HabLab
HabLab is a partnership, a laboratory for development. It is the cooperation framework for strengthening urban nature. Instead of the various professionals turning on each other, it is important to cooperate across sectors and professions. Because we all have the common goal that we want to make a positive difference and increase biodiversity in the city!
HabLab is the place, where the entire development of natural actions in the cities will be located. It is the virtual as well as physical meeting place for biologists, gardeners, engineers, architects, consultants, project developers, politicians, etc. Here the different disciplines come into play, cooperate with and benefit each other. The biologists will provide inputs for the needs of the species and habitats in order to thrive, the architects can come up with suggestions on how needs are met in the design, while the municipalities or companies can show how things can be done physically. Almost all of the proposals will be given the chance to be tested in practice.
Initiatives and measures regarding buildings and construction work should include natural measures in favour of birds, animals, insects and plants, and all types of urban nature should be included such as cemeteries, backyards, parks, roadsides and on undeveloped land in the city. The dissemination of the urban biodiversity will be increased, so that all this wonderful and important work does not go by unseen.
Examples of ongoing work where the focus is already on development and incorporation of urban nature are Aarhus Landscape Laboratory (the Aarhus School of Architecture is about to establish this); the Botanical Gardens (which in collaboration with Botanic Garden Friends is developed into an urban hotspot with experiments and models that optimize the biological diversity of the area); and the area around the old Marselisborg Centre (which in cooperation with the City of Aarhus and the residents developed into a green community centre with a health park in the middle of Aarhus that focuses on public health, rehabilitation and nature content).
National and international conferences and workshops on urban nature are important to encourage cooperation between all the relevant parties.