Urban systems and green infrastructure in climate resilience

Identifying urban green infrastructure barriers and opportunities

A park in Indianapolis. Identifying ways to reduce urban impact on local animal populations and ecosystems is critical to boosting the resilience of Midwest cities. Image from Adobe Stock

The Problem

Climate change has significantly reshaped the Midwest landscape through hazardous periods of extreme weather, rising heat, and flooding. Human activities such as urbanization, industrialization, and agriculture have further decimated ecosystems, fragmenting habitats, decimating wildlife populations, disrupting species migration, and reducing biodiversity. In a changing environment, it is becoming increasingly vital for researchers to identify ways to reduce urban impact on local animal populations and ecosystems to strengthen climate resilience.

The Project

In a collaborative effort with the Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (MW CASC), IU Indianapolis researcher Gabriel Filippelli and postdoctoral researcher Grace Affram aim to identify how urban areas can act as both sanctuaries and wastelands for ecosystems by analyzing two different Indiana urban environments: 

  1. Indianapolis: Indianapolis will be used for this study because it is a prime example of a typical post-industrial Midwestern city with numerous green spaces and future potential for ecosystem protection integration. The city also has a rich history of green infrastructure research, and the city’s new Thrive Plan illustrates its intention to promote sustainability in its built environment. 
  2. “The Region”: This section encompasses several portions of Northwest Indiana, both in and around Indiana Dunes National Park. It was chosen because of known environmental contamination, the area’s emphasis on industry, its connection to various wildlife sanctuaries, and previous projects done on ecosystem recovery that would provide a firm foundation for this study. 

By comparing and contrasting these two environments, the research team hopes to further address how cities can leverage green infrastructure to protect and reduce risk for wildlife in the Midwest.

The Path Forward

While the main goal of past research has been to inform, the ultimate objective of this project is to create visible, timely change. 

By utilizing a proven modeling framework, the research team will work hand-in-hand with a synthesis working group to create a “best-practices” guide for building more resilient Midwest cities. 

  • Phase 1: After analyzing the information gained about resilience obstacles and assets in Indianapolis and “The Region,” the team will create a model. This model will help form the basis for a guide that will illustrate how green infrastructure can strengthen and preserve ecosystems (see Figure 1).
  • Phase 2: Next, the team will test the model with MW CASC partner organizations in other Midwest cities to assess their capacity for green infrastructure and set the stage for future plans. Each city has different needs and resources, so Phase 2 will look at how the guide can most effectively inform a diverse set of stakeholders. 

Once concluded, this project aims to redefine the way that cities are built to sustain and provide refuge for the natural world. 

Published Aug. 22, 2025

Figure 1: A diagram of the methodology behind the “best practices” guide using the “Institutional Analysis and Development” (IAD) Framework.

Project Data

Data for this project will be collected using climate adaptation models, GIS technologies, data from past studies, including previous research done by Elinor Ostrom and Gabriel Filippelli, and much more. 

While this study is currently underway, models and development guides will be made available in the future.