BIOPHILIC CITIES
ABOUT BIOPHILIC CITIES —
As a central element of its work, Biophilic Cities facilitates a global network of partner cities working collectively to pursue the vision of a natureful city within their unique and diverse environments and cultures. Network partners are working in concert to conserve and celebrate nature in all its forms and the many important ways in which cities and their inhabitants benefit from the biodiversity and wild urban spaces present in cities. Biophilic Cities acknowledges the importance of daily contact with nature as an element of a meaningful urban life, as well as the ethical responsibility that cities have to conserve global nature as shared habitat for non-human life and people.
DIRECTORS —
Founder and Executive Director: Tim Beatley, Teresa Heinz Professor of Sustainable Communities, Urban and Environmental Planning [tb6d@virginia.edu]
Program Director: JD Brown [jdbrown@biophiliccities.org]
BIOPHILIC CITIES' CURRENT RESEARCH RESOURCES —
BIOPHILIC CITIES NETWORK
Initially launched in 2013, the Biophilic Cities network is a growing global community of partner cities, organizations and individuals committed to planning and designing cities with abundant nature, where citizens have rich contact with the flourishing natural world as an element of daily life. Cities from around the globe, from Austin to Barcelona and from Norfolk to Singapore, that are dedicated to improving the connection between residents and urban nature are building upon biophilic principles to improve the sustainability, health and wellness of their places, residents, workers, and visitors. In addition to partner cities, global organizations who seek to effect change in broad range of areas, such as health, equity, and resilience, are partnering with Biophilic Cities to examine how abundant and accessible nature can enable cities to flourish. Partner organizations include Urban Greenspaces Institute, bioPhilly, the Earth Day Network, and Green Roofs for Healthy Cities.
Director of Partner Cities: Carla Jones-Harrell
BIOPHILIC CITIES JOURNAL
The Biophilic Cities Journal is an online publication that features innovation in urban nature. Published annually and produced by Biophilic Cities, this resource partners with scholars and advocates from across the globe to build an understanding of the value and contribution of nature in cities to the lives of urban residents. Contributors to the journal are working in concert to conserve and celebrate nature in all its forms and the many important ways in which cities and their inhabitants benefit from the biodiversity and wild urban spaces present in cities. The journal features publications, projects, initiatives, and case studies that further the research supported by Biophilic Cities.
View past issues of the journal.
Access Biophilic Cities resources.
SUPPORTED COURSES —
Biophilic Cities supports courses in the Department of Urban and Environmental Planning connecting curriculum and research. These courses include:
PLAN 3860/6860, Cities and Nature
RESEARCH AFFILIATIONS —
Biophilic Cities Advisory Board
Biophilic Cities Steering Committee