42 Planning land
are relatively protected, an unusual situation in urban regions. A large reservoir
adjacent to the city provides aesthetics and recreation, and originally, water
supply.
Serious planning shortcomings for Brasilia quickly became evident. Housing
forthe poor was limited, and informal squatter communities (Perlman 1976 ,
Main and Williams 1994)appeared in numerous locations, most considered
inappropriate by planners and existing residents. Some settlements invade and
degrade designated park areas. Food and agriculture, a foundation of any com-
munity, seem to have been largely overlooked by the planners. Suitable soils for
cropland are scarce in the region, and a surprising amount of food is imported at
considerable cost. The reservoir initially provided clean water, but soon became
polluted, because built areas were designed next to and upstream of it. Water
quality has continued to decline. Despite such planning shortcomings, Brasilia,
thenation’s center of government, has become a new and different star inland
on the Cerrados plains and on the map of Brazil.
Many other cities have been planned and built in a rural spot, or have covered
asmall earlier city, or have almost completely rebuilt an existing city, such
as after war or other disaster. Curritiba (Brazil), Adelaide (Australia), Ankara,
Washington, DC, and varied German cities are examples. In most cases, however,
thevision planned was the city or a portion of the city, rather than its region.
Twocities are mentioned as models of environmental sensitivity. Freiburg
(Germany) has an unusual concentration of environmental solutions, including
greenways for walking/biking, semi-natural areas with biodiversity, streetside
stormwater detention swales and basins, traffic calming, and green roofs.
Curritiba (Brazil) has an environmental reputation partly because of suc-
cessful implementation of specific projects that work, and partly because of
its ‘‘marketing of ecology” which has created an image and stimulated peo-
ple to work together for solutions (Schwartz2004,Irazabal 2005, Moore2007;
Rodolpho Ramina, personal communication). Projects accomplished include: for-
est maintained on nearby hillslopes; seasonal linear parks which are mainly
water-holding depressions along the five rivers; resistance to stream/river chan-
nelization, thus protecting downstream areas; protecting river headwater areas;
housing near jobs with a vibrant economy; mass-transit emphasis; extensive
tree-planting which includes fruit-bearing species. Urban liveability and recre-
ational access, rather than ecology, were the central goals. No overall city
plan guided actions (and apparently no scientist has yet evaluated the per-
ception of environmental success). Now population has grown and expanded
outward, so that urban region problems are worsening and planning seems
important.