. As animals on the surface, species living underground must be able to move to survive potential changes in their habitats, to reproduce or to colonize other lands. Plants also benefit from it: trees exchange nutrients through their roots and support each other by sharing fungi. 

            However, brown networks are very little implemented in our city. The high rate of soil sealing in our cities is a first indicator of this assertion. Indeed, underground spaces are highly colonized by human activities: building foundations, means of transportation (subway) and various networks (water, energy, information…). But even when the soil is not entirely used and there are plants along the streets, trees are often contained in large soil containers, making them unable to communicate with each other and thus to share resources or biodiversity, weakening their resilience and ability to grow.

            Soil fragmentation and the scattering of biodiversity reserves is the main issue limiting the development of those same biodiversity areas and the brown network can be an adequate solution to tackle this problem.

 

 

 

 

In practice: Implementing brown networks in the urban environment

            The next step is to consider how to implement brown networks in our already dense urban environments. We can consider this issue at two different scales.

            At the local scale, we should promote the restoration of soil permeability when it is possible. Sealed soils are a problem when it comes to water runoff while in the other hand soils with high biodiversity are very good at allowing water infiltration: removing artificial surfaces when they are not a necessary seems like an easy solution, in addition to the fact that we can easily find places in public space that does not require a concrete floor.

            At a larger scale, the other goal is to connect the soil with the pre-existing green and blue networks: a brown network is not enough on its own and needs to be associated with other natural areas to truly enhance the development of life in and on the ground. In Europe, those networks are often already implemented so the addition is just an extra step for the return of biodiversity to the city. However, a specific analysis of the needs of these ecosystems is required: we need further studies and data on the quality of our soil to better connect the unsealed areas and their wildlife. 

 

            Brown networks could be a very good improvement to the current blue and green structure, but it is simply just considering a single other aspect among the needs of animals and plants. Light pollution, pesticides, noise, wastes are as many problems for the nature with each a potential specific network to add to the green, blue and brown ones, free of these nuisance, but isn’t this just a temporary fix which does not question the roots of the problem which are urban sprawl and economic and demographic growth of cities?

 

Sources:

●      Blanchart, E., Cortet, J., & Gers, C. La biodiversité des sols, un bien commun au service de tous.

●      Brussaard, L. (1997). Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in soil. Ambio, 563-570.

●      Joimel, S., Grard, B., Vieublé Gonod, L., & Chenu, C. (2021). Le fonctionnement écologique des villes : et si on pensait aux sols ?. métropolitiques. https://metropolitiques.eu/Le-fonctionnement-ecologique-des-villes-et-si-on-pensait-aux-sols.html

●      SOLS, D. (2022). les bénéfices environnementaux des revêtements de sols perméables.

●      Sordello, R. R72: Trame verte, trame bleue et autres trames, par Romain Sordello.

●      Trame Brune. Lichen. https://agencelichen.fr/trame-brune/

●      VILLES, L. (2022). RENATURER.

The Benefits and Challenges of Community Gardens: Le Chant des Cailles

 

By Katherine Amber, Violette Lemieux, & Catherine Lachmann

 

La Ferme de Chant des Cailles, located next to the garden city Le Logis-Floréal in Brussels, came to life in August 2012 through the advocacy of local residents. The project is a combination of professional agriculture, le maraîchers, where local residents can sign-up to participate in a form of pick-your-own community supported agriculture, and a jardin collectif, managed by local residents. The project also includes a sheep rearing enterprise, Le Bercail, that produces meat and dairy professionally. Le Chant des Cailles is emblematic of the benefits of urban agriculture and community gardening, and also of the struggles these tenuous green spaces face.

 

Le Chant des Cailles Maraîchers (Source: GoodFood)

 

Looking back, the origins of community gardens can be traced to the Industrial Revolution in England, where people began to grow their own food because increasing population left families with few resources. Like today, many city dwellers didn’t have access to private backyards, so community spaces were shared and reworked into gardens. Similarly, in the United States, community gardens gained popularity during the 1893 depression, when the Mayor of Detroit pressured owners of vacant lots to allow the unemployed to garden and grow food on the unused land (Hanna, 2000). Soon, other American cities developed similar policies, although once the depression receded, the interests of real-estate won out and those gardens were demolished (Hanna, 2000). Later, during the World Wars, community gardens flourished. Renamed “Victory Gardens,” they produced over $5 million worth of food (Hanna, 2000). But like the depression era, when the wars ended, the Victory Gardens were once again abandoned. In Belgium, community gardens have a similar origin, laying their roots in the 19th century as allotment gardens rented to workers to improve their quality of life. By the end of the 19th century the allotments became collective, and today you’ll find 651 community gardens in the Brussels Capital Region (Del Suolo, 2017).

 

Interest in community gardens has waxed and waned over the years, often following patterns of crises. No matter their popularity in the given moment – although the looming climate crisis has once again instigated a boom in interest – community gardens provide undeniable benefits to mental and physical health, community building and sense of place, and food sovereignty, not to mention the environmental benefits of greening. Community gardens offer an oasis to develop a relationship with the earth, proven to reduce stress and depression through relaxation and increased self-esteem (Siewell, et al., 2015). Growing food empowers communities by providing the resources and knowledge towards self-sufficiency. Gardens have the capacity to build communities by bringing people together across demographic lines. When community gardens are inclusive, by laying the ground for equitable and diverse participation, working cooperatively, and tailoring tasks to varying abilities, they can increase the social connectedness in a neighborhood (Gray, et al., 2022). When community members have the ability, and opportunity, to have a physical and visible impact on their environment, they develop a stronger sense of connection with their neighborhood.

 

Le Chant des Cailles empowers local residents to work together in collaboration, choosing what to plant and how to organize workload, while providing a space for exchanging knowledge and food. The project also engages a wider audience in sustainability through its Quartiers Durables, subsidized by Brussel.Environnement. The Quartiers Durables organizes public activities like: Les Terrasses de Maurice, a collective garden with a henhouse and compost; Festival des 7 Lieux, festive days with open-air cinema, and workshops; and a participative grocery store, which local residents help manage. The farm also provides environmental benefits, aligning with the collective’s goal to demonstrate the potential of sustainable urban agriculture. To promote biodiversity, the farm cultivates about fifty plants and edible flowers, and organizes participative workshops to share the use and preparation of those plants. As another form of community building, the collective is a place to exchange organic farming methods among the 70 amateur gardeners who work in the potager.

 

Community days at the Chant des Cailles (Source: Le Chant des Cailles)

 

Le Chant des Cailles faces active challenges on numerous fronts. The collective was granted permission to farm on the land through a social housing cooperative, and are only allowed to stay until future construction projects begin. Part of the land is already in the process of being developed to build around a dozen social housing units. Some local politicians support maintaining the green space, with bourgmestre Olivier Deleuze claiming the land should be, “entirely reserved for urban agriculture” (Quynh, 2023). The sheep-rearing project, Le Bercail, has been in conflict with a neighborhood group, Les Riverains du Parc, who mobilized against the projects taking place on the site, despite both groups having similar objectives and ambitions. The Bercail is also currently in legal violation because of a PPAS (plan particulier d’affectation des sols) which prohibits any construction and commercial activity. To be regularized, Le Bercail submitted applications for planning permission to transform and restore the fields.

 

Le Bercail (Source: Le Soir)

 

As Le Chant des Cailles illustrates, community gardens face substantial challenges. Like with Le Bercail, obtaining planning permission to develop a project is often a real administrative battle, and in the context of creating a community garden, it can take years. For the Chant des Cailles, it took four years of procedure before the file could be submitted to a public enquiry! Not to mention that for property developers, getting their hands on a new plot of land is a godsend, especially in a large city like Brussels where property speculation is quickly driving up rents and land prices.

This threat of construction and eviction is paralyzing and slows down initiatives on a city-wide scale. Often cities are faced with an impossible decision – to maintain rare and vital green space, or develop much needed social housing, a choice that feels like picking for scraps at the feet of real-estate interests. Since the onset of the community gardening movement, these green spaces have been threatened by insecurity, preventing projects like Le Chant de Cailles from reaching their full potential. While there is no shortage of opportunities to launch gardening projects, the predation of property developers, conflicts with local residents, and administrative procedures, prevent initiatives from becoming a reality. Appropriate legal frameworks need to be created by making planning permission for shared gardens easier to obtain, and developing a system similar to a Community Land Trust, with land acquired by and managed for the good of the community, capped in value and reserved for a defined use (in this case, as a community garden).

However, there are many hopeful initiatives and calls for projects financed by the city. For example, the Sustainable Neighbourhood Contracts for the creation of green spaces and socio-economic actions, and calls for projects from Brussels Environment, such as Inspirons le Quartier, which provides funding (3,000€ per project for 5 projects) and practical tools for setting-up a garden. The GoodFood project promotes the creation of new urban agriculture sites, along with networks of initiatives and toolkits. Finally, the King Baudouin Foundation provides funding for initiatives promoting neighborhood transition and biodiversity. In Antwerp, SAMMO has carried out projects for the homeless including shared gardens with positive and optimistic results!

It is our hope that after reading about some amazing projects and the potential of gardening that you have the tools and feel inspired to get your hands in the soil!

 

 

References

 

Blanchet-Cohen, N. (2014) Igniting citizen participation in creating healthy built environments: the role of community organizations. Community Development Journal, 50(2). doi:10.1093/cdj/bsu031.

 

Comment cà marche ? CLTB. https://www.cltb.be/comment-ca-marche/.

 

Contrats de Quartiers Durables: Cinq Types d’Actions. Urban.Brussels. https://quartiers.brussels/1/page/definition/cinq-types-dactions.

 

Del Suolo, A. (2017, December 16). Map of community gardens in Brussels (Belgium). Gruppo Suolo Europa. https://angelidelsuolo.wordpress.com/2017/12/16/map-of-community-gardens-in-brussels-belgium/#:~:text=In%20Brussels%2C%20a%20map%20indicates,those%20in%20the%20Wallonia%20region.

 

Enquête publique pour la transformation de la bergerie et la restauration d’une annexe au Couvent Sainte Anne. La Ferme du Chant des Cailles. http://www.chantdescailles.be/enquete-publique-pour-la-transformation-de-la-bergerie-et-la-restauration-dune-annexe-au-couvent-sainte-anne/.

 

Guides Potager : réseaux et formations. Environment.Brussels. https://environnement.brussels/citoyen/services-et-demandes/conseils-et-accompagnement/guides-potager-reseaux-et-formations.

 

Hanna, A.K. (2000) Rethinking Urban Poverty: A Look at Community Gardens. Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society, 20(3), 207-216.

 

Mise en Réseau des Projects Collectifs Citoyens Good Food. Inspirons Le Quartier. https://inspironslequartier.brussels/mise-en-reseau-des-projets-collectifs-citoyens-good-food/.

 

Project Sustainable Neighborhood. SAAMO Antwerpen. https://www.saamo.be/antwerpen/project/project-duurzaam-buurzaam/.

 

Quynh, C.T., Bahram S., Scheenaerts, N., & De Beul, C. (February 2023) Watermael-Boitsfort : la bergerie du Bercail à l’enquête publique. BX1. https://bx1.be/categories/news/watermael-boitsfort-la-bergerie-du-bercail-a-lenquete-publique

 

Siewell, N., Aguirre, S., & Thomas, M. (2015) Building Sustainable Neighborhoods through Community Gardens: Enhancing Residents’ Well-being through University-Community Engagement Initiative. Metropolitan Universities, 26(1), 173-190.

 

Truong, S., Gray, T., & Ward, K. (2022) Enhancing urban nature and place-making in social housing through community gardening. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 72, 1-8.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127586

 

Twiss, J., Dickinson, J., Duma, S., Kleinman, T., Paulsen, H., & Rilveria, L. (2003) Community Gardens: Lessons Learned from California Healthy Cities and Communities. American Journal of Public Health, 93(9), 1435-1438.

 

Warsztacki, S. (2012, September 19) Les potagers collectifs poussent comme de la bonne herbe. Alter échos. https://www.alterechos.be/les-potagers-collectifs-poussent-comme-de-la-bonne-herbe-2/.

Belgian cities are some of the rainiest in Europe: what's up with water?

By Wini Pannier & Mathilde Abnet 

Climate change is accelerating long-term changes in global temperatures and weather patterns. Melting ice sheets, rising sea levels, disturbed rainfalls, increasing rates of floods and droughts: water is the crux of global warming (United Nations, sd).

 

Images of worldwide devastating wildfires linked to drier seasons seem to be multiplying over the years (United Nations, sd). Especially in the last 5 years we have also experienced it in Belgium: water scarcity, water quality, water salinization... Even though we are also experiencing drier summers in Belgian cities, as visible in the browning grass of park lawns, our rainy Belgian climate could mislead us to think confidently that water scarcity will never be a problem here. However, the opposite is true. (VRP, 2022)

 

Belgium is one of the European countries most at risk for water shortage. On a global scale, Belgium is ranked 23rd out of 164 countries suffering from water scarcity and is the third highest in Europe, as testified by a report by the World Resources Institute (WRI). This scarcity, referred to as “water stress”, is the highest in the territory of Flanders. (aqueduct, sd).

 

Figure 1: Water risk atlas in which Belgium stands out with a high level of water stress (aqueduct, sd)

 

How can the country with the highest number of rainy days in Europe be one of the most water-stressed of continental Europe?

 

Marijke Huysmans, professor of groundwater hydrology at the University of Antwerp, provides us an explanation. Of all the water flowing in our faucets, half is sourced from surface water or “streams” and the other half from groundwaters or “pumped wells”. The groundwater layers or “aquifers” are composed of 10-meter-deep shallow waters and deeper waters, as can be seen on figure 2.

 

Figure 2: groundwater flow systems (wikipedia , sd)

In Flanders, the rain either infiltrates streams and sewers (7%), infiltrates groundwater (30%) or evaporates (63%). Streams are quick to refill, but groundwater aquifers aren’t.

 

The deeper the aquifer, the slower it takes to fill in, cause of the poorly permeable layers. This is related to the geological structure of Flanders, where (except in the coastal area) the subsoil consists largely of clay (VRP, 2022). In the summer, the groundwater aquifers don’t get filled in as much as rain is absorbed by plants and heat. The level is at its lowest at the end of September and highest at the end of March. Given the high demand for groundwater in Flanders and the scarcity of this raw material in general, it is not surprising that groundwater extraction often exceeds the carrying capacity of the groundwater layer. On the other hand, the induced droughts due to climate change, also prevent the aquifers to get refilled in the usual span of one winter.  These droughts are expected to become longer, more intense and recurrent with the increase in the average earth temperature.

 

So, when looking out the window on yet another rainy day, one can be cheered up by the thought of plants being watered. However, heavier rain falls might help the plants in our garden, but they don’t contribute to groundwaters being refilled faster. In fact, the more the deepest reserves dry up, the more time it takes to fill them up again, sometime as long as decades.

 

 

Here's where the counter-intuitive evolution comes in… the water scarcity is happening parallel to an increase of floods in Belgium

 

Due to its strong terrain, Belgium is naturally sensitive to flooding in several areas (cfr. Floodings Wallonia 2021 (Romans Stéphanie, De Tijd)). Even a brief period of intense rain can lead the rivers to expand quickly and reach its peak flow. The many human interventions on the water systems also create extra pressure: large parts have been paved or occupied by buildings, the river has been diked and straightened in various places, weirs and locks control the entire system.

 

"Heavy precipitation only penetrates a little or not at all into the ground, and thus does not feed the groundwater, but instead runs off at the surface. Very often we see the "water" - a combination of rain and soil - flowing through streets." (Walker Lauren, The Brussels Times)

Figure 3: urbanization in Europe (earthly mission , sd)

Figure 4: floods in Vesdervalley (De Standaard, 2022)

 

A tip of the solution: steppingstones towards a climate-proof Flanders

The Government of Flanders recently reached an agreement on an integral Flemish climate adaptation plan 2030, with a view to a climate-proof Flanders by 2050. With this plan, they want to arm Flanders against the impact of climate change and ensure concrete implementation of measures in the field. Within adaptation policy, creating space for water is essential, both in terms of water safety (prevention of and protection against flooding) and extreme drought. In this plan solutions come forward like wetland restoration and afforestation strategies, which are extremely suitable for arming us against drought and flooding. Also, city-adaptations like urban greening, green roofs and green facades, wetter crops… are proposed. The transformation into sponge cities can turn the negative impact of cities and villages on ecosystems into a collective collaborative ecosystem.

 

Conclusion

 

All our extensive water facilities could not prevent us from being confronted with water scarcity, sudden flooding, and limited navigability. The way it is used now, the soil almost everywhere loses its sponging effect, which means that the discharge rate in watercourses can suddenly rise sharply shortly after a heavy rain shower. Fortunately, there are several government initiatives to bring water volumes in Flanders back into balance. Governments, residents, designers and engineers, landscape designers and urban planners will have to work together intensively to form a spatial blueprint for Belgian cities and tackle the issues of flooding, water availability and water shortages. One important conclusion came out of our research, whether it concerns pollution, overuse, drought, or flooding - is a task for all of us together to focus on the care values of natural water cities, citizens, and governments.  

 

Bibliography

 

aqueduct. (sd). water risk atlas. Opgehaald van https://www.wri.org/applications/aqueduct/water-risk-atlas/#/?advanced=false&basemap=hydro&indicator=bws_cat&lat=49.33228198473771&lng=5.394287109375&mapMode=view&month=1&opacity=0.5&ponderation=DEF&predefined=false&projection=absolute&scenario=optimistic

De Standaard. (2022). ‘Onze kaarten tonen de gebieden die niet kúnnen, maar zúllen overstromen’. De Standaard .

earthly mission . (sd). european cities urbanization map. Opgehaald van https://earthlymission.com/european-cities-urbanization-map/

Romans Stéphanie, De Tijd. (sd). Onzekerheid en frustratie regeren jaar na overstromingen. De Tijd.

United Nations. (sd). Water – at the center of the climate crisis. Opgehaald van https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/water

United Nations. (sd). What is Climate Change? Opgehaald van http://https//www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change#:~:text=Climate%20change%20refers%20to%20long,activity%20or%20large%20volcanic%20eruptions

VRP. (2022). water. Ruimte , p. 87.

Walker Lauren, The Brussels Times. (sd). Water scarcity as floods rage: Belgium's climate change contradiction. The Brussels Times.

wikipedia . (sd). Groundwater. Opgehaald van wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundwater#/media/File:Groundwater_flow.svg