44
the decision problem; to identify criteria for screening, ranking, and spatial- targeting
of the alternatives; or to provide arguments for negotiations, shared norms, and
conflict resolution. It can also assume a design role, when it is used to set the basis
for implementation tools, including the definition of standards and policy targets;
the design of regulations, certifications, pricing, and incentives; or the establishment
of damage compensations (Barton et al. 2018).
The decisive role encompasses the use of ES knowledge in the specific phase of
urban planning processes when alternative scenarios must be assessed and compared (e.g., Kain et al. 2016). This use poses specific requirements to ES assessments. First, it entails identifying appropriate indicators that measure the expected
outcomes of planning actions in terms of changes in human wellbeing, coherently
with planning objectives (Ruckelshaus et al. 2015). Second, it requires assessing the
consequences of planning interventions on multiple ES, explicitly addressing the
potential trade-offs between different ES and competing land uses that characterize
the alternative planning scenarios (Sanon et al. 2012; Woodruff and BenDor 2016;
Kain et al. 2016).
This chapter presents an application in which ES assessments are used to support
a real-life planning decision about the regeneration of brownfields in the city of
Trento (Italy). Potential re-greening interventions are prioritized according to their
expected consequences on two illustrative, though relevant ES for the city. The performance of the different alternatives in relation to the two ES is assessed by comparing current conditions and future planning scenarios. Then, the results are
combined through a multi-criteria analysis where criteria correspond to a set of
defined planning objectives that may assume different weights according to different stakeholder perspectives.
5.2 Case Study: Brownfield Regeneration in Trento
Trento is an alpine city of around 120,000 inhabitants in northeastern Italy, located
along the valley of the river Adige, roughly half-way between the Brenner Pass and the
Adriatic Sea. The main settlement originated from the concentration of urban areas and
infrastructures in the valley floor and hosts around 70% of the population. The remaining 30% lives in small villages spread across the surrounding hills and mountains.
Agricultural areas, predominantly vineyards and apple orchards, occupy the few nonurbanized patches on the valley floor and the sunny hillsides. Forests cover almost half
of the large municipal territory, which spreads over more than 150 km
2
and up to an
elevation of 2180 m. Of this, more than 10 km
2
are designated as natural protected
areas, including eight Natura 2000 sites and four local reserves (Fig. 5.1).
The presence of brownfields is one of the main planning issues in Trento. The
current urban plan identifies thirteen ‘urban redevelopment areas’, mostly former
industrial sites or partially-abandoned residential blocks, ranging in size from 0.5 to
9.9 ha and covering a total area of around 44 ha. With few exceptions, they are close
to the most dense and populated parts of the city, where their presence exacerbates
5 Applying Ecosystem Services to Support Planning Decisions: A Case Study
the decision problem; to identify criteria for screening, ranking, and spatial- targeting
of the alternatives; or to provide arguments for negotiations, shared norms, and
conflict resolution. It can also assume a design role, when it is used to set the basis
for implementation tools, including the definition of standards and policy targets;
the design of regulations, certifications, pricing, and incentives; or the establishment
of damage compensations (Barton et al. 2018).
The decisive role encompasses the use of ES knowledge in the specific phase of
urban planning processes when alternative scenarios must be assessed and compared (e.g., Kain et al. 2016). This use poses specific requirements to ES assessments. First, it entails identifying appropriate indicators that measure the expected
outcomes of planning actions in terms of changes in human wellbeing, coherently
with planning objectives (Ruckelshaus et al. 2015). Second, it requires assessing the
consequences of planning interventions on multiple ES, explicitly addressing the
potential trade-offs between different ES and competing land uses that characterize
the alternative planning scenarios (Sanon et al. 2012; Woodruff and BenDor 2016;
Kain et al. 2016).
This chapter presents an application in which ES assessments are used to support
a real-life planning decision about the regeneration of brownfields in the city of
Trento (Italy). Potential re-greening interventions are prioritized according to their
expected consequences on two illustrative, though relevant ES for the city. The performance of the different alternatives in relation to the two ES is assessed by comparing current conditions and future planning scenarios. Then, the results are
combined through a multi-criteria analysis where criteria correspond to a set of
defined planning objectives that may assume different weights according to different stakeholder perspectives.
5.2 Case Study: Brownfield Regeneration in Trento
Trento is an alpine city of around 120,000 inhabitants in northeastern Italy, located
along the valley of the river Adige, roughly half-way between the Brenner Pass and the
Adriatic Sea. The main settlement originated from the concentration of urban areas and
infrastructures in the valley floor and hosts around 70% of the population. The remaining 30% lives in small villages spread across the surrounding hills and mountains.
Agricultural areas, predominantly vineyards and apple orchards, occupy the few nonurbanized patches on the valley floor and the sunny hillsides. Forests cover almost half
of the large municipal territory, which spreads over more than 150 km
2
and up to an
elevation of 2180 m. Of this, more than 10 km
2
are designated as natural protected
areas, including eight Natura 2000 sites and four local reserves (Fig. 5.1).
The presence of brownfields is one of the main planning issues in Trento. The
current urban plan identifies thirteen ‘urban redevelopment areas’, mostly former
industrial sites or partially-abandoned residential blocks, ranging in size from 0.5 to
9.9 ha and covering a total area of around 44 ha. With few exceptions, they are close
to the most dense and populated parts of the city, where their presence exacerbates
5 Applying Ecosystem Services to Support Planning Decisions: A Case Study