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.
Tool
Visualize, analyze, and plan for a greener city with our innovative platform.
The Challenge
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.
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.
Meet Our Founders
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.
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.
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.
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.
DIY & How-To Guides
Green Roof Installation
Urban Planters: Design & Build
Miyawaki Forests for Urban Spaces
Living Walls
Our Projects
Explore some of our example initiatives to make cities greener and more resilient.
Greenway Revitalization
Transforming an underutilized urban corridor into a vibrant greenway with native plants and community gardens.
Rooftop Permaculture Farm
Establishing a productive rooftop farm using permaculture principles to supply local produce.
Our Services
Nature-Based Solutions
Implementing green infrastructure like rain gardens and green roofs.
Permaculture Design
Creating sustainable systems modeled on natural ecosystems.
Urban Greening Strategy
Developing comprehensive strategies for increasing green cover in cities.
Ecological Consulting
Providing expert advice on urban ecology and habitat restoration.
News & Updates
UrbanBiome Awarded Grant for City Park Regeneration
October 26, 2023 We’re thrilled to announce funding to revitalize City Park, focusing on native species and community involvement.
New Study on Urban Heat Island Effect Reduction
September 15, 2023 Our latest research highlights the significant impact of urban greening on mitigating heat island effects.
Support Our Mission
Our work is driven by a passion for creating greener, more resilient cities for everyone. If you share our vision, please consider supporting our mission.
Get In Touch
For inquiries, collaborations, or to request access to the UrbanBiome Tool, please reach out.