The role of local ecological knowledge and land-use history in Finnish urban planning

Abstract

Contemporary green space policy and legislation in Finland obligate planners and decision-makers to take the views of local residents into account in urban planning (including green space planning). Local residents, nature enthusiasts and other user groups potentially have a long history with urban green areas, especially in Finland where a lot of nature has so far remained inside and around urban areas. Urban dwellers may thus provide useful information about the ecology of the area to planners to supplement landscape historical analysis and scientific ecological studies. I call this more subjective form of information ‘local ecological knowledge’. This knowledge can be a miscellaneous blend of learned scientific knowledge and hands-on knowledge, based on residents’ own observations and experiences from surrounding nature during their land use history. Finns generally have a strong nature connection and knowledge due to a long tradition of living close to nature in rural and semi-urban conditions, and having nature as an important resource of livelihood and recreation..I have addressed the existence, role, and applicability of local ecological knowledge in the detailed land use planning process of three focus districts in Helsinki metropolitan area and where relevant key professional actors and local residents and nature enthusiasts were interviewed. The interviews revealed that common ecological knowledge existed in the focus districts, and planners actively looked for this kind of knowledge from local users. Narratives of especially older residents can bring out useful knowledge of the importance of the area also in historical perspective and can guide land use planners to consider the ecological and cultural heritage of the area. This recent more participatory approach in planning also reflects the change in green space planning policy taken place during the last decade or so: knowledge and opinions from local residents are appreciated with at least the idea of integrating them into the planning process thorough participative planning methods. As part of planning information, local ecological knowledge can guide the sustainable land use planning and management of urban areas, and as such work as one way of linking ecological and human-social systems in land use planning.