MSc Green Infrastructure / Course details

The GI approach can be said to comprise two conceptual aspects; firstly, the biophysical components which comprise the green and blue patches and corridors in the urban matrix; secondly, the management approach to maximizing the social-ecological integrity of, and benefits issuing from, the configuration of those components.

Consideration of the first of these two aspects invariably relates to maximizing connectivity, diversity and multi-functionality in the physical landscape, and for this reason, a GI approach is particularly relevant to urban areas where fragmentation and degradation of natural land-cover render managing for connectivity and multi-functionality highly important. With reference to the second of these aspects, urban areas are suited to the application of a GI approach given that the recipients of the benefits issuing from the latter reside increasingly in towns and cities. Subsequently, a GI approach has been readily adopted in urban research and planning towards maximizing physical productivity and connectivity of natural resources and the associated delivery of benefits to society.

Over the past 30 years, approaches to GI planning have been embedded in a range of environmental management paradigms in attempts to maximize the coherence and collective benefits of these two aspects of GI. These include The Ecosystem Approach, Ecological Engineering, Ecosystem Services, Social-ecological Systems, Resilience Thinking, Natural Capital, Nature-based solutions and Nature’s Contribution to People. This module will consider the articulation and implementation of Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) in the context of these evolving but interrelated paradigms.

The unit will take an international perspective and use a comparative approach to consider and understand how UGI has been operationalized in a variety of spatial, historical and social-ecological contexts. This will culminate in an international field course that will facilitate a cross-national comparison in which students will critically evaluate the implementation of UGI in different European contexts. This international comparison will be facilitated by the field course itself, building on a field trip in GI PPP1 and preparatory spatial analyses using ArcGIS online and other asynchronous interactive materials.

The unit aims to:

Equip students with knowledge on the theory and practice of green infrastructure (GI) from the perspective of the science-policy interface and in the context international research on environmental land management. The unit will primarily focus on social-ecological methods, paradigms and principles.

• Students will develop expert knowledge of GI and its supporting principles with reference to key international environmental policy frameworks. This will allow students to discuss and advise on topics related to GI with direct links to current policy.
• Students will carry out on-site assessments of the strengths and weaknesses of GI interventions preparing them with real-world examples and experiences that will support their entry into professional roles in planning and environmental management.
• Students will gain experience and expertise on developing written reports based on site visits enhancing their written communication skills.
• Students will meet and discuss with professionals in the field and develop verbal communication skills and site surveying experience.
• Students will have access to a range of GIS and online materials to explore the social-ecological contexts of the field course locations.
• Students will have access to datasets relevant to the field sites and have the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues at institutions to explore digital data and resources (for example to enhance their reports or to explore dissertation ideas).

Syllabus (indicative curriculum content):

The module will be delivered through two lecture sessions and a week-long residential field course. The two lecture sessions will consist of two two-hour lectures covering the core ideas on the module and include of a one-hour brief on the details of the field course followed by a three hours of material covering relevant theory and applications of GI.

The module will be delivered through two lecture sessions and a week-long residential field course to an international city (nominally in the SEED “non-teaching week”).

The two lecture sessions will consist of two two-hour lectures covering the core ideas on the module and include of a one-hour brief on the details of the field course followed by a three hours of material covering relevant theory and applications of GI.  

Asynchronous material (case-study profiles, story maps and interactive planning tools) will also be provided in preparation for the field course.

• Appreciate the physical, spatial, conceptual and societal perspectives which shape UGI as a consideration in urban planning.
• Understanding of GI in the context of key international environmental research and policy frameworks.
• Evaluate the role of user participation and poly-centrism in green infrastructure planning.

• Describe and analyse the relevance of spatial and temporal contexts for understanding implementation and benefits of GI.
• Critically evaluate the opportunities and limitations of applying different theoretical paradigms to the implementation of GI.

• Demonstrate, using examples, an understanding of the multi-functionality of GI in different social-ecological contexts.
• Carry out on-site assessments of the strengths and weaknesses of GI interventions.

• Critical thinking and analysis.
• Report writing.

Submission of a 2500 word report on one of the field course case-studies aimed at contextualizing and evaluating the site with relevance to principles of GI and environmental research and policy.
2500 words.
Verbal and written feedback – Week 12.
100% weighting.

Austin, G. (2014). Green Infrastructure for Landscape Planning: Integrating Human and Natural Systems. New York: Routledge.
Beatley, T. (2000). Green Urbanism: Learning from European Cities. Washington DC: Island Press.
Benedict, M. A., & McMahon, E. T. (2006). Green Infrastructure: Linking Landscapes and Communities. Urban Land (Vol. June). Washington DC: Island Press.
Coutts, C. (2016). Green Infrastructure and Public Health. Abingdon: Routledge.
Dover, J. (2015). Green Infrastructure: Incorporating plants and enhancing biodiversity in buildings and urban environments. Abingdon: Routledge.
Firehock, K. (2015). Strategic Green Infrastructure Planning: A Multi-Scale Approach. Washington, DC: Island Press.
Hellmund, P. C., & Smith, D. (2006). Designing Greenways: Sustainable Landscapes for Nature and People. Washington DC: Island Press.
Mell, I. C. (2016). Global Green Infrastructure: Lessons for successful policy-making, investment and management. Abingdon: Routledge.
Sinnett, D., Smith, N., & Burgess, S. (2015). Handbook on Green Infrastructure: Planning, design and implementation. (D. Sinnett, N. Smith, & S. Burgess, Eds.). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
Tzoulas, K., Galan, J., Venn, S., Dennis, M., Pedroli, B., Mishra, H., Haase, D., Pauleit, S., Niemelä, J. and James, P., 2021. A conceptual model of the social–ecological system of nature-based solutions in urban environments. Ambio, 50(2), pp.335-345.
Dennis, M. and James, P., 2018. Urban social-ecological innovation: implications for adaptive natural resource management. Ecological Economics, 150, pp.153-164.
Dennis, M., Barker, A., Anderson, J., Ashton, J.C., Cavan, G., Cook, P.A., French, D., Gilchrist, A., James, P., Phillipson, C. and Tzoulas, K., 2023. Integrating knowledge on green infrastructure, health and well-being in ageing populations: Principles for research and practice. Ambio, 52(1), pp.107-125.