URBAN SUSTAINABILITY – VEGETATION, SURFACE WATER AND LOCAL BIOCLIMATE

Vegetation in the surrounding of our housing estates has not only an aesthetic function. The main natural function of vegetation, in general, is aeration. Vegetation gives us an indispensable quantity of oxygen. But the effects of vegetation in our settlements have many other very important functions.

Well located, combined high and low vegetation can protect our homes and entire housing districts, from main wind strikes and avoid cooling of its surroundings. High vegetation has the shading function and protects our environs from temperature extremes.

Vegetation can reduce traffic noise. It can protect the soil in our environs from over-drying, and preserve the humidity of the atmosphere in the locality as well as on the larger scale such as parks and bushland.

Vegetation preservation goes hand in hand with water re-mediation.

The hard task is in re-instating vegetation and water capture once it has been removed like from Melbourne CBD.