Pest Prevention In Heat Reduction and Sponge City Projects

As a result of climate change and increasingly mild winters, experts expect that a) invasive species will be able to survive better, b) the active season for vector organisms will be longer, c) pathogens will be able to multiply better in vector organisms, and d) more diseases transmitted by vector organisms could occur in Switzerland and the rest of Central Europe. Cities with a high proportion of built-up areas act as heat islands and try to mitigate this effect with heat reduction measures such as greening roofs and facades and planting more trees (green infrastructure). Another consequence of global warming is more frequent and heavier rainfall. Sponge city measures (blue infrastructure) are used to retain rainwater in communities instead of immediately draining it into rivers or sewers. With these measures, we also create more habitats for arthropods and vertebrates. This brings more biodiversity into the cities, but it can be a nuisance to residents, bring damage to infrastructure or food, and/or even lead to the transmission of diseases by vector organisms. We are thus creating a potential conflict between green and blue infrastructure on the one hand and public health and environmental protection on the other. Based on practical examples about the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), ticks, rodents, the greenhouse millipede (Oxidus gracilis) and springtails (Collembola) from our everyday consulting practice at the Urban Pest Advisory Service Zurich.