EUNIS Habitat Classification – Implementation at the national level for mainland Portugal

Abstract

Appealing to a broad audience, this book bridges different issues, from landscape to ecosystems, planning to implementation, and policies to local community willingness. This book outlines a methodology for defining green infrastructure (GI) in rural landscapes, showing how it underpins ecosystem services (ES) and aligns with various European Union (EU) directives. There are presented examples in Portuguese rural landscapes alongside international initiatives from several countries.

Building on the concept of landscape as an open, autopoietic system with distinct resilience thresholds, the book demonstrates how GI serves as a versatile framework to support ES, implement nature-based solutions and the more recent Nature-Futures-Framework scenarios. Through real-world studies, the authors illustrate its flexibility and applicability across different scales and environments while respecting each location’s unique characteristics.

Written for planners, designers, policymakers, and academic institutions, this book offers a valuable resource for supporting sustainable land management, public policy formulation, planning, and innovative design practices, fostering informed debate on these topics and advancing eco-conscious initiatives for a sustainable future.