De Wijk als Biotoop (‘The Neighborhood as Biotope’, WAB) research project aims to use the power of people, smart technology, and data from plants and ecosystems to create healthy and resilient cities. Together with residents of two neighborhoods, partners, and students, we are designing new opportunities for neighborhood residents to create more biodiverse cities.
Alarm bells are ringing worldwide about the decline in biodiversity. There are fewer and fewer different species of plants and animals to be found on Earth. The ever-increasing densification of cities that we are seeing in the future will only exacerbate this.
Large municipalities such as Rotterdam and The Hague are working with monitoring plans and appropriate design measures to strengthen biodiversity in their cities. However, the municipalities have found that these measures are not understood by citizens; they do not fit in with their current values and perceptions. And it is precisely the commitment of residents that is needed to turn the tide.
“How can networks of people, nature, and technology work together to increase biodiversity at the neighborhood level?”