Optimalt ekologiskt : att gestalta praktfulla parker som kan skötas på ett hållbart sätt

Abstract: This is a graduate work at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, The Department of Urban and Rural Development, Ultuna. The purpose of this paper has been to find out and describe principles for designing parks that offers good recreational and aesthetical values and require little amount of carbon dioxide emissions during their maintenance. The purpose has also been to see if it's possible to use city wastewater in some extent to assure the plants water supply and to find other means to make it less necessary to use purified water for watering. Recently made studies as well as older ones show how important green areas are in dense city structures both from a health and a climate perspective. Trees and other plants adsorbs different forms of air pollution and can also lower the temperature in the surrounding area through their transpiration. This is important and can become even more so due to the expected rise in temperature that is caused by human inflicted climate change. Sometimes there's still questioning of green structure in cities, You sometimes feel that there's a need to defend it, especially in cities where there's a need for more housing. In these cases the design of the green areas can play an important role. A park that is much used and appreciated can be more likely to be protected against threats of exploitation. Green areas in city centers are often smaller and maybe lacking the possibility to offer an experience of wilderness or solitude. Instead you can try to create other experiences like possibilities to see lush flowering, enjoyi the sun for a moment or play a while. The principles I have found through studies of literature and interviews and their aim is to be able to create green spaces that offers good experiences and that can be maintained with little emissions of greenhouse gases. The principles for designing are mainly to choose plants that suits the location; plants that are likely to thrive in that specific climate and place. Another important issue is to make sure that all surfaces are properly built up with protection against weeds that spread by their roots. Surfaces with stone or gravel are mainly to be built where it's necessary due to use, since well-used hard surfaces seldom get weed problems. You should consider where to have grass surfaces so that they are only suggested where people are likely to use them. Otherwise it is better from an emission point of view to choose perennials with a good covering ability. If it's possible one can make arrangements for local infiltration of wastewater, for example water from the roof of nearby buildings or wastewater from streets close to the park. Concerning the maintenance it's a good idea to choose electrical tools and cars for the adjustments that requires it. One can also consider using manual tools instead. If one (as most usual) uses tools and cars driven by gasoline it can still be better to make swift effort with those tools than to return several times by car for a manual effort. If the tools are gasoline driven one should choose alkylat gasoline. It's a good choice to use green manure and to leave withered plants in the perennial surfaces. Withered plant parts may improve the structure of the soil and it's good avoid transporting it to a dump. At surfaces of stone or gravel one shall remove leaves and other withered material and if possible one can put it in a shrubbery nearby.