INFLUENCE OF THE GOVERNANCE SYSTEM ON DEFINING THE URBAN VEGETATION PATTERNS IN A LATIN AMERICAN METROPOLIS. THE CASE OF SANTIAGO DE CHILE

Spatial and temporal patterns of urban vegetation have been widely studied since the mid-twentieth century, but these studies have focused mainly on northern hemisphere countries, and little research has been conducted in developing countries. Urban vegetation is characterized by the presence of species that are adapted to the particular environmental conditions of cities, and a high diversity of exotic species. This occurs due to a combination of factors: on one hand, it is possible to find wild vegetation (weeds) on abandoned lands or those with little intervention, as well as on walls and buildings. On the other hand, there is also an enormous variety of ornamental and mainly exotic species, which have been cultivated by humans. The processes of species selection performed individually or collectively are a major determinant of the diversity of urban vegetation and flora. Individual decisions relate to private spaces such as residential gardens whose owners manage the vegetation according to their preferences and interests. Collective decisions relate to public spaces, which, by their nature, are subject to the action of multiple stakeholders. At the collective level, decision-making occurs in the context of processes involving local governments, other state agencies, NGOs and various interest groups present in the city. Each of these actors has its own vision on the role of urban vegetation, their preferences and criteria for the selection and management. This study aims to investigate the processes of decision-making responsible for the current composition of the vegetation in public spaces of the Metropolitan Area of Santiago (MAS). Through this research is expected to identify the criteria for the selection of species to be planted in public spaces, the reasons that explain the predominance of certain species, and the difference between parks managed by different public agencies in MAS. The research assumes that the various public and private actors involved in the planting and management of vegetation in public spaces, act guided by criteria and preferences that are finally expressed in the observed patterns of urban vegetation. For this purpose, the conceptual framework of governance is used, understood as the process of decision-making concerning public affairs, which involves multiple agents or interests including government agencies, non-governmental organizations and civil society groups. The overarching objectives of this Thesis are: a) To contribute to the knowledge of interactions between governance system and urban vegetation patterns in metropolitan areas of developing countries, recognizing both social and environmental processes interacting. b) Contribute to urban planning and policies by generating knowledge relevant to decision- making regarding urban vegetation. A robust knowledge of the factors defining the composition and structure of urban vegetation is essential to design effective policies for increasing vegetation cover, with consequent environmental and social benefits

INFLUENCE OF THE GOVERNANCE SYSTEM ON DEFINING THE URBAN VEGETATION PATTERNS IN A LATIN AMERICAN METROPOLIS. THE CASE OF SANTIAGO DE CHILE

Spatial and temporal patterns of urban vegetation have been widely studied since the mid-twentieth century, but these studies have focused mainly on northern hemisphere countries, and little research has been conducted in developing countries. Urban vegetation is characterized by the presence of species that are adapted to the particular environmental conditions of cities, and a high diversity of exotic species. This occurs due to a combination of factors: on one hand, it is possible to find wild vegetation (weeds) on abandoned lands or those with little intervention, as well as on walls and buildings. On the other hand, there is also an enormous variety of ornamental and mainly exotic species, which have been cultivated by humans. The processes of species selection performed individually or collectively are a major determinant of the diversity of urban vegetation and flora. Individual decisions relate to private spaces such as residential gardens whose owners manage the vegetation according to their preferences and interests. Collective decisions relate to public spaces, which, by their nature, are subject to the action of multiple stakeholders. At the collective level, decision-making occurs in the context of processes involving local governments, other state agencies, NGOs and various interest groups present in the city. Each of these actors has its own vision on the role of urban vegetation, their preferences and criteria for the selection and management. This study aims to investigate the processes of decision-making responsible for the current composition of the vegetation in public spaces of the Metropolitan Area of Santiago (MAS). Through this research is expected to identify the criteria for the selection of species to be planted in public spaces, the reasons that explain the predominance of certain species, and the difference between parks managed by different public agencies in MAS. The research assumes that the various public and private actors involved in the planting and management of vegetation in public spaces, act guided by criteria and preferences that are finally expressed in the observed patterns of urban vegetation. For this purpose, the conceptual framework of governance is used, understood as the process of decision-making concerning public affairs, which involves multiple agents or interests including government agencies, non-governmental organizations and civil society groups. The overarching objectives of this Thesis are: a) To contribute to the knowledge of interactions between governance system and urban vegetation patterns in metropolitan areas of developing countries, recognizing both social and environmental processes interacting. b) Contribute to urban planning and policies by generating knowledge relevant to decision- making regarding urban vegetation. A robust knowledge of the factors defining the composition and structure of urban vegetation is essential to design effective policies for increasing vegetation cover, with consequent environmental and social benefits

INFLUENCE OF THE GOVERNANCE SYSTEM ON DEFINING THE URBAN VEGETATION PATTERNS IN A LATIN AMERICAN METROPOLIS. THE CASE OF SANTIAGO DE CHILE

Spatial and temporal patterns of urban vegetation have been widely studied since the mid-twentieth century, but these studies have focused mainly on northern hemisphere countries, and little research has been conducted in developing countries. Urban vegetation is characterized by the presence of species that are adapted to the particular environmental conditions of cities, and a high diversity of exotic species. This occurs due to a combination of factors: on one hand, it is possible to find wild vegetation (weeds) on abandoned lands or those with little intervention, as well as on walls and buildings. On the other hand, there is also an enormous variety of ornamental and mainly exotic species, which have been cultivated by humans. The processes of species selection performed individually or collectively are a major determinant of the diversity of urban vegetation and flora. Individual decisions relate to private spaces such as residential gardens whose owners manage the vegetation according to their preferences and interests. Collective decisions relate to public spaces, which, by their nature, are subject to the action of multiple stakeholders. At the collective level, decision-making occurs in the context of processes involving local governments, other state agencies, NGOs and various interest groups present in the city. Each of these actors has its own vision on the role of urban vegetation, their preferences and criteria for the selection and management. This study aims to investigate the processes of decision-making responsible for the current composition of the vegetation in public spaces of the Metropolitan Area of Santiago (MAS). Through this research is expected to identify the criteria for the selection of species to be planted in public spaces, the reasons that explain the predominance of certain species, and the difference between parks managed by different public agencies in MAS. The research assumes that the various public and private actors involved in the planting and management of vegetation in public spaces, act guided by criteria and preferences that are finally expressed in the observed patterns of urban vegetation. For this purpose, the conceptual framework of governance is used, understood as the process of decision-making concerning public affairs, which involves multiple agents or interests including government agencies, non-governmental organizations and civil society groups. The overarching objectives of this Thesis are: a) To contribute to the knowledge of interactions between governance system and urban vegetation patterns in metropolitan areas of developing countries, recognizing both social and environmental processes interacting. b) Contribute to urban planning and policies by generating knowledge relevant to decision- making regarding urban vegetation. A robust knowledge of the factors defining the composition and structure of urban vegetation is essential to design effective policies for increasing vegetation cover, with consequent environmental and social benefits

Methodological proposal to develop a sustainable territorial development plan

El concepto “desarrollo sustentable" se ha consolidado en la academia, organismos internacionales e instituciones públicas que tienen como una preocupación central el bienestar colectivo o la calidad de vida de la población. También está presente en el discurso de partidos políticos, organizaciones no gubernamentales, movimientos sociales y otros actores de la sociedad civil, que buscan nuevas respuestas a distintos problemas que aquejan a la sociedad y que dicen relación con su estrategia de desarrollo. De esta forma, se trata de un concepto universalmente aceptado y legitimado, aunque su significado no siempre sea unívoco y no conlleve en todos los casos al mismo tipo de acciones. Su fortaleza, sin embargo, radica en su concepción ampliamente compartida como uno de los meta - objetivos de la sociedad. No obstante, tal vez una de las mayores debilidades del concepto sea su (todavía) baja aplicabilidad a la realidad. Como dice Reboratti (2000:202), “desarrollo sostenible es...una meta a alcanzar, una posibilidad que aparece en el futuro y que tal vez nunca alcanzaremos...", pero según reconoce el mismo autor, requiere de al menos un esfuerzo de planificación, que –según entendemos nosotros- ha de contar con herramientas específicas, que permitan encauzar en forma efectiva el desarrollo de un territorio hacia su sustentabilidad. En este contexto, resulta fundamental desarrollar una metodología de ordenamiento territorial que pueda conducir efectivamente a un desarrollo sustentable. Por cierto, es necesario que dicha metodología sea de fácil aplicación, de manera que se constituya en un apoyo eficiente y eficaz para las instituciones responsables de la planificación y administración del territorio. En virtud de lo anterior, el presente trabajo tiene como objetivo general exponer una metodología para la elaboración de un Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial, basada en el concepto de “sustentabilidad", que sea efectiva y simple en su aplicación. Los componentes centrales de esta propuesta metodológica son: (a) la integración de distintas herramientas de análisis para el diagnóstico evaluativo de un territorio, (b) la ponderación de todas las dimensiones de la sustentabilidad, (c) la proposición de instrumentos para el diseño de modelos espaciales que permitan encauzar el desarrollo de un territorio hacia su sustentabilidad, considerando el uso racional de los recursos naturales, la reducción de los riesgos de desastres y el mejoramiento de la calidad de vida de las generaciones presentes y futuras. La metodología propuesta ha sido aplicada a un caso de estudio de escala local, la comuna de San José de Maipo en Santiago de Chile, a través de un ejercicio docente desarrollado por los alumnos de la promoción 2007 en el Taller de Gestión Ambiental, del Magíster en Asentamientos Humanos y Medio Ambiente de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. El proceso metodológico propuesto considera básicamente dos subprocesos: el diagnóstico evaluativo del sistema territorial y el diseño de un modelo territorial, cuyo resultado es la elaboración de un Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial Sustentable para la comuna de San José de Maipo.The "development sustentable" concept has been consolidated in the academy, international organizations and public institutions that take as a central worry the collective well-being or the quality of life of the population. Also it is present in the speech of political parties, not governmental organizations, social movements and other actors of the civil society, who look for new answers to different problems that afflict the society and that have relation with his strategy of development. Of this form, it is universally accepted and legitimized concept, though his meaning not always is univocal and does not carry in all the cases to the same type of actions. It strength, nevertheless, takes root in the conception widely shared as one of them in goal - objetives of the society. Nevertheless, one of the major weaknesses of the concept is that still have low applicability to the reality. As Reboratti says (2000:202), " sustainable development is ... a goal to reaching, a possibility that appears in the future and that maybe we will never reach ... ", but as the same author recognizes, needs of at least an effort of planning, which - as we understand - has to rely on specific tools, that they should allow to channel in effective form the development of a territory towards it sustentability. In this context, it turns out to be fundamental to develop a methodology of territorial classification that could lead exactly to a sustentable development. Certainly, it is necessary that the above mentioned methodology have an easy application, an efficient and effective support for the institutions responsible for planning and administrate the territory. In that way, the present work has as general objective expose a methodology for the elaboration of a Territorial Planning Classification, based on the concept of "sustentability", that is an effective and simple application. The central components of this methodological offer are: (a) the integration of different tools of analysis for the diagnosis of a territory, (b) the ponderation of all the dimensions of the sustentability, (c) the proposition of instruments for the design of spatial models who allow to channel the development of a territory towards it sustentability, considering the rational use of the natural resources, the reduction of disasters risks and the improvement of the quality of life of the present and future generations. The proposed methodology has been applied to a case of study on a large scale locally, the commune of San Jose del Maipo in Santiago of Chile, across an educational exercise by the pupils of the promotion 2007 in the Workshop of Environmental Management, of the Magíster in Human Accessions and Environment of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. The methodological proposed process considers basically two subprocesses: the diagnosis evaluation of the territorial system and the design of a territorial model, whose result is the elaboration of a Territorial Classification of a Sustentable Plan for the commune of San Jose del Maipo.Fil: Rodríguez Seeger, Claudia.Fil: Reyes Päcke, Sonia

Distribución, superficie y accesibilidad de las áreas verdes en Santiago de Chile

Las áreas verdes urbanas (AVU) proveen servicios sociales y ecológicos, en función de su distribución, superficie y accesibilidad. Se evalúan dichos atributos para las AVU de Santiago mediante métricas de paisaje. Se muestra que el 91% de las AVU tiene tamaño menor a 5.000 m². Las comunas de bajos ingresos y mayor población presentan un mayor número de áreas verdes (NP), pero de menor tamaño (< 1.000 m²). Las cuatro comunas de más altos ingresos concentran el 32,2% de la superficie total de áreas verdes, mientras que las cuatro comunas más pobres sólo tienen el 4,1%. El indicador de accesibilidad propuesto (IAc) muestra que en La Pintana (bajos ingresos) el 19,6% de la población tiene acceso a un área verde de al menos 5.000 m² cerca de su vivienda (300 m); en San Miguel (ingresos medios) el 45,3% y en Vitacura (altos ingresos) el 74,1% de la población. La normativa urbana chilena favorece la proliferación de AVU de pequeño tamaño.<br>Green spaces provide social and ecological functions within urban environments. The magnitude of these depends on the size, distribution and accessibility of such spaces. These attributes of the green areas in Santiago de Chile are evaluated using landscape metrics. The results show that 91% of green spaces are smaller than 5,000 m2. Municipalities with higher population and lower income levels had a greater number of green spaces, but these are smaller than 1,000 m2. The four municipalities with the highest income levels have 32.2% of the total green space surface, while the four municipalities with the lowest income levels barely exceed 4.0%>. The proposed accessibility indicator (IAc) reveals that in the La Pintana municipality (low income level), 19.6% of the population has access to a green space of at least 5,000 within 300 from their home, while this figure is 45.3% for San Miguel (medium income level) and 74.1% in Vitacura (high income level). Chilean urban legislation tends to promote the creation of smaller green spaces

Vegetation survival and condition in public green spaces after their establishment: Evidence from a semi-arid metropolis.

Urban vegetation is generally exposed to adverse environmental conditions, such as high temperatures, compacted soils, low fertility, and a high pollutant concentration. The influence of biophysical and social factors on the survival and condition of trees and nontrees was analyzed using a census of plants in 37 green spaces of the Metropolitan Region of Santiago de Chile (MRS) several years after their establishment. The tree survival rate was higher (77%) than that of other species (24%). Survival was primarily explained by municipality management and species selection, but the relevance of these factors differed between trees and nontrees. Species with low water requirements outperformed species that were more sensitive to water stress. A high mechanical damage rate was observed, with 91% of trees showing severe or medium damage. Soil quality was better than expected, with a bulk density less than 1.0 g m-3 and moderate and high levels of P, and only 8% of sites had low K levels. The N content was highly variable, but most of the sites had levels greater than 20 mg kg-1, which indicates a trend of accumulation that is consistent with urban soils. More in-depth studies are required to establish the factors that explain plant survival in public spaces of the AMS, and irrigation monitoring is especially needed

Understanding Density in an Uneven City, Santiago de Chile: Implications for Social and Environmental Sustainability

Efforts to promote infill development and to raise densities are growing in many cities around the world as a way to encourage urban sustainability. However, in cities polarized along socio-economic lines, the benefits of densification are not so evident. The aim of this paper is to discuss some of the contradictions of densification in Santiago de Chile, a city characterized by socio-spatial disparities. To that end, we first use regression analysis to explain differences in density rates within the city. The regression analysis shows that dwelling density depends on the distance from the city center, socioeconomic conditions, and the availability of urban attributes in the area. After understanding the density profile, we discuss the implications for travel and the distribution of social infrastructures and the environmental services provided by green areas. While, at the metropolitan scale, densification may favor a more sustainable travel pattern, it should be achieved by balancing density rates and addressing spatial differences in the provision of social services and environmental amenities. We believe a metropolitan approach is essential to correct these spatial imbalances and to promote a more sustainable and socially cohesive growth pattern