Urban land is developed, utilised, abandoned and left to degradation in many different ways. These processes are closely related to four aspects of human activities: the extraction of resources, their transformation into goods, the production of waste and the conflicts that arise when population grows and demands increase while resources remain limited. Urban land is developed and deteriorates in the course of these activities, while cities keep spreading, consuming the green spaces surrounding them. Sustainable city development aims at protecting the environment by reusing urban terrain. The author brings together the different aspects of this transdisciplinary endeavour by discussing the causes of degradation, the strategies of investigation and the techniques of remediation of urban land.
Degradation: Impacts; The Impact of Producing Goods; The Impact of Disposing Waste; The Impact of Extracting Resources; The Impact of Warfare.- Investigation: Site Investigation Strategy; Desk Study; Field Reconnaissance; Field Investigation.- Remediation: Restoring Urban Land Versus Brownfield Aesthetics; Remediating Industrial Wasteland; Waste Disposals; Remediating Sites of Resource Extraction; Remediating Sites of Warfare; Sustainable Urban Land Recycling.- References.- Appendices: Tools of Statistics; Contaminants in Soils; Principles of Bioremediation; Subject Index; Locations.
From the reviews: "... this is the book that we have been waiting for ... this book should grace the shelves of every public and private bureau associated with urban land use issues across Europe." Prof. Alan Simson, The Leeds School of Art, Architecture and Design (Urban Forestry and Urban Greening 2, 2004: 173) "In scope and content, it goes far beyond many works on this subject ... Overall it is a wide-ranging text incorporating a wealth of knowledge. Those involved with the management of contaminated land may read this text to widen their perspectives." Prof. Stephan Jefferis, Civil Engineering Department, University of Surrey (Geotechnique2005: 341) "Dieter Genske hopes that his textbook will stimulate discussion about sustainable use of urban land. ! The volume is well presented and printed. Figures are well selected from a wide range of sources ! . Overall, the book covers the wide range of material relevant to urban land in a limited space well and is worthy of examination. It is perhaps, best pitched at late-in-the course undergraduate, or graduate environmental scientists wishing to begin exploring urban land problems." (B.R.Marker, Land Degradation and Rehabilitation, Vol. 15 (6), 2004) "There is an increasing interest in the reclamation and re-cycling of previously disturbed land. ! this book is a valiant attempt to comprehensively address the issues involved. ! The book benefits from some 398 figures in the text and 28 tables. It is comprehensively referenced ! . this is a work of deep scholarship. ! There is both a depth and breadth of knowledge ! . this book should grace the shelves of every public and private bureau associated with urban land use across Europe." (Alan Simson, Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, Issue 2-3, 2004)