UPP 493 | Planning for Urban Biodiversity
Fall 2012
Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:30 PM – 1:45 PM
Location: Taft Hall 204
Credit hours: 3 (undergraduate) or 4 (graduate)
Urban Planning and Policy Program
University of Illinois at Chicago
Instructor:
Office:
E-mail:
Office hours:
Mosheh Wolf
234 CUPPA Hall
mhwolf@uic.edu
By appointment
Course Description
Although urban areas are the epitome of human modification of the natural landscape, they are subject to
the same basic processes as natural systems. Cities are part of the basic ecosystem processes of water,
nutrient and material cycles and energy flow, so, fundamentally, cities are ecosystems. However,
because cities are built and modified environments, ecosystem processes in these areas are also
modified. Moreover, these ecosystems were designed and built with human convenience and comfort in
mind, often with little understanding or regard neither for the ecosystem processes nor for the importance
of native species in maintaining functioning ecosystem processes. Natural processes such as the water
cycle are greatly modified in cities, while emissions from of fossil fuels and other pollutants insert
themselves into the different nutrient cycles, disrupting them. Finally, the presence and spatial
distribution of plant and animal species which are critical components of the energy, carbon, water, and
nutrient cycles, are modified and disrupted, both spatially and temporally. While large parts of the
material cycles and energy flow of the urban ecosystem take place outside the borders of the urban area
(agricultural lands, for example) maintaining a large part of ecosystem processes within the city is
important for mitigating much of the disruption of ecosystem processes that occur in the city. The
simplest methods of doing this are the establishing, conserving, and maintaining green space, natural
water flow, and native species. This requires including an understanding of ecosystem processes and
the place of native species within ecosystem processes, and, most important, the inclusion of ecological
conservation in planning decisions and personal decisions of people living in the city.
This course will introduce students to the concept of the urban area as an ecosystem. Students will
become familiar with the basic ecosystem processes look in urban areas: energy flow, and the cycles of
water and nutrients. We will learn to look at urban areas from an environmental/ecological point of view,
and see the ecological dimension of urban issues. Students will learn of the importance of the green
space and native species in maintaining healthy environmental processes within cities. The different
dimensions of conservation will be considered – economic, technical, and social. Students will also learn
how ecological conservation can help mitigate or solve persistent problems in cities, such as pollution,
weather damage, and pests, as well as increase the quality of life for all city residents. Students will
investigate the how conservation fits within the framework of urban planning, and examine different case
studies of conservation within urban regions. Finally, students will explore best practices of conservation
of biodiversity in urban areas and how these have impacted quality of life of all persons living in the city.
Course Objectives
As a student in this course, you should have accomplished the following by the end of the semester:

You should be conversant in basic ecosystem concepts, and be capable of demonstrating knowledge
in the following areas:

The different components of an ecosystem, as well as the basic ecosystem processes;

The corresponding components in an urban ecosystem, and ecosystem processes manifest
themselves in an urban area;

You should be conversant in different conservation concepts in the following area:

Basic effects of urban development on native species

Conservation policies

Ecosystem services/societal benefits of conservation

You should be able to conversant in the challenges in establishing and maintaining green space

Types of urban green space, their use in conservation and their benefits as suppliers of
ecosystem services
Page 1
UPP 493 | Planning for Urban Biodiversity
Fall 2012
Urban Planning and Policy Program
University of Illinois at Chicago



Costs of establishing and maintaining green space
Challenges in incorporating social justice concepts in placement and cost of green space
You should be able to identify best practices in planning with ecological conservation in mind
Requirements
Grading in the course is based on a group assignment
ASSIGNMENT
SHORT DESCRIPTION
EXPECTED
PRODUCT
Grade
DUE
1. IDENTIFYING
ENVIRONMENTAL
ISSUES
Presentation of a specific
conservation
issue/challenge in an
urban location
Short oral
presentation (10
minutes)
Short written
summary (1-2
pages)
15% (oral
presentation) +
AV material
10% (written
summary)
By
presentation
Develop plan that would
meet the conservation
challenge while
maximizing societal
benefit. Include best
estimates of cost.
Oral Presentation
(20 minutes) of
plan.
Extended written
plan (roughly 20
pages)
20% (oral
presentation) +
AV
30%
(Summary
paper)
By
presentation
3. SELECT
READINGS
Assign appropriate
reading for presentation.
Summary of
presentation,
reference to two
or three articles
(any source)
5%
During first
presentation
4. CLASS
PARTICIPATION
Come to class; read
material assigned by
instructor and by
presenters; actively
participate in
discussions; lead
discussion during
presentations.
20%
weekly
2. PLANNING
SOLUTION
Nov. 9
Dec, 14
Grade scale: 90%-100% - A; 80%-89% - B, 70%-79% - C; 60%-69% - D; below 60% - F
Policies and procedures:
Teams:
 Teams will be formed in the first week of classes
 Team membership must be approved by me
 The topic should be chosen by the third or fourth week – teams that take too long to decide will not be
sufficiently prepared for their first presentation
 I will schedule meetings with groups to discuss their progress after presentations and by appointment.
 Teams may submit drafts earlier than the deadline for comments, as well. However, I will not accept
work for review less than a week prior to any deadline. Remember, the earlier you submit a draft, the
more time you will have to incorporate corrections.
 Late submission of summaries will be penalized at the rate of 1% (of total grade) per week
Page 2
UPP 493 | Planning for Urban Biodiversity
Fall 2012



Urban Planning and Policy Program
University of Illinois at Chicago
The final paper will not be accepted after December 17th, because of the proximity of the due date to
submission of final grades. Exceptions will be considered on an individual basis.
I expect all students on a team to participate in the work. Any student slacking or not pulling their
load will be penalized individually.
Plagiarism, copying, or other such unethical behavior will affect the grade as well!!! Not to mention
disciplinary actions as outlined in the Student Conduct Process
Attendance:



Attendance is expected for every class, and absences will affect your participation grade. Presence
during student presentations and guest lectures and especially important.
Acceptable reasons for missing classes are religious holidays, family life events, job/internship/grad
school interviews, and professional conferences. When possible, please notify me ahead of time.
Other reasons will be weighed on a case-to-case basis.
Required Materials
Readings will be drawn from the following books:


Alberti, Marina. 2008. Advances in Urban Ecology. New York, NY: Springer.
Suggested:

Forman, Richard T. T. 2008. Urban Regions. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press

Gaston, Kevin J., ed. 2010. Urban Ecology. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press
Additional readings and other materials will be available on the course Blackboard site, as will the lecture
slides.
Course Outline
Week 1 (August 28, 30): Ecology, the Ecosystems, and Ecosystem Processes
Readings
No readings
Week 2 (September 4, 6): The Urban Area as an Ecosystem - Introduction
Readings
Alberti: chapters 2, 3
Week 3 (September 11, 13): Urban Ecosystem Processes
Readings
Alberti: chapters 5, 6, 7
Week 4 (September 18, 20): Urban Green Space and the Concept of Ecosystem Services
Readings
Bolund, P. and Hunhammar, S. 1999. Ecosystem services in urban areas. Ecological Economics, 29:
293-301
Page 3
UPP 493 | Planning for Urban Biodiversity
Fall 2012
Urban Planning and Policy Program
University of Illinois at Chicago
Morancho, A.B. 2003. A hedonic valuation of urban green areas. Landscape and Urban Planning, 66: 3541.
Thompson C.W. 2002. Urban open space in the 21st century. Landscape and Urban Planning. 60:. 5972.
Costanza, R., Darge, R., Degroot, R., Farber, S., Grasso, M., Hannon, B., Limburg, K., Naeem, S., Oneill,
R. V., Paruelo, J., Raskin, R. G., Sutton, P., and Vandenbelt M. 1997. The value of the world’s
ecosystem services and natural capital. Nature 387: 253-260
Week 5 (September 25): Ecosystem services of Urban Greenspace
Readings
Tzoulas, K.,Korpela,K.,Venn,S.,Yli-Pelkonen,V., Kazmierczak, A.,Niemelä, J.,James,P. 2007. Promoting
ecosystem and human health in urban areas using Green infrastructure: a literature review.
Landscape Planning 81: 167–178.
La Greca, P. La Rosa, D., Martinico, F., & Privitera, R. 2011. Agricultural and green infrastructures: The
role of nonurbanized areas for eco-sustainable planning in a metropolitan region. Environmental
Pollution 159: 2193-2202
Week 5 (September 27): Ecosystem services of Urban Greenspace – Field Trip
We’ll be travelling to Millenium Park to look at the different types of ecosystem services offered by this
park.
Week 6 (October 2, 4): Urban Biodiversity
Readings
Savard, J. L., Clergeau, P., and Mennechez, G. 2000. Biodiversity concepts and urban ecosystems.
Landscape and Urban Planning 48: 131-142
Angold, P. G., Sadler, J. P., Hill, M. O., Pullin, A., Rushton, S., Austin, K., Small, E., Wood, B.,
Wadsworth, R., Sanderson, R., and Thompson, K. 2006. Biodiversity in urban habitat patches.
Science of the Total Environment 360: 196-204
Week 7 (October 9, 11): Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, and Ecosystem Processes
Readings
Kremen, C. 2005. Managing ecosystem services: what do we need to know about their ecology?. Ecology
Letters, 8: 468–479
Díaz, S., Fargione, J., Chapin, F. S. III, and Tilman, D. 2006. Biodiversity loss threatens human wellbeing. PLoS Biology 4: e277 doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0040277
Week 8 (October 16, 18): Conservation of Biodiversity
Readings
The book chapter on Blackboard
Week 9 (October 23, 25): Incorporating Ecological Conservation into Planning
Readings
Page 4
UPP 493 | Planning for Urban Biodiversity
Fall 2012
Urban Planning and Policy Program
University of Illinois at Chicago
Margules, C. R. and Pressey, R. L. 2000. Systematic conservation planning. Nature 405: 243-253
Groves, C. R., Jensen, D. B., Valutis, L. L. Redford, K. H. Shaffer, M. L. Scott, J. M., Baumgartner, J. V.
Higgins, J. V., Beck, M. W., and Anderson, M. G. 2002. Planning for biodiversity conservation:
putting conservation science into practice. BioScience 52: 499-512
Week 10 (October 30, November 1): Student Presentations of Project Outlines
Written summaries due November 8
Week 11 (November 6, 8): Socioeconomic Factors, Social Justice, and Conservation of Urban
Biodiversity
Readings
Scott R. Loss, S. R, Ruiz, M. O., and Brawn, J. D. 2009. Relationships between avian diversity,
neighborhood age, income, and environmental characteristics of an urban landscape. Biological
Conservation 142: 2578–2585
Kinzig, A. P., Warren, P., Martin, C., Hope, D., and Katti, M. 2005. The effects of human socioeconomic
status and cultural characteristics on urban patterns of biodiversity. Ecology and Society 10: 23.
[online] URL: http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol10/iss1/art23/
Adams, W. M. and Hutton, J. 2007. People, Parks and Poverty: Political Ecology and Biodiversity
Conservation. Conservation and Society 5: 147-83
Campbell, S. 1996. Green Cities, Growing Cities, Just Cities? Urban Planning and the Contradictions of
Sustainable Development. Journal of the American Planning Association 62: 296-312
Week 12 (November 13, 15): Planning for Biodiversity – Case Studies
Readings
Week 13 (November 22): Planning for Biodiversity – Case Studies
Field trip to the Bloomingdale trail. Students will look at planning strategies to support biodiversity
in this project (alternatively – presentation in class)
Week 14 (November 27, 29): Student Presentations of Final Project/Case Studies
Week 15 (December 4, 6): Student Presentations of Final Project
Summary paper due Tuesday, December 11th
Page 5