On this website, you will find links to tools when working with biodiversity in cities. They include 1) links to calculation of UrbanBioScore 1.0 (UBS 1.0), including guidance on its use, 2) links to relevant reports describing methods for recording indicators of biodiversity in cities and 3) field schemes for download.
In collaboration with leading specialists in monitoring biodiversity in cities and built-up areas, Aarhus University has developed UrbanBioScore, which is a score for habitat biodiversity based on recorded indicators. The report “UrbanBioScore 1.0” (in Danish, with an English summary) contains the description of the method, including the developed models for UBS 1.0 and data basis for the models. Furthermore, it includes an updated guide to data collection. This guide replaces the previous guide found in the report “Registrering af indikatorer for biodiversitet i byer”.
The scoring system UrbanBioScore has been developed for assessing biodiversity in cities and other built-up areas. It is based on data for several biodiversity indicators that biologists or other natural science specialists have collected in the field. The score has a value between 0 and 100, where 100 is only given to the best and most valuable nature present in Denmark. Since the indicators for dry and wet habitats differ significantly, two models have been developed, one for dry and one for wet habitats.
The models for UBS 1.0 are based on data collected in 2023 and 2024 by various professional actors. Since it is still a limited dataset that does not provide a full representation of all habitats and indicators, there will be a need to recalibrate the models when more data become available.
UBS 1.0 provides actors within the management and development of urban biodiversity with a uniform and reproducible method for benchmarking biodiversity and, through repeated data collection, an opportunity to follow the development of biodiversity over time.
