Near-Natural Silviculture: Sustainable Approach for Urban Renaturalization? Assessment Based on 10 Years Recovering Dynamics and Eco-Benefits in Shanghai

Although the near-natural silviculture approach as a method for urban renaturalization has been widely applied in the world, there have been few reports about its long-term recovering dynamics, especially its eco-benefits. This is necessary to verify that its sustainability can meet new, multiple demands between the dual driving forces of rapid urbanization and ecological construction. This study examined the 10-year dynamics of the near-natural forest in Pudong New Area of Shanghai, China, and assessed its eco-benefits through comparison with natural forests and other artificial forests. The results indicated that the site revegetated by the near-natural silvicultural approach formed a stable forest with a more complex structure and beautiful landscape after 10 years of recovery, which had similar eco-benefits to natural forests and greater economic savings than other artificial forests. However, the near-natural forest only coincides with its overseas counterparts in theory; its substance and implementation are highly diverse across cities and pressures. Therefore, this study examined the recovering dynamics of two other near-natural forests in Shanghai to further optimize the traditional near-natural silvicultural approach. In short, the application of a reasonable, scientific renaturalization concept using a near-natural method to construct an urban green living landmark with a zonal vegetation community will positively affect the conservation of local biodiversity and the construction of a local characteristic environmental landscape. (C) 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.