Biodiverse Cities: Exploring multifunctional green infrastructure for ecosystem services and human well-being

Globally, urbanisation has strong impacts on biodiversity, ecological patterns and processes, and ecosystem services. Biodiversity loss due to the rapid expansion of cities and towns may have significant repercussions for human health. However, several studies have reported that increasing and restoring biodiversity in cities can provide several ecosystem services and improve human health and well-being. For instance, higher biodiversity in cities is associated with positive effects on mental health, social cohesion, and crime reduction. In particular, multifunctional green infrastructure, sometimes referred to as blue-green infrastructure, has been effectively used in a variety of ways as a tool to conserve and enhance urban biodiversity efficiently where space is limited. This chapter provides several recommendations for protecting and increasing urban biodiversity through green infrastructure based on ecological design principles. Furthermore, it explores urban green infrastructure case studies, best practices and policies in the UK and the USA that promote human health, well-being and biodiversity conservation