Remco Daalder

According to the list of occurring species the city of Amsterdam is an important nature conservation area. There are 34 species of mammals and 140 species of breeding birds, with 34 species of these standing on the Dutch Red List. The main function of this city nature is not bio-diversity or environment, but lies in the attraction for the human inhabitants of the city. For these inhabitants 3 types of green are of vital importance for city life: the green in the surroundings of the home, the public parks in the city and the bigger, open areas that surround the city. Each type has its own use and characteristics and cannot be replaced by another type. To maintain minimum-amounts of all three types it is first of all necessary to make the border between the city and the surrounding natural landscapes as strong as possible. In the city itself multiple use of the space for combinations of all kinds of functions is necessary. Creativity in architecture may open lots of new space for city-nature on rooftops and facades of buildings and offices.