Urban planning to support the conservation of freshwater biodiversity

Abstract

Freshwater biodiversity is in accelerating decline, yet it is disproportionately important to global biodiversity. Many international, national, and regional efforts exist to protect and restore freshwater biodiversity. These include local governments and their urban planning teams who are responsible for planning decisions related to land use and stormwater management. Although urban planners can be key players for achieving freshwater solutions, they are often not engaged in those initiatives, or lack adequate ecological literacy. Given the urgency of freshwater conservation, there is an immediate need to engage and upskill urban planners who often craft policy, make decisions, and are engaged in local governance relevant to freshwater systems. Urban planners should be equipped with the skills to include watershed planning principles that can achieve conservation gains for freshwater biodiversity in urban design, greenspace configurations, and stormwater management. We outline six actions for urban planners: 1) value freshwater biodiversity; 2) support community involvement and identity building; 3) transcend disciplinary silos in education and training; 4) facilitate knowledge exchange among practitioners; 5) develop actionable standards, tools and policies; and 6) address key knowledge gaps. We provide best-practice examples and case studies that meaningfully consider freshwater biodiversity and contribute to nature-based solutions. Mobilising urban planners as key allies would provide manifold benefits to freshwater systems and the communities they support.