Urban Green Open Space

IUCN GET 2.0

There is no mention of open space or parks in GET 2.0. The most logical biome is T7 Intensive land-use systems of which Urban Green Open Space would be a part.

Intensive land-use systems

biome is comprised these Ecosystem Functional Groups (EFG): Annual croplands, Sown pastures and fields, Plantations, Urban and industrial ecosystems, Derived semi-natural pastures and oldfields. Intensive land-use systems include major anthropogenic enterprises of cropping, pastoralism, plantation farming, and urbanisation. Human intervention is a dominating influence on this biome, also known as the ‘anthrome’. Maintenance of these systems is contingent on continuing human interventions, including alterations to the physical structure of vegetation and substrates (e.g. clearing, earthworks and drainage), the supplementation of resources (e.g. with irrigation and fertilisers) and the introduction and control of biota. These interventions maintain disequilibrium community structure and composition, low endemism and low functional and taxonomic diversity. Target biota are genetically manipulated (by selective breeding or molecular engineering) to promote rapid growth rates, efficient resource capture, enhanced resource allocation to production tissues, and tolerance to harsh environmental conditions, predators and diseases. Non-target biota include widely dispersed, cosmopolitan opportunists with short lifecycles. Many intensive land use systems are maintained as artificial mosaics of contrasting patch types at scales of metres to hundreds of metres. Typically, but not exclusively, they are associated with temperate or subtropical climates and the natural availability of freshwater and nutrients from fertile soils on flat to undulating terrain accessible by machinery. The antecedent ecosystems that they replaced include forests, shrublands, grasslands and palustrine wetlands (biomes T1−T4 and TF1). On global and regional scales, intensive land- use systems are engaged in climate feedback processes via alterations to the water cycle and the release of greenhouse gases from vegetation, soils, livestock and fossil fuels. On local scales, temperatures may be modified by human-built structures (i.e. heat-island effects) or may be artificially controlled.

ESVD

Primarily Urban Green and Blue Infrastructure biome and some of Cultivated Area and/or Inland Un- or Sparsely Vegetated biome classification.

Urban Green and Blue Infrastructure biome is comprised of Urban Parks & Forests, Lawns, sports fields, golf courses, Urban lakes, ponds, wetlands, Street Trees & Shrubs, Other (urban green-blue).

Cultivated Area biome is comprised of Cropland (arable land), Pastures, Orchards/agro-forestry, Plantations, Rice paddies, Aquaculture, Small landscape elements, Other (cultivated areas).

Inland Un- or Sparsely Vegetated is comprised of Underground systems, Inland rock formations, Other (inland un- or sparsely vegetated). (The use of these are narrowed down by urban or rural in context of BASIN.)

FEMA ESV

Utilizes 2019 National Land Cover Database (NLCD):

Urban green open space areas are those in which vegetated pervious surfaces account for at least 80% of total cover (impervious surfaces account for less than 20% of total cover) and include a mixture of some constructed materials. Green open space is considered “urban” if it meets the criteria specified in the U.S. Census Bureau’s “2010 Census Urban and Rural Classification and Urban Area Criteria,” which includes both Urbanized Areas (population of 50,000 or more) and Urban Clusters (population between 2,500 and 50,000). Examples of urban green open space include urban parks and recreational sites, neighborhood green spaces, pocket parks, green corridors, and lawns.

Under FEMA project area is within an “urban” setting, as defined by the 2010 U.S. Census, by visiting this link . First, select “BVP 2020” from the “Select Vintage” drop-down box. Then, click the check box next to “Urban Areas” on the sidebar, which will highlight both Urbanized Areas and Urban Clusters on the map. Enter an address within your project area on the map to determine whether it is located within one of these areas.