What is a Green Infrastructure?

A Green Infrastructure integrates natural and semi-natural areas associated with urban and other human constructions and provides multiple benefits to the citizens who use them, including the benefits of nature conservation, because they comprise biodiversity refuge areas and potential corridors that promote the flow of organisms. The principle behind the Green Infrastructure concept is its multifunctionality which is dependent on the maintenance of the ecosystems in a healthy state. Investments in a Green Infrastructure are generally characterized by a high level of return over time, providing employment opportunities. They can be highly effective in terms of costs and are complementary to the 'gray' infrastructure. They serve the interests of people and nature.

The potential role as biodiversity refuge and/or green corridor of marginal areas associated with transportation routes and power lines including the verges, the area under the powerlines support poles and small plots resulting from adjustments of the infrastructure corridors, have been ignored for a long time. However, if properly managed, these areas can be important tools to promote landscape connectivity, particularly in human induced changed areas.

What is Landscape Connectivity?

In ecology, landscape connectivity is the ability of the landscape to facilitate or impede the flow of organisms among the various habitats. The degree of connectivity determines the intensity of the dispersion / movement between areas, which influences gene flow, local adaptation, the risk of extinction, the probability of colonization and the ability for organisms to move in a context of climate change. Greater connectivity is usually associated with less fragmented landscapes. Terrestrial transportation corridors and power lines, by limiting the fauna movements generally lead to a reduction of landscape connectivity.