Data and technology needn’t stand alone, nature has a place in smart cities

Nature as a low-tech solution to improve the lives of residents

From ride-sharing applications to traffic sensors to the digitization of city records, an increasing number of communities around the world are vying to become smart and to improve the lives of residents using data and technology. Communities are leveraging the resources to reinforce existing processes or to initiate new systems, and as they do so, we’re seeing snapshots of future cities coming-to-be in real time.

But, despite this high-speed shift to high-tech, it is important to remember that data and tech needn’t be the only smart solutions for cities. In fact, there is a low-tech, accessible solution that has made communities happier, healthier and more resilient – nature, a vital element in smart city planning.

Green spaces:  part of the picture of smart healthier cities

Whether it’s a community garden or conservatory, a bike path or urban park, a wetland or wooded lot – research has shown how nearby nature has a positive impact on physical and mental health of people of all ages. Spending as little as 15 minutes in nature has shown to decrease levels of stress and increase creativity, while having access to green spaces enhances social ties by encouraging physical activity, social interaction and leisurely recreation in those spaces. In children, the impact that nature has on their development is especially consequential. Contact with nature has been proven to help children to develop cognitive, emotional, and behavioral connections to their nearby environments, while exposure to nature encourages exploration and building activities, which can improve their problem-solving abilities, their ability to respond to changes, and to participate in group decision-making.

Since approximately 71.5% of Canada’s current population lives in urban areas, nature’s inclusion in smart cities will impact the day-to-day health, happiness and wellbeing of the 27 million (and growing) residents whose access to nature will occur within city limits.

Green infrastructure: a powerful resource for extreme weather events and changes in climate

Nature in cities is further consequential to manage these growing populations and the changing climate. As the number of people living in cities steadily climbs, green spaces and green infrastructure can mitigate the increase of activity by reducing air pollution and buffering noise, while also helping to moderate temperatures and mitigate the risks of extreme weather events like flooding or heat waves.

The benefit of trees and shrubs in urban areas, for example, is palpable in the day-to-day of residents living in urban areas as they purify air, produce oxygen, provide shade and absorb noise. The City of Ottawa’s Urban Forest Management Plan highlights how the urban forest in the National Capital Region, which includes all trees and their habitat within the city’s urban area boundary, is a shared resource that provides a wide range of benefits and services to the entire community. These include direct and indirect benefits to human health, such as removal of air pollutants, shading from UV rays or reducing the perceived severity of stressful life events, as well as indicators of economic and social health and well-being, such as reduced healthcare costs, reduced energy use and demand, or increased social cohesion. This plan recognizes the vital role that urban forests play in ensuring the health and well-being equitably for all of Ottawa’s residents and visitors, and in sustaining Ottawa’s vibrant and livable neighbourhoods, and, as such, aims to grow the existing urban forest cover beyond its current 25% of the National Capital Region before 2037.

Meanwhile, bodies of water in urban areas must also be included in smart cities planning for the role they play in the long, hot summer months. Rivers, inlets, ponds and fountains alike will provide urban wildlife and residents with an outlet from the heat, whether cooling off by swimming or by being in proximity of one. Access to such natural spaces is progressively pertinent for residents living in urban centres as we see populations grow, average temperatures rise and heat waves become customary.

In Vancouver, Evergreen’s Climate Risks Project is working in partnership with the City of Vancouver to understand the impacts such changes in climate on vulnerable populations. Since many of Vancouver’s most vulnerable populations, specifically Downtown Eastside residents and seniors, face higher risks of exposure to climate hazards, they have less ability to adapt and fewer opportunities to shape the decisions that impact their lives. These populations are especially vulnerable to climate risks such as extreme heat and poor air quality, and the risks they face reinforce just how vital nature is in smart cities planning.

While technology and data can provide smart solutions to complex problems, nature has its place in smart cities – perhaps, as one of the most accessible, most inclusive, and smartest solutions.