LI, Feng; WANG, Rusong; PAULUSSEN, Juerguen, LIU, Xusheng (2004): Comprehensive concept planning of urban greening based on ecological principles: a case study in Beijing, China, Landscape and urban planning 326 Urbanization increases the distance between people and natural space. Urban greenspaces are an important component of the complex urban ecosystem. Parks, forests and farmlands are three main types of urban greenspace, which have significant ecological, social and economic functions (Bradley, 1995; Shafer, 1999; Tyrv¨ainen, 2001; L¨utz and Bastian, 2002) (...) Greenspace has significant ecosystem services, which are defined as “the benefits human population derives, directly or indirectly, from ecosystem functions” (Costanza et al., 1997). It can sequester carbon dioxide emissions and produce oxygen (Jo, 2002), purify air and water, regulate micro-climate, reduce noise (Bolund and Hunhammar 1999), protect soil and water (Pauleit and Duhme, 2000; Jim, 2001), maintain biodiv