Fishermans Bend Urban Ecology Study - improving urban ecology in the heart of Melbourne

The Fishermans Bend Framework (2018) sets a strong vision for biodiversity, climate resilience, liveability and water sensitivity in Australia’s largest urban renewal precinct. Urban areas are challenging environments for biodiversity and ecological processes. Four key areas – urban forest, urban heat, wind and biodiversity – needed to be addressed, within a constrained timeframe, to achieve the Framework’s goals. 

Fishermans Bend Urban Ecology Study (FBUES) focuses on heat, wind and biodiversity outcomes and how we can influence them through urban forestry and public and private realm design. We also strengthened links between the strategies and solutions to address the key areas and other interfaces, such as water-sensitive urban design and active transport. 

We use the term ‘urban ecology’ because the study deals with the complex interplay between humans, flora, fauna, and the surrounding built and natural environments.

The FBUES seeks to challenge how we think about urban design when competing interests exist and the delicate balance between environmental, social and economic performance requirements.

The FBUES’ technical analysis and recommendations includes: 

Urban forest: Analysis of tree canopy scenarios indicated that tree canopy targets may need to be revised. We proposed various recommendations including adequate soil volumes and irrigation with recycled water. Parallel wind, biodiversity and heat assessments dictated the quantity and type of tree required for each area. 

Wind modelling: CFD modelling identified the causes of wind canyon creation, including the ‘downwash effect’. Recommendations related to building shape/podiums, balconies and pedestrian protections. 

Biodiversity modelling: We considered target flora and fauna species and their crucial habitat resources to demonstrate that connectivity was greatly improved by including new green spaces, understory vegetation in linear parks, local streets and green spaces, green elements on pedestrian bridges over freeways, a proposed car-free green link/spine through the proposed Employment Precinct and the inclusion of new water features in key open spaces. 

Heat modelling: UMEP modelling indicated that increasing tree canopy cover significantly improves the human experience of extreme heat. Recommendations included targeting large trees where they are needed most.

The key recommendations and flagship projects for achieving better urban ecology outcomes in the Fishermans Bend precinct have transformed how we think about policy decision-making at a precinct scale.

Research from the study has been published in the international journal ‘Urban Forestry & Urban Greening’, presented at the STORMWATER Australia 2021 National Conference, and referenced in other publications such as the Clean Air and Urban Landscapes Hub 2020 book ‘Cities for People and Nature’.
By bringing urban ecology to the forefront of urban planning and city renewal and combining it with tested recommendations based on advanced modelling, this project demonstrates how planning can proactively shape the liveability of our cities for future generations.

This type of urban ecology study in the early stages of planning is a first for an Australian urban renewal project of this scale.