Urban Planning in Arid Northern Patagonia Cities to Maximize Local Ecosystem Services Provision

Abstract

The cities of arid North Patagonia are located mainly on valleys framed by slopes. In recent decades they have had exponential demographic growth. The unplanned expansion of the urban area occurs over sensitive and potentially attenuating landscape areas of extreme climatic and hydrological events. In this chapter we present through three case studies the general characteristics of the cities of the region, which should serve as the basis for their planning. We identified that both peri-urban natural areas and green infrastructure provide locally appropriated ecosystem services, with broad potential to ensure good conditions for urban sustainability.