Implications of Applying the Green Infrastructure Concept in Landscape Planning for Ecosystem Services in Peri-Urban Areas: An Expert Survey and Case Study

This paper investigates how planning experts understand the potential of integrating the concept of green infrastructure in planning practice in Germany. It develops a systematic approach for green infrastructure planning at the landscape scale. Research methods include a web-based survey among German planning experts and geographic information system analysis in the case study region of Hannover. Survey results suggest that the green infrastructure concept is not yet well known in planning practice, and that the potential benefits for planning lie primarily in communication purposes. An approach is developed here that sets priorities for green infrastructure development based on its potentials for creating synergies in the provision of ecosystem services.