Debora Agostini, Fabio Lucchesi, Francesco Monacci, Fabio Nardini, Massimo Rovai, Iacopo Zetti (2021). Land Consumption, Ecosystem Services and Urban Planning Policies: Preliminary Results of Research Undertaken in the Tuscany Region. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, vol. 6, pp. 24-37.
What is the true value of a greenfield site on the urban fringe? Traditional planning often treats it as a ‘void’ waiting to be developed, but this research, commissioned by the Tuscany Regional Government, challenges this approach by using the concept of Ecosystem Services (ESs).
By measuring the vital benefits that these areas provide, ranging from air purification to recreation, the study employs innovative geographical data models (LUCL and Capacity Matrix) to map territorial quality. The aim is to provide decision-makers with a scientific tool that enables them to move beyond planning based on “standards and numbers”, instead shifting towards a strategy that protects environmental functionality. In this vision, peri-urban areas are not seen as leftovers, but as strategic assets for creating resilient and sustainable cities.