Green Infrastructure Network Research Articles

Construction, assessment, and protection of green infrastructure networks from a dynamic perspective: A case study of Dalian City, Liaoning Province, China

The green infrastructure (GI) network, an important nature-based solution (NBS) strategy, is pivotal for sustainable urban development. However, current research perspectives focus on constructing a static GI network, and research on evaluating and protecting GI networks in the context of spatiotemporal changes has been limited. This research aims to comprehensively characterise the spatio-temporal changes in the GI network and protect its efficiency. We selected Dalian City as a case study and applied the Future Land-use Simulation (FLUS) model to predict its land use for 2030 and 2040. Based on predicted and historical land-use data, the 1990–2040 GI network of Dalian City was constructed utilising the Integrated valuation of ecosystem services and trade-offs (InVEST), morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) and minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model, while its spatiotemporal changes were evaluated. The results revealed that the hub area exhibited positive growth over time, whereas the link lengths showed an opposite trend. Furthermore, the overall position of the GI network shifted toward the southwest. The flatness indicator detected that the direction of the GI network shape gradually became less pronounced. Consequently, the structure of the GI network shifted from multi-centre to mono-centre. Additionally, priority protection for hubs is mainly in the northeast, while links are primarily in the coastal regions. The urgency of protection for both increases over time. This research developed a dynamic GI network construction and assessment method, providing a scientific basis and reference for future rational GI network planning, ecological protection planning, and related land policy formulation.

Urban green streets and water management safety hubs in public schools lots

Abstract Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) represents an effective approach to enhance urban resilience to climate change, contributing to runoff regulation and localized flood risk reduction. This study examines the potential for transforming open spaces in public schools into safety hubs for stormwater management in Mediterranean urban contexts, drawing on best practices from North America. Through a methodological analysis combining Research Through Design and an international literary scoping review, case studies of schools in the Metropolitan City of Naples are presented and compared with U.S. projects implementing GSI in school areas. The results highlight the importance of strategic coordination guidelines for local administrators, designers, and school principals, aimed at planning, designing, and managing highly performant green infrastructure networks. An integrated and shared metropolitan-level approach can maximize environmental benefits, transforming schools into community centers for urban resilience education and participatory management of risks related to extreme weather events.

Elemental evolution characteristics and influencing factors of green infrastructure network in karst mountain cities: a case study of Qianzhong urban agglomeration in Southwest China

BackgroundThe urban green infrastructure (GI) network is an important conduit for ecological flows and plays a crucial role in improving regional habitats, especially in karst areas that are highly ecologically fragile and sensitive. However, the existing research only focuses on the construction of GI network in karst mountain cities, and the evolution characteristics of its elements and driving mechanism are not clear, which is of great significance for guiding urban land use planning and comprehensively improving the quality of the ecological environment. In view of this, this study took Qianzhong urban agglomeration as the study area, based on multi-source data, and identified ecological sources through ecological resilience analysis. Considering the special geographic environment, the rock exposure rate factor was added to correct the resistance surface, and the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) and gravity model were coupled to extract the GI network. The complex network topology characterization parameter was introduced to assess the spatial and temporal variations of ecological sources and corridors. Finally, the geographical detector was used to identify the dominant influencing factors and interactions of the spatial distribution of the GI network.ResultsThe results showed that from 2000 to 2020, the condition of GI network elements in the study area presented a decreasing and then an increasing trend. The ecological sources or corridors in highly urbanized areas were critical for ecological flow transport and the overall structural stability of the GI network. The influence of natural factors on the spatial distribution of the GI network gradually weakened, and the influence of human factors continuously increased. The spatial distribution of the GI network was influenced by multiple factors, and the interaction between all the factors was enhanced, which gradually changed from the interaction of natural factors to the interaction of human factors during the study period.ConclusionsThe research results will provide scientific references for the construction of an ecologically safe environment and sustainable development of karst mountain cities.

Urban Planning with Rational Green Infrastructure Placement Using a Critical Area Detection Method

In an era of intense urban development and climate extremes, green infrastructure (GI) has become crucial for creating sustainable, livable, and resilient cities. However, the efficacy of GI is frequently undermined by haphazard implementation and resource misallocation that disregards appropriate spatial scales. This study develops a geographic information system (GIS)-based critical area detection model (CADM) to identify priority areas for the strategic placement of GI, incorporating four main indices—spatial form, green cover, gray cover, and land use change—and utilizing the digital elevation model (DEM), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), urban density index (UDI), and up-to-date land use data. By employing the developed method, the study successfully locates priority zones for GI implementation in Saitama City, Japan, effectively pinpointing areas that require immediate attention. This approach not only guarantees efficient resource allocation and maximizes the multifunctional benefits of GI but also highlights the importance of a flexible, all-encompassing GI network to address urbanization and environmental challenges. The findings offer policymakers a powerful tool with which to optimize GI placement, enhancing urban resilience and supporting sustainable development.

Analysis of green infrastructure network (GIN) based on morphological spatial-temporal pattern analysis (MSTPA): A case study of Shijingshan district in Beijing

Abstract Rapid urbanization results in habitat fragmentation. GIN analysis provides an objective basis for the complete construction of ecological networks. Although there is currently no uniform standard for GIN analysis, this study found that the core region and the connectivity between the core became two key elements of GIN analysis. By analyzing the morphological recognition of GIN, Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA) is targeted in the core area and connectivity analysis, so it has become the mainstream of GIN analysis methods. At the same time, this study finds that there are commonalities in MSPA analysis methods of different scholars. However, it should be noted that GIN analysis by MSPA method in China has two main research gaps: First, it lacks attention to the space scale of urban administrative district level; Second, there is a lack of research on GIN that considers time as a factor. In order to fill these two research gaps, the Shijingshan District of Beijing was selected as the research site to conduct GIN analysis based on Morphological Spatial-Temporal Pattern Analysis (MSTPA). At the same time, the analysis method and data of this study can provide a reference for future scholars to carry out the same type of research.

Construction and optimization of Green Infrastructure Network in mountainous cities: a case study of Fuzhou, China

Green infrastructure networks enhance the protection and improvement of urban ecological environments, augment the efficiency and quality of ecosystem services, and furnish residents with healthier and more comfortable living conditions. Although previous research has investigated the construction or optimization methods of green infrastructure networks, these studies have been relatively isolated and lacking in case studies for mountainous cities. In the development of green infrastructure, mountainous cities must specifically consider the impact of terrain on network construction. Taking Fuzhou, a mountainous city in China, as an example, this study constructs and optimizes the green infrastructure network by employing morphological spatial pattern analysis, connectivity analysis, the Minimum Cumulative Resistance model, and circuit theory. These methodologies increase the connectivity of the Green Infrastructure within the study area, thereby promoting the health of the local ecosystem and creating conducive circumstances for the city’s sustainable development. The findings reveal that: (1) Green infrastructure in Fuzhou takes up 5366.38 ha, constituting 21.76% of the study area, primarily situated in the northwest and south; (2) Fuzhou’s Green Infrastructure network comprises 10 hubs and 17 corridors with a hub area of 1306.98 ha, predominantly distributed in the mountains encircling the city, including Meifeng Mountain, Gaogai Mountain, and Qingliang Mountain; (3) Based on optimization, the circuit centrality index categorizes hub importance into three protection levels, pinpointing nine crucial protected areas in the corridors and 680 areas requiring enhancement, including 68 areas for first-level improvement, 149 areas for second-level improvement, and 463 areas for third-level improvement. This research offers a methodological reference for constructing and optimizing green infrastructure networks in mountainous cities, providing both theoretical and practical foundations for optimizing green infrastructure networks in Fuzhou City.

Biodiversity-Centric Habitat Networks for Green Infrastructure Planning: A Case Study in Northern Italy

Green infrastructure (GI) networks comprising multiple natural and artificial habitats are important tools for the management of ecosystem services. However, even though ecosystem services are deeply linked with the state of biodiversity, many approaches to GI network planning do not explicitly consider the ecological needs of biotic communities, which are often threatened by anthropic activities even in presence of protected areas. Here, to contribute in fill this gap, we describe an easy-to-apply, biodiversity-centric approach to model an ecological network as a backbone for a GI network, based on the ecological needs of a range of representative species. For each species, ideal habitats (nodes) were identified, and crossing costs were assigned to other habitat types depending on their compatibility with the species ecology. Corridors linking the nodes were then mapped, minimizing overall habitat crossing costs. We applied the method to the Isonzo–Vipacco river area in Northern Italy, highlighting a potential ecological network where nodes and corridors occupied 27% and 11.8% of the study area, respectively. The prospective of its conflicts with anthropic activities and possible solutions for its implementation was also discussed. Our method could be applied to a variety of situations and geographic contexts, being equally useful for supporting the protection of entire biocenoses or of specific sensitive species, as well as enhancing the ecosystem services they provide.

Urban park qualities driving visitors mental well-being and wildlife conservation in a Neotropical megacity

Green infrastructure has been widely recognized for the benefits to human health and biodiversity conservation. However, knowledge of the qualities and requirements of such spaces and structures for the effective delivery of the range of ecosystem services expected is still limited, as well as the identification of trade-offs between services. In this study, we apply the One Health approach in the context of green spaces to investigate how urban park characteristics affect human mental health and wildlife support outcomes and identify synergies and trade-offs between these dimensions. Here we show that perceived restorativeness of park users varies significantly across sites and is mainly affected by safety and naturalness perceptions. In turn, these perceptions are driven by objective indicators of quality, such as maintenance of facilities and vegetation structure, and subjective estimations of biodiversity levels. The presence of water bodies benefited both mental health and wildlife. However, high tree canopy coverage provided greater restoration potential whereas a certain level of habitat heterogeneity was important to support a wider range of bird species requirements. To reconcile human and wildlife needs in green spaces, cities should strategically implement a heterogeneous green infrastructure network that considers trade-offs and maximizes synergies between these dimensions.

Building green infrastructure for mitigating urban flood risk in Beijing, China

Due to climate change and accelerated urbanization, urban flooding has an increasing impact on the sustainable development of metropolitan areas. Since the 1990s, green infrastructure has developed as an alternative and sustainable approach to the mitigation of flood disaster in urban areas. To improve the resilience of urban ecological flood control and build a green infrastructure network, we provide quantitative measures of flood risk assessment to generate a grid-scale (1 ×1 km) flood risk assessment results and analyze its spatiotemporal heterogeneity. Then, we propose a GIS-based multi-criteria assessment method to determine the priority areas of green infrastructure according to four criteria, generating a distribution map of green infrastructure priorities in Beijing at the township scale. From the perspective of urban flood risk mitigation, the research proposes a new method to determine the priority areas of green infrastructure, thus establishing suggestions for future green infrastructure construction in Beijing.

How Can the Balance of Green Infrastructure Supply and Demand Build an Ecological Security Pattern

The escalating degradation of urban eco-environments has underscored the significance of ecological security in sustainable urban development. Green infrastructure bridges green spaces in cities and increases ecosystem connectivity, thereby optimizing urban ecological security patterns. This study uses Nanjing as a case study and adopts a research paradigm that involves identifying ecological sources, constructing resistance surfaces, and subsequently extracting corridors within the ecological security pattern. This method amalgamates the evaluation of green infrastructure supply and demand, leading to the identification of both ecological corridors and nodes. The findings reveal that while the supply of green infrastructure in Nanjing is low in the city center and high in the suburbs, demand is high in the central area and low in the periphery, indicating a spatial mismatch between supply and demand. Ecological corridors and nodes are categorized into the core, important, and general levels based on their centrality and areas of supply–demand optimization. The connectivity, supply capacity, and supply–demand relationship of green infrastructure in Nanjing have been enhanced to varying degrees through the ecological security pattern optimization. The results of this study can serve as a decision-making reference for optimizing green infrastructure network patterns and enhancing urban ecological security.

Retracted: The Construction of Urban Park Green Infrastructure Network Based on Genetic Algorithm

Retracted: The Construction of Urban Park Green Infrastructure Network Based on Genetic Algorithm

The zone cube model – A tool to operationalise green infrastructure prioritisation

The concept of green infrastructure (GI) offers a comprehensive approach for environmental sustainability with the network of multifunctional ecosystems providing positive ecological, economic and societal benefits. In our study, we showed a five step conceptual framework with a case study for Hungary to evaluate GI and spatially prioritise its development methods. We created a three-dimensional zone cube model to evaluate GI performance based on the three main pillars of GI (i.e. ecological condition, ecosystem services, and ecological connectivity). We designated zones for four development approaches (i.e. ecosystem preservation, enhancement, conversion, and connectivity improvement), identified target ecosystems for conversion by using multiple potential natural vegetation (MPNV) modelling, and prioritised them based on land use conflict and feasibility indicators.According to the condition assessment, 49% of Hungary’s area may be regarded as part of the actual GI network. We identified 15.4% as possible ecosystem enhancement area, 80.3% as potential ecosystem conversion region, and 1.9% as potential landscape corridor areas in addition to 5.3% of the country’s area with outstanding GI status recommended for preservation. As an illustration of how to prioritize the restoration of grasslands, we demonstrated that 3.15 million hectares would likely be suitable for grasslands, 1.96 million hectares experience one or more environmental conflicts, and 172,000 ha should receive priority because they are also Natura 2000 sites. Our framework provided a unified operational tool overarching GI performance assessment, designation, and development prioritisation applicable at the national level providing also means to quantify measurable targets to support sustainability commitments globally.

Analysing urban green infrastructure network (GIN) for resilience and ecosystem services: The standards and methods

The widespread spread of COVID-19 in cities has revealed problems with current urban planning. In view of these problems, scholars have looked forward to the development direction of future cities. Through literature review, this study finds that achieving these development goals is highly correlated with urban ecological services (ES). The realization of ES function depends on the green infrastructure (GI), and the actual construction of GI needs the analysis and judgment of its spatial structure, that is, the green infrastructure network (GIN), through urban planning policies. Therefore, this study will analyze the concept and GIN research progress based on a literature review, to clarify the core concerns of current relevant research; Then, the evaluation of GIN is analyzed based on a literature review, including the necessity of evaluation, the criteria followed by evaluation and the methods used in evaluation, to identify the most effective evaluation criteria and methods at present and provide theoretical basis for future specific research. Therefore, GIN construction in the city can be more scientific for the future of urban public health events to play a positive role.

Key areas and measures to mitigate heat exposure risk in highly urbanized city: A case study of Beijing, China

As an effective measure to mitigate the negative effects of heat-related risks on human health, improving the urban environment requires space and financial resources. It is necessary to identify the key areas to mitigate heat-related risk to balance mitigation efficiency and planning feasibility. This study proposes a framework to identify key areas from a network perspective based on heat exposure risk identification and green infrastructure construction. Two networks, a heat exposure spreading network and a green infrastructure network, were constructed using morphological spatial pattern analysis and circuit theory based on population density and remote sensing image data. Beijing, as a highly urbanized city, was chosen as the case study. For key areas, we proposed environmental improvement measures, and the effectiveness of these measures was confirmed by ENVI-met simulations. The results show that there are 294 key areas that could split high heat exposure patches, block high heat exposure patch connections, and control the spread of high heat exposure patches. Increasing greenery coverage by increasing street tree greening, parking lot greening, urban forest construction, and urban park construction can reduce regional temperatures by 0.18–5.34 °C. This study provides an approach to mitigate heat-related risk in highly urbanized cities.

Leveraging the No Net Land Take Policy through Ecological Connectivity Analysis: The Role of Industrial Platforms in Flanders, Belgium

Land take for urbanisation has become a significant problem in many parts of the world due to environmental, social and economic impacts associated with the rapid depletion of blue and green spaces. In Europe, literature reveals a massive loss of ecosystems due to land take. The European Union has formulated a “No Net Land Take Policy” to stop new development activities on the available urban lands by 2050 within its member countries. In this paper, we highlight opportunities for mainstreaming green infrastructure planning in the industrial areas located in Flanders, Belgium, to enhance ecological connectivity towards the No Net Land Take Policy. The ecological connectivity was analysed using a blended methodology combining spatial analysis at the scale of the entire region and that of sixteen sub catchments within using the Patch-Corridor-Matrix model. A multifunctionality framework for assessing green infrastructure implementation was designed based on an analysis of the scientific literature discussing the ecological benefits of green infrastructure networks within industrial platforms. Our results show that industrial platforms might provide a broad spectrum of implementation opportunities reflecting the multi-functionality of green infrastructure networks while highlighting to what extent the underdeveloped areas laying within the boundary of industrial platforms are suitable for green infrastructure expansion.

Analysis of Green Infrastructure Network Pattern Change in Zhengzhou Central City Based on Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis

Green infrastructure is generally regarded as an effective way to maintain regional ecological security, and its construction method plays an essential role in its function realization. In this study, the central urban area of Zhengzhou was taken as the research area. The land use type maps of the study area were obtained through the supervised classification of TM/ETM Remote sensing image data in 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019. The Green Infrastructure (GI) in the study area was obtained by Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA) based on the landscape connectivity index and landscape map theory. The landscape connectivity of the core area was classified and quantitatively evaluated. Then, the potential ecological corridors were extracted and analyzed. The GI pattern change research based on MSPA, landscape connectivity, and map theory provided a new framework for analyzing GI pattern change. Finally, the spatial structure of green infrastructure planning in Zhengzhou central city is obtained, and the optimization strategy of network structure is proposed. The research results can provide references for the planning and optimization of GI networks in the study area and have particular reference significance for the planning and construction of GI networks in other areas.

From Green Infrastructure to Blue and Green Infrastructure Network: institutionalization of ecological connectivity at the science-policy interface. A literature review

From Green Infrastructure to Blue and Green Infrastructure Network: institutionalization of ecological connectivity at the science-policy interface. A literature review

Optimization of green infrastructure networks in the perspectives of enhancing structural connectivity and multifunctionality in an urban megaregion

Optimization of green infrastructure networks in the perspectives of enhancing structural connectivity and multifunctionality in an urban megaregion

Improving Urban Habitat Connectivity for Native Birds: Using Least-Cost Path Analyses to Design Urban Green Infrastructure Networks

Habitat loss and fragmentation are primary threats to biodiversity in urban areas. Least-cost path analyses are commonly used in ecology to identify and protect wildlife corridors and stepping-stone habitats that minimise the difficulty and risk for species dispersing across human-modified landscapes. However, they are rarely considered or used in the design of urban green infrastructure networks, particularly those that include building-integrated vegetation, such as green walls and green roofs. This study uses Linkage Mapper, an ArcGIS toolbox, to identify the least-cost paths for four native keystone birds (kererū, tūī, korimako, and hihi) in Wellington, New Zealand, to design a network of green roof corridors that ease native bird dispersal. The results identified 27 least-cost paths across the central city that connect existing native forest habitats. Creating 0.7 km2 of green roof corridors along these least-cost paths reduced cost-weighted distances by 8.5–9.3% for the kererū, tūī, and korimako, but there was only a 4.3% reduction for the hihi (a small forest bird). In urban areas with little ground-level space for green infrastructure, this study demonstrates how least-cost path analyses can inform the design of building-integrated vegetation networks and quantify their impacts on corridor quality for target species in cities.

Spatial disparities of street walkability in Moscow in the context of healthy urban environment

Urban walkability might be one of the most important indicators of a healthy city. Taking Moscow as a case study we focused on assessing the walkability through a well-known walkability index using only open data sources. The application of the walkability index to Moscow required some adjustments in its calculation, however, the methodology used has brought the results that could be expected. The strong spatial heterogeneity in walkability was clearly identified within the city. Moreover, the walkability and social differentiation within the city boundaries could have the same spatial patterns. Despite the significant changes and evolution of urban environment throughout the Moscow's history, especially in recent years, historical context is still as impactful as before in terms of walkability. Green infrastructure might be an important component of the walkability index in the context of a healthy urban environment and well-being. Although Moscow could be identified as a green city, some areas cannot adequately provide green infrastructure for all of their residents, primarily due to the remoteness of large parks. According to the results of our study, the priority should be directed towards the improvement of consistency of the green infrastructure network and diversification of land-use in the most vulnerable areas of post-industrial development.