Thriving Cities Webinar Series: Assessing Urban Biodiversity

Описание: What does it take to create cities that truly support thriving biodiversity and resilient urban ecosystems?

In this session from the Thriving Cities webinar series, we explore innovative tools and practical approaches to measuring and improving urban biodiversity in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Hosted by Rachel Nepia (People, Cities & Nature), this webinar features leading urban ecologist Professor Yolanda van Heezik and PhD researcher Jacqui Theis from the University of Otago.

As Aotearoa moves toward higher-density housing under the National Policy Statement on Urban Development, green space is rapidly changing. But how do we ensure biodiversity isn’t left behind?

In this webinar, we cover:

🌿 Why urban biodiversity is essential — not just a “nice to have”
🌿 The links between nature, wellbeing, ecosystem services, and human health
🌿 The role of native vegetation, soil microbiomes, and bioaerosols
🌿 Biodiversity-Sensitive Urban Design principles
🌿 The new New Zealand Biodiversity Factor assessment tools
🌿 Garden Star — a tool to assess biodiversity in private gardens
🌿 Practical ways to integrate biodiversity into subdivisions, streets, and buildings (including green roofs and living walls)
🌿 The future vision for biodiversity accreditation in urban development

The New Zealand Biodiversity Factor tools provide practical scoring systems and tailored recommendations for residential, commercial, and transport developments — helping planners, designers, councils, and communities make informed decisions that strengthen ecological outcomes.

Garden Star empowers homeowners to understand and improve the biodiversity value of their own backyards — demonstrating the powerful collective impact of small changes across neighbourhoods.

All tools will be available online and free to use.

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