Urban oases: the social-ecological importance of small urban green spaces

Ecosystems and People, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 20(1)

Published: Feb. 20, 2024

Global challenges around biodiversity loss, climate change, and public health are heightening the importance of urban green spaces for supporting ecosystem services human wellbeing. Trees, parks forests integrated across cityscapes proposed strategies to combat change promote current future cities. This is true small spaces, perhaps just < 1 ha in size. Depending on their structure size, these can provide structural vegetation complexity, species diversity, regulate temperatures offer thermal comfort. These also recreation opportunity, nature experience, sense belonging, restoration people. As cities densify, it crucial understand where dimensions intersect theory practice design manage particular, as systems may be easier than large implement planning. In this paper, we narratively review known biophysical ecological properties that support biodiversity, temperature regulation resilience, ultimately benefit residents' through different use activities multisensory experiences Furthermore, how stakeholder engagement participatory processes guide equitable space provision design, case studies our own research examples. doing so, paper aims further understanding social-ecological calls inter- transdisciplinary generates insight protect places a changing climate.

Language: Английский

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Evaluating Cooling Effect of Blue-green Infrastructure on Urban Thermal Environment in a Metropolitan City: Using Geospatial and Machine Learning Techniques

Sustainable Cities and Society, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 113, P. 105666 - 105666

Published: July 14, 2024

Language: Английский

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Thermal regulation potential of urban green spaces in a changing climate: winter insights

Urban forestry & urban greening, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 100, P. 128488 - 128488

Published: Aug. 23, 2024

Global warming affects both summer and winter temperatures, altering the ecological social dynamics of urban green spaces not only during months but also winter. Strategies to mitigate climate change impacts often emphasize increasing vegetation cover, effectiveness these in regulating local microclimate depends on various factors, including structure. These effects remain largely underexplored season. To investigate thermal regulation capacity we measured air temperature humidity 36 parks with different sizes structures Munich, Germany, their non-green surroundings, as well a nearby forest 2022–23 We then analyzed relationship between microclimatic differences structure derived from mobile laser scans. In comparison forest, heat island effect 1.8 °C Munich. The microclimates were mainly influenced by landscape namely distance city center closer center. Urban Munich provided small consistent cooling humidifying throughout depended space size partially found significant difference, density, vertical homogeneity vegetation. canopy however, could significantly predict conclude that structural complexity through management decisions improve value, even months. maximize climatic benefits spaces, nuanced understanding is needed across all seasons.

Language: Английский

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Characterizing street trees in three metropolises of central China by using Street View data: From individual trees to landscape mapping

Ecological Informatics, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 80, P. 102480 - 102480

Published: Jan. 19, 2024

Street trees can benefit urban spaces, and the characterization of them is a basis for evaluating their functions proper management. In this paper, we speculate that View imagery-based measurement favors characterizing street from individual tree sizes, growth status to spatial mapping risk region identification at multiple city levels. Using Wuhan, Changsha, Nanchang as examples, nearly 6000 sites over 111,000 Baidu (BSV) images were used measure status, vertical structure. Together with BSV-derived data, also calculated street-view greenness index (GVI) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) remote sensing then city-level was produced identify regions afforestation. The results showed BSV could compare trees, i.e., Changsha had 1.2–1.3-fold higher diameter, height, canopy size than lowest Nanchang; highest GVI, but NDVI; while NDVI, showing different significance between remote-sensing greenness. data urbanization effects, sizes decreased center edge, three cities same pattern. By using score summarized leaf blade color, tree-supported, dieback, dead-tree percents, thereafter, urbanization-induced decreases scores be observed suburbs. At urban-rural gradient, found structure tended complex, sky middle GVI ground rose in all general. made landscape available, map areas big-sized conservation, health problems, deficiency, over-simplified forest within or among cities. development complex associations characteristics geo-climates social decoupled by redundancy ordination. general, streets more pedestrians often accompanied taller, larger, healthier communities, an increasing sky/ground ratio greenery. Our findings highlighted Street-view assess characteristics, geographic distribution, possible other factors, favoring inventory individuals management policymaking.

Language: Английский

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Detecting the air-cooling effect of urban green spaces in a hot climate town relative to land surface temperature on Landsat-9 thermal imagery

Advances in Space Research, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 74(10), P. 4598 - 4615

Published: July 14, 2024

Language: Английский

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New Perspective to Evaluate the Carbon Offsetting by Urban Blue-Green Infrastructure: Direct Carbon Sequestration and Indirect Carbon Reduction

Environmental Science & Technology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 58(29), P. 12966 - 12975

Published: July 11, 2024

Urban blue-green infrastructure (BGI) offers a multitude of ecological advantages to residents, thereby playing pivotal role in fortifying urban resilience and fostering the development climate-resilient cities. Nonetheless, current research falls short comprehensive analysis BGI's overall potential for carbon reduction its indirect impact. To fill this gap, we utilized integrated valuation ecosystem services trade-offs model remote sensing estimation algorithm quantify direct sequestration resultant facilitated by BGI within Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) (China). identify regions that made noteworthy contributions offsets outliers, spatial autocorrelation was also employed. The findings study reveal 2019, area contributed an offset 1.5 × 10

Language: Английский

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Seasonal Environmental Cooling benefits of urban green and blue spaces in arid regions

Sustainable Cities and Society, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 105805 - 105805

Published: Sept. 1, 2024

Language: Английский

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Measuring the quality and accessibility of urban greenery using free data sources: A case study in Bratislava, Slovakia

Urban forestry & urban greening, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 93, P. 128217 - 128217

Published: Jan. 23, 2024

The importance of assessing urban greenery is growing, especially in the context global warming and emergence heat islands. paper proposes a set measurements to evaluate quality accessibility based on freely available geographic data: Sentinel-2 satellite images, Urban Atlas, Open Street Map. (or availability) derived from images by using spectral Forest Index (FI). proposed Neighborhood Green Quality Indexes (NGQI0/30, NGQI350) near far surroundings spatial unit averaging FI values. Accessibility Space (AGSI) measures green spaces (GS) number theoretical functional levels within reach average normalised distance nearest GS across levels. We also propose separately assess parks with amenities through Parks (AUPI). Such areas attract specific groups population, such as elderly people mothers children, who are among most vulnerable during waves. can be applied square grid buildings. A mutual comparison Bratislava, capital Slovakia, confirmed that each measurement captures different characteristics greenery. two other widely used indicators showed achieves highest correlation land surface temperature hot summer days. When evaluating precision NGQI0/30 calculation, Sentinel-2-derived proved sufficient substitute for high-resolution data sources. Since do not require complex calculations hard-to-obtain data, they easily applicable cities.

Language: Английский

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Community Engagement in the Management of Urban Green Spaces: Prospects from a Case Study in an Emerging Economy

Urban Science, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 8(4), P. 188 - 188

Published: Oct. 26, 2024

Urban green spaces (UGSs) play a vital role in enhancing the quality of life cities, particularly rapidly urbanizing regions such as Metropolitan Region São Paulo (MRSP). However, significant challenges related to equitable management and access persist, often exacerbated by socio-environmental inequalities. While much existing literature on UGS focuses developed economies, there is gap our understanding how community engagement influences outcomes emerging which face unique socio-economic infrastructural constraints. This study addresses this investigating impact MRSP, specifically examining increased participation correlates with improved reduced inequality. Utilizing survey data from 33 municipal environmental departments across research applied correlation tests, generalized linear models, non-parametric analysis variance evaluate relationships between engagement, coverage, The findings reveal moderate positive alongside negative Increased levels were associated greater UGSs reduction disparities groups. These results underscore potential fostering involvement promote urban equity sustainability through institutional support transparent information sharing. Future should focus longitudinal studies better understand long-term effects sustained incorporate qualitative members provide more comprehensive participatory processes. Additionally, expanding scope include informal private will offer holistic greening dynamics.

Language: Английский

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Assessing the Relationship between Land Surface Temperature and Composition Elements of Urban Green Spaces during Heat Waves Episodes in Mediterranean Cities

Forests, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(3), P. 463 - 463

Published: March 1, 2024

In the context of escalating global temperatures and intensified heat waves, Mediterranean region emerges as a noteworthy hotspot, experiencing surge in frequency intensity these extreme events. Nature-based solutions, particularly management urban green infrastructure (UGI) areas, have shown promising outcomes adapting areas to challenges posed by waves. The objective current study is twofold: firstly, identify compositional patterns strategically distributed small public spaces, demonstrating their enhanced capacity mitigate impact waves region; secondly, assess association, direction, explanatory strength relationship between composition elements UGI area typology, specifically focusing on variation land surface temperature (LST) values during wave episodes spanning from 2017 2023. methodology involved obtaining satellite images classifying based composition, orientation, typology. Ordinal multiple regressions were conducted analyze considered variables LST ranges that occurred findings indicate an increase across many emphasizing heightened thermal stress medium-sized compact city, Granada (in southeast Iberian Peninsula). Traditional squares, pocket parks gardens, pedestrian with trees impervious surfaces performed better reducing probability exceeding above 41 °C compared other vegetated patches mainly occupied herbaceous vegetation grass. concludes advocating for strategic incorporation vegetation, especially trees, along traditional squares featuring semipermeable pavement shrubbery, potential effective strategy enhancing resilience against Overall, this research enhances our understanding dynamics offers guidance bolstering spaces region.

Language: Английский

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