Botany in an Integrated View and in One Health Perspective

This chapter analyses strategies to improve urban sustainability, enhancing green areas and green infrastructure in a Nature-based Solution approach. The integration across disciplinary knowledge often remains a weak point in complex systems, such as the urban areas. The ecological view has the priority of an enhancement of autochthonous flora to protect biodiversity. This approach is also focussed on a true naturalistic enhancement and on an historical reconnection, rather than on aesthetic or decorative aspects. The methods used in selecting ecologically suitable plants, which are applied in interventions for ecological restoration, is explained. The fundamental need of a not superficial knowledge on the local vegetation, with its bioclimatic, biogeographical traits, such as on historical landscape transformations, to perform urban projects in a One Health perspective, is also stressed. Urban horticulture for the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and ornamentals in urban environments, can also provide diverse inclusive and equitable food access in urban food deserts, and offer environmental benefits. In a changing climate, and in the hard climatic conditions of cities, the reasons of using some non-native widely tolerant species (not invasive), that have a greater resilience respect the native ones, are here enhanced. The most appropriate and sustainable cultivation techniques and some cases studies having this approach are also explained. The view of technology and design in using plant material is finally analyzed. The awareness on the complex role of plants in the ecological, historical, cultural and aesthetic point of view, suggests the role of vegetation as a true building material, capable of determining the quality of the inhabited space, influencing its perception, improving its microclimate and contributing to human well-being. Design and Living Models, with solutions of Living in Spaces Immersed / Covered / Enveloped by Greenery, are also shown, giving examples of modern installations in cities.