Breathing Life Into Urban Spaces.

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Our Philosophy: Reconnecting Our Urban Habitat

At our core, humans have a deep, instinctual need to connect with the natural world. Modern city life, for all its advantages, can often sever this connection, leaving us in environments that feel functional but not truly nourishing. Our philosophy is simple: we believe the best urban spaces are those that honor this innate need for nature.

Our mission is to weave these timeless, natural elements back into the city fabric. Using permaculture principles and data-driven design, we transform the urban landscape into a supportive habitat.

Community Sighting

Help us map our city's biome! Use this form to submit photos of interesting sites you see. This could be a great nature-based solution, a problem area, or a space with untapped potential. Thank you for contributing.

Submit a Sighting

The UrbanBiome Tool

A screenshot of the UrbanBiome tool interface, showing a map of 'The Dings' area with data layers for analysis and suggested interventions like 'Community Farms'.

The UrbanBiome Tool in action.

Visualize, analyze, and plan for a greener city with our innovative platform.

Explore the UrbanBiome Tool

Please note: Access to the UrbanBiome Tool requires authentication. Please contact us to request access.

Visualising the Challenge: A City's Greenspace

This interactive map shows live Sentinel-2 satellite data, processed by Google Earth Engine to visualise the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). It is a powerful example of how we can identify areas that lack green space and target interventions where they are most needed.

Open Data

Access the datasets powering UrbanBiome. Detailed information about available datasets, data standards, and licensing.

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API Access

Integrate UrbanBiome data programmatically. Developer documentation for API endpoints, authentication, and rate limits.

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Our Technical Wiki

For those who want to dive deeper, our wiki is an open repository of our knowledge. It contains detailed methodologies, data dictionaries, in-depth case studies, and tutorials on how to use our open data.

Please note: You are navigating to our separate documentation site.

Explore the Wiki

Solutions on the Ground

Discover practical ways UrbanBiome is making a difference, from community gardens to innovative green infrastructure and DIY guides.

See Our Solutions in Action

Our Mission & Values

We strive to improve the environment in cities by integrating elements of nature, applying permaculture thinking, and leveraging data to create sustainable, resilient urban ecosystems.

Core Values

Ecological Regeneration

Fostering biodiversity and restoring natural processes in urban settings.

Community Engagement

Collaborating with local communities to create shared green spaces.

Sustainable Design

Implementing long-lasting, low-impact solutions inspired by permaculture.

Data-Driven Impact

Utilizing Open GIS data to identify and prioritize areas for ecological improvement.

Meet Our Founders

UrbanBiome is driven by a passionate team dedicated to creating sustainable and resilient urban ecosystems. Meet the minds behind our mission.

The driving force behind UrbanBiome's vision for a greener urban future.

Portrait of Reuben Forster

Reuben Forster

GIS Analyst / Ecological Design

Reuben Forster is a Designer and Technologist committed to leveraging technology for societal betterment. He specializes in computational problem-solving, marrying natural phenomena with technological innovation. His work includes optimizing GIS capabilities for urban redevelopment, climate resilience, and evaluating nature-based solutions.

Portrait of Manon Dangelser

Manon Dangelser

Senior Consultant | Sustainability | Resilience

Manon is a climate resilience consultant, sustainability specialist & engineer. Her focus is to advocate for the integration of resilience and climate adaptation measures at early design stage. She collaborates with urban designers, landscape architects, climate scientists and digital experts to develop solutions to adapt the urban environment & create healthier, greener cities for all.

Our Solutions

Greenery & Nature-based Solutions (NbS)

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) leverage the power of nature to address urban challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, and human well-being. They involve protecting, restoring, and sustainably managing ecosystems to provide ecological, social, and economic benefits.

Our research focuses on identifying and promoting effective NbS such as urban green spaces, green roofs, sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), and urban forests. These solutions can improve air and water quality, reduce urban heat island effects, enhance biodiversity, and create more resilient and livable cities. We cite reputable sources and studies to back our findings and recommendations.

DIY & How-To Guides

Empowering you to make a difference, one green project at a time.

  • Green Roof Installation
  • Urban Planters: Design & Build
  • Miyawaki Forests for Urban Spaces
  • Living Walls

How to do this in the city? (Consultation & Project Support)

Site Visit & Assessment

Our experts can visit your location to assess its potential for greening initiatives, providing tailored recommendations and feasibility insights. We help identify opportunities to integrate nature effectively, considering local context and ecological goals.

Opportunity Areas Development

UrbanBiome specializes in identifying and developing underutilized urban spaces into vibrant green areas. We work with communities, local authorities, and developers to transform these opportunity areas into valuable ecological assets, contributing to healthier and more resilient cities.

Request a Consultation

Our Projects

Greenway Revitalization Project
Example Project

Greenway Revitalization

Completed City Center, Metropolis

Transforming an underutilized urban corridor into a vibrant greenway with native plants and community gardens.

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Rooftop Permaculture Farm Project
Example Project

Rooftop Permaculture Farm

Ongoing North District, Gotham

Establishing a productive rooftop farm using permaculture principles to supply local produce and educate the community.

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Urban Wetland Restoration Project
Example Project

Urban Wetland Restoration

Ongoing Riverside, Star City

Restoring a degraded urban wetland to improve water quality, enhance biodiversity, and provide recreational space.

View on Map

Our Services

Offering expertise in creating resilient and ecologically sound urban spaces.

Nature-Based Solutions

Implementing green infrastructure like rain gardens, green roofs, and permeable pavements to manage stormwater and enhance urban biodiversity.

Permaculture Design

Creating sustainable human settlements and agricultural systems modeled on the relationships found in natural ecosystems.

Urban Greening Strategy

Developing comprehensive strategies for increasing green cover in cities, utilizing Open GIS data for site selection and impact assessment.

Ecological Consulting

Providing expert advice on urban ecology, habitat restoration, and sustainable land management practices.

News & Updates

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Support Our Mission

Our work is driven by a passion for creating greener, more resilient cities for everyone. While our consulting services and software tool help us grow, contributions from supporters like you allow us to accelerate our research, develop open-source tools, and launch pilot projects in underserved communities.

If you share our vision, please consider supporting our mission. Every contribution helps us build a healthier urban habitat.

Contribute via Stripe

Get In Touch

Email

reuben@urbanbiome.info

mannon@urbanbiome.info

Website

urbanbiome.co.uk

Office Hours

Monday - Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Saturday - Sunday: Closed

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