A novel vegetation assessment tool for comparing the biodiversity potential of different urban landscaping designs

Abstract There is a positive correlation between vegetation structure and complexity, and broader biodiversity. However, contemporary urban design often favors monocultural vegetation with little mid- and understorey. Here, we demonstrate a novel tool that enables practitioners to compare the biodiversity potential of different landscaping designs in Australia. The approach is grounded in ecology, specifically focusing on how a design may deliver resources for wildlife, both spatially and temporally. We produce simple scorecards, reporting on eight metrics that measure vegetation structure, diversity and connectivity, and demonstrate the approach for three case studies: 1) a public greenspace; 2) a neighborhood park; and 3) a restored urban native bushland. We anticipate how this tool could interface with existing design software, and how users may control and adapt the scoring system, with the potential to automatically ingest data from external repositories. We envisage this tool supporting design decisions in urban areas and improving biodiversity outcomes.