Greater Park Research Articles

Longitudinal associations between the school built environment and adolescents’ physical activity: Evidence from the COMPASS study.

PurposeExamine adolescent moderate-to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) and active school travel over a four-year period; Examine associations between the surrounding school built environment and adolescent MVPA and active school travel, and whether adolescent MVPA and active school travel are moderated by the built environment over time. MethodsData from the COMPASS project (2013/14 to 2016/17) were used. Participants were adolescents aged 13–18 (n = 20,221) from 91 schools. MVPA and active school travel were self-reported via questionnaire. The built environment (park-, recreation-, retail-densities, Walk Score®) was objectively measured. Multilevel modeling was conducted. ResultsAdolescent square root transformed MVPA (SQRT-MVPA) and the likelihood of active school travel decreased over time. Several positive associations were observed between the surrounding school built environment and SQRT-MVPA and active school travel when time was held constant. Adolescents attending schools in very walkable areas had an increased likelihood of active school travel over time. Higher park-, retail-, and recreation-densities appeared to help maintain the likelihood of active travel to school over time, though the same pattern was not apparent for active travel from school or SQRT-MVPA. ConclusionSQRT-MVPA and active school travel declined over time. However, the downward trend for the likelihood of active school travel appeared to be opposite for students attending schools in very walkable areas. Schools and municipalities should work together in creating built environments around schools that are more walkable and have greater park and recreation densities. Schools in unfavourable built environments may need additional physical activity programming.

Associations of park access, park use and physical activity in parks with wellbeing in an Asian urban environment: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundRelationships between park access, park use, and wellbeing remain poorly understood. The objectives of this study were to investigate: (1) perceived and objective park access in relation to park use and physical activity in parks; and; (2) perceived and objective park access, park use and physical activity in parks and their associations with wellbeing.MethodsAn interviewer-assisted survey collected data on perceived time to walk to parks, park use time, park physical activity time and wellbeing (using a scale containing nine domains) amongst adult participants of the Singapore Multi-Ethnic Cohort. Geospatial maps of parks and the “walkable” street networks were created for the city-state of Singapore to objectively determine distances to accessible points on park boundaries. Multiple linear regression models estimated the importance of park access to park use and associations of park access and park use with wellbeing, adjusting for potential confounders.ResultsParticipants’ (n = 3435) average age was 48.8 years (SD, 12.8), 44.8% were male and 72.6% were of Chinese ethnicity. Better perceived but not true park access was significantly associated with greater park use. Park access (perceived or true) was not associated with physical activity time in parks. Greater participant park time and physical activity time in parks were associated with higher wellbeing scores (p < 0.001). The differences in wellbeing scores between the reference groups, who spent negligible time in parks, and the highest quartiles of time in parks (10.8 h/month) and physical activity in parks (8.3 h/month) were 3.2 (95% CI 2.1–4.4) and 4.2 (95% CI 4.1–6.3) points out of 100 respectively. These associations were similar for most domains of wellbeing, with clear dose-response relationships.ConclusionsWhile perceived park access was strongly associated with park use and well-being, true park access was not, and neither park access measure was associated with park physical activity. Future studies could investigate the influence of park attributes on park use, physical activity in parks and wellbeing. The consistent associations of park use and particularly physical activity in parks with wellbeing suggest that promoting park use, and especially physical activity in parks, is a promising strategy for improving wellbeing in urban settings.

Parental Neighborhood Safety Perceptions and Their Children's Health Behaviors: Associations by Child Age, Gender and Household Income

This study examined relationships between parents' neighborhood safety perceptions (NSPs) and their children's physical activity, active commuting to school, park use, active transportation to parks, and screen time, including differences by child gender, age, and income. Parents completed validated measures about NSPs and one child's behaviors. Children (n144) were dichotomized into high or low groups for each of five behaviors and ANCOVAs analyzed between-group differences in parents' NSPs. There were no significant NSP differences for physical activity or active commuting, but higher parental NSPs were associated with greater park use among the full sample, males, ages 3–5, ages 13–17, and low-income children. Higher parental NSPs were also related to females' greater active transport to parks and less screen time. Addressing structural and psychosocial elements of neighborhood safety can lead to increased physical and social activity among young people.

Got green? addressing environmental justice in park provision

We present a pragmatic approach to assist planners in addressing racial inequities in park access. Utilizing the Los Angeles metropolitan region as an example, we used Thiessen polygons to delineate a service area for each park, and described potential park congestion or ‘pressure’ in each park service area. Results show that Latinos, African-Americans, and low-income groups in general were likely to live close to parks with higher potential park congestion. On the other hand, predominantly White, high-income areas were typically located close to parks with lower potential park congestion levels. The park service area analysis presented here facilitates the identification of areas with greater park need and provides a pragmatic way to redress existing disparities in park access. Built into a set of web-based decision support tools, the approach fosters greater community participation and empowers local stakeholders in the process of park provision.

Economic Incentives and Poaching of the One-Horned Indian Rhinoceros in Nepal Stakeholder Perspectives in Biodiversity Conservation: Analysis of Local, National and Global Stakes in Rhino Conservation in Royal Chitwan National Park, Nepal

The one-horned Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) is of special conservation importance, and plays a key role in Nepal's growing eco-tourism industry. Abundant in the past, this rhino population now faces a multitude of threats, the most serious of which is poaching for valuable rhino horn. The main aim of this research was to carry out a stakeholder analysis in order to determine who has a stake in the welfare of Terai's rhino population. A household survey (444 interviews) was conducted in six different villages in the buffer zone of the Royal Chitwan National Park (RCNP). Tourists' attitudes towards national parks and eco-tourism in Nepal, as well as their opinions on forest and wildlife conservation, were also examined. Stakeholder analysis revealed that there are five major stakeholders in the RCNP buffer zone: i) landless/marginalized households, ii) farmers, iii) tourism and related sectors, iv) visitors and non-users and v) government/NGOs. Each group represents different interests with regard to park management and rhino conservation. Loss of crops and livestock presents a major management problem around the RCNP buffer zone in the view of local farmers. Non-farmer groups, like the Chepang, Bote and Majhi communities, pledged to be rhino herders if the government provided them with job opportunities. Other non-farmers claimed they wouldn't disturb rhinos (or other wild animals) if they could use forest and water resources for longer periods of time on a regulated basis. Local poachers explained that they were looking for alternative sources of income to avoid being involved in such a risky business. The park authority considered the establishment of the national park (and subsequent conservation of rhinos) to have not only contributed to the national economy, but also to community development in buffer zone areas. As nature and wildlife form the basis of the eco-tourism industry, tourism entrepreneurs believed they had also contributed positively to local conservation. Despite some negative impacts on their livelihoods, local people valued rhinos and equated them with national wealth. They believed rhinos have a right to co-exist with the surrounding human population. The discrete choice experiment conducted confirmed that all stakeholder groups found the proposed management scenarios more attractive than the status quo. Most respondents were in favour of compensation for rhino-related damage, and supported a community development program funded by parks revenues. Interestingly, the general preference for these compensatory measures peaked at about 50%, indicating that either respondents do not require full compensation, or they do not believe higher amounts would be forthcoming. Respondents would particularly value increased tourism employment opportunities and greater possibilities to use park resources. Most importantly, if these compensatory measures were put in place, the majority of respondents would have a clear linear preference for more rhinos. The various stakeholder groups reacted as expected; the highest income farmers regarded high compensatory measures as less important than low and mid-income farmers, while the landless marginalised group considered i) greater park access and ii) an income generation program as very important. The challenge for a pro-poor conservation policy is to integrate the needs of poor people into efforts to conserve an international public good, in this case rhinos. It is vital to ensure that poor farming and non-farming households are compensated for the costs they incur in supplying this unique good.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Histologic Findings of Acute and Subacute Stage of Experimental Cerebral Fat Embolism in Cats

Purpose: To determine the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and natural history of cerebral fat embolism in a cat model, and to correlate the MRI and histologic findings. Materials and Methods: Using the femoral arterial approach, the internel carotid artery of 11 cats was injected with 0.1 ml of triolein. T2-weighted (T2WI), T1-weighted (T1WI) and Gd-enhanced T1-weighted (Gd-T1WI) images were obtained serially at 2 hours, 1 and 4 days and 1, 2 and 3 weeks after embolization. Any abnormal signal intensity (SI) was evaluated. After MR imaging at 3 weeks, brain tissue was obtained for light microscopic (LM) examination using hematoxylin-eosin and Luxol fast blue staining, and for electron microscopic (EM) examination. The histologic and MRI findings were correlated. Results: At 2 hours, lesions showed high SI at T2WI, iso- or low SI at T1WI, and strong enhancement at Gd-T1WI. The high SI seen at T2WI decreased thereafter, and most lesions became iso-intense. At week 3, however, small focal areas of high SI were seen in the grey matter of eight cats and in the white matter of three. The low SI noted at acute-stage T1W1 subsequcntly became normal, though in the areas in which T2W1 had depicted high SI, focal areas of low SI remained. Lesion enhancement demonstrated by Gd-T1WI decreased continuously from day 1, and at week 3, weak enhancement was seen at the margin of the remained hypointense lesions in the gray matter in five cats. At LM examination with hematoxylin-eosin staining revealed normal histologic findings in the greater park of an embolized lesion. Cystic change was observed in the gray matter of eight cats, and in the gray and white matter of three of the eight. At LM examination, Luxol fast blue, staining demonstrated demyelination around the cystic change occurring in the white matter, and EM examination of the embolized cortex revealed sporadic intracapillary fat vacuoles (n=11) and disruption of the blood-brain barrier (n=4). Most lesions were normal, however, and perivascular interstitial edema and cellular swelling were mild compared with the control side. Conclusion: Experimental cerebral fat embolism was clearly demonstrated by T2WI and Gd-T1WI images obtained at all time points. The greater part of an embolized lesion showed reversible findings at MR and histologic examination; irreversible focal necrosis was, however, observed in gray and white matter at week 3.

Park Hill, Denver

Greater Park Hill is a uniquely integrated neighborhood in Denver, Colorado. Although the proportion of White residents in the city declined from 66.7 percent to 61.4 percent between 1980 and 1990, Park Hill's White population remained stable at about 36 percent. By 1980, under the assumption that Park Hill had already passed a racial tipping point, many urban researchers predicted imminent resegregation. This has not occurred. In fact, one developing trend finds more White Anglos and White Hispanics moving into predominantly African-American neighborhoods.