Green Space Planning Research Articles

O.3.1-5 Peri-urban landscape as an environment for health enhancing physical activity

Abstract Purpose Peri-urban landscape is situated between the rural and the urban and encompasses diverse set of green space types, e.g. large semi-natural areas, woodlands, hills, country parks. Such spaces, suitable for nature recreation, can be rarely found in cities. Accordingly, peri-urban landscape is increasingly important for enabling population to become more physically active. However, previous research has shown that many cities struggle with divergences in the use of these spaces. While some of peri-urban green spaces are under high demand for outdoor recreation, which puts considerable pressure on the landscape and threatens its provisioning of landscape qualities such as tranquillity or biodiversity, others are underused despite their recognised potential for recreation. So far, little attention has been paid to this issue in planning and decision making. This study first assessed the extent to which peri-urban landscape provides possibility for outdoor recreation. Secondly, it explored how to provide support for spatial planners and local governments in the planning and management of peri-urban green spaces for promotion of outdoor recreation. Methods We conducted document analysis, literature review and stakeholders’ interviews in three case study cities in Slovenia: Ljubljana, Koper and Kranj. In the first step, we highlighted any formal recognition of peri-urban landscape use for outdoor recreation and identified spatial actions and their influence on the peri-urban land use. Then we carried out the evaluation of the level of importance given to peri-urban green spaces’ suitability for outdoor recreation by the stakeholders. The data was compiled and compared between the three cities. Results We identified policy gaps in all case studies, which pointed to the weak role of spatial planning in protection and management of peri-urban green spaces for outdoor recreation. We also identified the lack of methodologies, tools and inclusion of new approaches, such as ecosystem services framework or nature-based solutions, in the spatial planning and policy making. Conclusion Our findings provide a supporting material for local decision makers and spatial planners in their efforts to develop peri-urban green spaces as spaces for promoting health among all demographic groups of local population. Funding Slovenian Research Agency (grant numbers V5-2232 and Z5-4589).

S4-5 Framework for evaluation of green spaces for physical activity to support public health policy in Slovenija

Abstract Purpose Evidence suggests that green space use for physical activity significantly benefits to maintenance and improvement of public health. Settlements need to provide adequate access to public green spaces which enable and encourage physical activity. Provision of publicly accessible green spaces is therefore often included in different sectoral strategies and policies. However, to really meet goals and objectives, declared in these documents, appropriate and efficient actions need to be taken in spatial development practice on a local level. Methods We present the approach, developed within the first year of the national research project PREZENCA, which aims at developing indicators for the assessment of the provision of settlements with green spaces for outdoor physical activity in Slovenian municipalities. The approach may be of interest to countries which have adequately developed strategic spatial planning of urban green spaces but lack useful tools to assess the current state and to monitor changes in the provision of quality green and other outdoor spaces to encourage physical activity. Results The approach is based on a comprehensive analysis of examples and possibilities for measuring presence and quantity of green spaces, defining green space types, and measuring citizens’ accessibility and use of green spaces for physical activity. Content analysis of existing planning documents on a local level was carried out to elaborate: (1) whether the provision of green spaces in settlements in Slovenia is defined and how (2) which population groups are addressed and (3) where such content should be put into policy documents to support implementation in practice. Based on the results, the suggestions on relevant factors and indicators of green space provision and quality for physical activity were prepared to be further developed for evaluation and monitoring on the local level and included into spatial planning practice and policies. Conclusion Furthermore, we discuss the importance of establishing local standards and possibilities to include them into planning documents to form the basis for long-term monitoring of the condition of publicly accessible green spaces for recreational use by residents.

Examining Spatial Inequalities in Public Green Space Accessibility: A Focus on Disadvantaged Groups in England

Green spaces have been recognised for their positive impact on residents’ health and well-being. However, equitable access to these spaces remains a concern as certain social groups face barriers to reaching public green areas (PGS). Existing studies have explored the relationship between green spaces and vulnerable populations but have often overlooked the spatial variations in accessibility experienced by these groups. This research aimed to investigate the spatial association between green space accessibility and five key variables representing vulnerability: age, educational deprivation, health deprivation, crime rates, and housing barriers. Ordinary least squares and multi-scale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) techniques were employed to analyse the relationship between the nearest distance to public green spaces and the challenges experienced by vulnerable groups based on socioeconomic factors in England. The findings highlight disparities in open green space access for vulnerable groups, particularly older adults and individuals with limited education and housing accessibility, who are more likely to face restricted access to green spaces. There was a negative correlation found between health deprivation and the accessibility of green spaces, indicating people who suffer from the disease may live closer to green spaces. Surprisingly, although a positive association was observed between crime risk and distance to public green space in most areas, there were specific areas that exhibit a negative correlation between them. This study emphasises the importance of considering the perspectives of vulnerable groups in addressing PGS inequality and underscores the need for inclusive public green space planning and policy development.

Evaluation of Urban Green Space Supply and Demand Based on Mobile Signal Data: Taking the Central Area of Shenyang City as an Example

The degree of coordination between the supply and demand for urban green spaces serves as a vital metric for evaluating urban ecological development and the well-being of residents. An essential principle in assessing this coordination is the precise quantification of both the demand and supply of green spaces, as well as the differential representation of their spatiotemporal structures. This study utilizes the entropy weight method (EWM) and principal component analysis (PCA) to comprehensively measure supply indicators for green space quantity and quality in the central urban area of Shenyang, China. To establish reliable and quantifiable demand indicators, mobile signaling spatial-temporal data are corrected by incorporating static population cross-sectional data. The Gaussian two-step floating catchment area method (Ga2SFCA) is employed to calculate the accessibility of green spaces in each community with ArcGIS 10.2 software, while the Gini coefficient is utilized to assess the equity of green space distribution within the study area. This study employs location entropy to determine the levels of supply and demand for green spaces in each subdistrict. Furthermore, the priority of community-scale green space regulation is accurately determined by balancing vulnerable areas of green space supply and replenishing green space resources for the ageing population. The findings suggest a Gini coefficient of 0.58 for the supply and demand of green spaces in Shenyang’s central metropolitan region, indicating a relatively low level of equalization in overall green space allocation. Based on location entropy, the classification of supply and demand at the street level yields the following outcomes: balanced areas comprise 21.98%, imbalanced areas account for 26.37%, and highly imbalanced regions represent 51.65%. After eliminating the balanced regions, the distribution of the elderly population is factored in, highlighting the spatial distribution and proportions of communities with distinct regulatory priorities: Level 1 (S1) constitutes 7.4%, Level 2 (S2) accounts for 60.9%, and Level 3 (S3) represents 31.7%. Notably, the communities in the S1 category exhibit spatial distribution characteristics of aggregation within the inner ring and the northern parts of the third ring. This precise identification of areas requiring urgent regulation and the spatial distribution of typical communities can provide reliable suggestions for prioritizing green space planning in an age-friendly city.

A study on geographical data that contributes to green infrastructure and green space planning

A study on geographical data that contributes to green infrastructure and green space planning

Identifying the factors affecting citizens' willingness to participate in urban forest governance: Evidence from the municipality of Palermo, Italy

Urban and peri-urban forests provide a wide range of benefits especially by providing the inhabitants with numerous ecosystem services that contribute to maintaining and improving the quality of life and environment in urban areas. Studies on urban and peri-urban forests have mainly focused on analyzing citizens' perception of benefits provided by urban green spaces. However, less attention has been paid to the influence that a positive perception of urban and peri-urban forests benefits has on citizens' willingness to play an active part in the planning and management process of green urban spaces. This study aims to explore the willingness of the citizens of the city of Palermo, in Italy, to devote time in the planning, design and management of urban forestry projects and identify which factors (perception, socio-demographic, and attitudinal factors) affect this choice. Results highlight that the socio-demographic characteristics (e.i. gender, income, number of family members) and frequency of visits are the main predictors of an individual's intention to commit time to urban forest projects. Our results also reveal a moderate impact of perception and psycho-attitudinal factors on citizens' intention to participate in urban forestry plans. It is thus evident that knowledge of urban and peri-urban forest characteristics and of the ecosystem services they are able to provide are the key factors to promoting effective conservation and management of green spaces, and to motivate citizens' participation through effective engagement strategies put in place by local governments.

Implementation of Government Policy in Arranging Green Open Space in the City of Semarang

Green Open Space (RTH) is an urban element that is very important to support all activities and life of the population. Basically, green open space is a natural element that plays an important role in creating a city that is proportional and environmentally friendly. According to the provisions in force, the proportion of green open space in urban areas is at least 30%. This step was taken by the government to ensure the balance of urban development. This study aims to describe the implementation of management policies and constraints in the arrangement of green open spaces in the city of Semarang experienced by the Spatial Planning Office and the Settlement and Housing Area Office of Semarang City. The approach used in writing this law is empirical juridical. In using the empirical juridical method, two approaches are used, namely the interview approach and field observations. In general, this interview approach uses trusted sources related to the problem being studied. Whereas in the direct observation approach the researcher goes directly to the field in researching the problems that are happening. Based on research results obtained in 2021 the area of public and private green open space is 1,042 ha and 4,025 ha private (15% of the city area) and in 2022 the area of public and private green open space is 2,580.585 (20.07% of the city area) ). It then explains the role of the Semarang City Government through the Spatial Planning Office and the Housing and Settlement Area Office in carrying out the implementation of the green open space arrangement policy. Next, the obstacles and solutions faced by the Semarang City Government will be explained in carrying out urban green open space planning.

Geolocated social media data for measuring park visitation in Shenzhen, China

Understanding park visitation patterns and factors that correlate with park use is conducive to urban green space management and planning. Although a growing number of studies have indicated geolocated social media can be used as a proxy for recreational use analysis, most of them relied on a single or similar social media platform(s). In this study, we used geolocated social media data among four popular platforms in China to estimate park visitation and explore the influence of 13 potential factors on park usage in Shenzhen by the geographical detector model. A park visitation index was introduced to estimate park usage, and it indicated large parks, such as natural and city parks, have a higher park visitation index than community parks in Shenzhen. In contrast to the check-in data, the real-time user data has a higher potential to describe park visitation citywide. Our findings demonstrate park size, sports and recreation amenities, the length of trails, and the nearby building density of a given park are likely to influence park visitation. The enhanced interactive relationship of 13 potential determinants of park usage can provide implications for urban park management and planning.

Characterizing bird species for achieving the win-wins of conserving biodiversity and enhancing regulating ecosystem services in urban green spaces

Urban green spaces provide regulating ecosystem services (RS) to humans and contribute to biodiversity conservation under urbanization pressure. However, trade-offs arise while making development decisions in urban green space planning, as the prioritization of enhancing RS may not always contribute to biodiversity conservation and vice versa. Therefore, achieving a balance between these trade-offs becomes essential in promoting conservation strategies that maximize win-win outcomes for both biodiversity and RS, ultimately leading to sustainable urban development. A practical approach to strike this balance is to prioritize specific species as surrogates for population protection, thereby benefiting co-occurring species and promoting the maintenance of a high RS level. To explore this approach, we conducted monthly bird surveys in green spaces over five years along an urbanization gradient in Shanghai, China. Based on the monthly bird dataset, to begin, we used indicator species analysis to identify bird indicators for the monthly RS (which were calculated from an economic perspective). Following from that, the umbrella index was used to prioritize umbrella species for biodiversity conservation. Finally, surrogate species were selected on the basis of their identification as both RS indicators and umbrella species. Consequently, seven common species were identified as surrogates in Shanghai. The RS indicator species were mainly omnivores and tree-nesting, with most umbrella species belonging to this subset. Furthermore, understanding the population dynamics of surrogate species could provide information on overall biodiversity and RS status, facilitating the optimization of management strategies and policies in cities. Our integrated approach, which combines indicator and umbrella species, provides a tool for establishing connections between ecosystem service maintenance and biodiversity conservation. This approach is useful in promoting planning strategies to conserve biodiversity while ensuring sustainable provision of ecosystem services and can be applied in the sustainable management of human-dominated landscapes.

Comprehensive evaluation of urban greenspace ecological values marketability through the spatial relationship between housing price and ecosystem services

Urban greenspace provides a variety of ecosystem services. A reasonable evaluation of such services, both from an environmental and from an economic point of view, can deliver a more comprehensive and accurate assessment of urban greenspace value and might be helpful for possible future market transactions. There seems to be a spatial correlation between housing price and ecosystem services. The hedonic price model takes into account also the greenspace around the residences. This study proposed a methodological framework combining the emergy accounting method and statistical model, taking Beijing as a case study. The relationship between housing prices and ecosystem services is explored, and the different types of urban ecosystem service are evaluated, taking into account the heterogeneity of different size, distance and perception of greenspaces. Ecological thermodynamics was applied to the housing price characteristic model, accounting for the ecological value embedded in the housing price, and provided a theoretical basis for the ecological value monetization evaluation and urban ecological planning. The results show that the improvement of each unit of ecosystem services value measured by means of the emergy accounting method will increase the housing price by 806.28 yuan per square meter. Small and micro parks have a more positive impact on housing prices than medium and large parks; The positive impact of grassland on housing price is greater than that of woodland, wetland and shrubs; Carbon sequestration has the largest positive impact on housing prices of other kind of ecosystem services. The methodological framework proposed in this study is helpful to further explore the ecosystem services provided by urban greenspace. The quantitative pricing results of different ecosystem services can be used as reference for relevant ecological trading and compensation policies. Qualitative analysis of parks and different ecosystems can provide value for urban greenspace planning.

Research on key acoustic characteristics of soundscapes of the classical Chinese gardens

Soundscapes have played an important role in the design and building of classical Chinese gardens. In Chinese classical poetry, biophonies such as bird calls, and geophonies such as wind, are the preferable sound sources. Although these major sound sources have been categorized and summarized by scholars extensively, little research has been conducted to analyze the physical characteristics and preference matrix of these preferred sound sources. Moreover, the perceived loudness of sound in classical Chinese gardens has received more attention from scholars than acoustic frequency. In this study, we selected 12 sound sources that are most typically present in classical Chinese gardens based on extensive literature research on Chinese classical poetry, and acquired respective audio samples from the BBC’s library of Sound Effects. Through the spectrogram analyses, pitch detection algorithm and LSTM audio classification methods, the sound sources were classified into discrete sound sources with pitch variation and continuous sound sources with spectral characteristics of white noise or pink noise. The reasoning behind the preference for these two types of sound sources was then discussed from physical and mental healing perspectives, which aims to help provide perspectives on the associated implications in the planning of urban green spaces.

Soundscape diversity: Evaluation indices of the sound environment in urban green spaces – Effectiveness, role, and interpretation

Urban green space sound sources play an important role in providing people with high quality recreation experiences. However, the evaluation index for urban green space sound sources is still limited. The main purpose of this study is to propose indices for soundscape diversity in urban green spaces, compare soundscape diversity with acoustic diversity, and understand the role of soundscape diversity in urban green spaces. In our field investigation, the sound sources of 30 sample sites were recorded over a five-minute period, and the soundscape diversity index (SDI), soundscape richness index (SRI), soundscape dominance index (SDO), and soundscape evenness index (SEI) were calculated. The results showed that soundscape diversity indices are more suitable for the evaluation of urban green space sound diversity than acoustic diversity indices. There is a significant correlation between soundscape diversity and urban green space landscape patterns, and there is a varied relationship between soundscape diversity and sound perception in different urban green spaces. Soundscape diversity can be explained by existing objective acoustic indicators, which can explain 55% of SDI model variations, 71% of SRI model variations, 43% of SDO model variations, and 32% of SEI model variations. Soundscape diversity can be applied to future urban green space planning and acoustic environment design.

Community Approach for Public Flower Garden Renovation in Hanoi Center: Perspective for Building a Green City

Public gardens in urban areas play an important role in the development of physical and mental health of the people. These spaces are also social spaces, where people meet to interact, exchange, and organize collective activities. They create a unique identity for each residential area in the city, which is a premise for green urban development. In Hanoi, public flower gardens (PFGs) were formed and developed from the French colonial period, mainly those in the historic city centre. Facing the forceful urbanization process and the changing of urban structure, in order to evaluate the role of all public flower gardens in the historic city centre area, we carried out a systematic survey from 2019 to 2022. We surveyed all 30 PFGs in five central districts of Hanoi, and interviewed 229 users at these gardens. We also conducted research on relevant documents regarding the management and planning of green space and water infrastructure in the city. Moreover, we implemented an experimental workshop, combining an urban living lab (ULL) approach and an in situ landscape approach, to develop urban landscape design ideas with community participation. Based on the data from this research, this paper analyzes the potential for the establishment of urban blue-green infrastructure (BGI) from these PFGs and aims to evaluate the role of community participation in landscape design for the city. Data from multiple collection methods provide a multi-faceted understanding of the original characteristics of the PFGs in Hanoi and their importance in urban life. The project results supply experimental lessons from urban landscape design activities through community participation, which opens up the potential for developing sustainable urban spaces based on existing natural structures in the city. The main result proves that active community participation until the end of the research project raises public awareness and ensures the social acceptance of the final design. These lessons allow the improvement of urban landscape design practices and the establishment of BGIs from PFGs in an efficient and sustainable manner for green cities in the future.

Dry deposition effect of urban green spaces on ambient particulate matter pollution in China

Particulate matter (PM) is a major source of urban air pollution that poses a serious threat to the environment and human health. This study quantified the dry deposition effect of PM2.5 and PM10 on vegetation using a mathematical model to overcome the limitations of traditional site-scale research. Additionally, multi-source satellite remote sensing products were combined to form a raster dataset to estimate the effect of dry deposition on PM2.5 and PM10 in China's urban green spaces from 2000 to 2020. The spatial and temporal changes in the long-term series were analyzed, and the influence of environmental factors on dry deposition was analyzed in combination with wavelet changes. The experimental results showed that: 1) from 2000 to 2020, the dry deposition effect of PM2.5 and PM10 on vegetation showed an initial increasing and then decreasing trend caused by the sudden drop in atmospheric pollutant particle concentration driven by local policies; 2) broad-leaved forests provided the main dry deposition effects in urban spaces, accounting for 89.22 %, indicating a need to increase the density of these forest types in urban development planning to improve air quality; and 3) PM2.5, PM10, and environmental impact factors have time-frequency scale coherences, and the coherence between PM2.5 reduction and these factors is more complex than that of PM10, with precipitation being the best variable to explain the change in PM2.5 and PM10. These findings are important for the prevention and control of urban air pollution, regional planning of green spaces, and sustainable development of cities.

Evolution Patterns of Cooling Island Effect in Blue–Green Space under Different Shared Socioeconomic Pathways Scenarios

Blue–green space refers to blue space (rivers and lakes) and green space (lawns and trees), which have the cooling island effect and are increasingly acknowledged as a potential and effective way to help alleviate the urban heat island effect. Scientific and flexible blue–green space planning is required, especially for medium- and large-scale urban agglomerations in the face of climate change. However, the temporal evolution and spatial patterns of the cooling island effect in the blue–green space under different future scenarios of climate change have not been fully investigated. This would impede long-term urban strategies for climate change adaptation and resilience. Here we studied the relationship between future climate change and blue–green spatial layout with Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF), based on the numerical simulation data of 15 global climate models under different extreme Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) scenarios. As a result, future changes in urban cooling island (UCI) magnitudes were estimated between historical (2015–2020) and future timelines: 2030s (2021–2040), 2050s (2041–2060), 2070s (2061–2080), and 2090s (2081–2100). Our results showed different land use types in blue and green space across the study area were predicted to present various changes in the next 80 years, with forest, grassland, and arable land experiencing the most significant land use transfer. The future UCI intensity of cities under SPP5-8.5 (12) was found to be lower than that under SPP2-4.5 (15), indicating that cities may be expected to experience decreases in UCI magnitudes in the future under SSP5-8.5. When there is no expansion of urban development land, we found that the conversion of different land use types into blue and green space leads to little change in future UCI intensity. While the area growth of forests and water bodies is proportional to the increase in UCI, the increase of farmland was observed to have the most significant impact on reducing the amplitude of urban UCI. Given that Huai’an City, Yancheng City, and Yangzhou City have abundant blue–green space, the urban cooling island effect was projected to be more significant than that of other cities in the study area under different SSP scenarios. The simulation results of the WRF model indicate that optimizing the layout of urban blue–green space plays an important role in modulating the urban thermal environment.

Refuge Green Space Equity: A Case Study of Third Ring Road on Chengdu

As part of urban green space and emergency shelters, refuge green spaces (RGS) contribute significantly to the resilience of cities to natural disasters. In contrast, few studies have been conducted to assess the equity of RGS in relation to their planning layout. The presented research aims to quantitatively evaluate the equity of RGS within Chengdu’s Third Ring Road, and to propose corresponding optimization measures in conjunction with future green space planning. The rapid evacuation capacity of the RGS was evaluated by calculating the equity of the RGS in walking modes of 5, 10 and 15 min using an improved three-step floating catchment area method (3SFCA). Based on the results, RGS had an average equity in the study area. The total number of RGS within the Third Ring Road of Chengdu was insufficient, with an uneven spatial distribution and a structure to be optimized. The rapid evacuation capacity of RGS in 5 and 10 min needs to be further improved. The short-term resettlement capacity of RGS after 15 min was relatively good. Using Moran’s I index, the RGS equity and house price results were analyzed and no significant aggregation and polarization were observed. Following the evaluation, recommendations are made for optimizing and adding future RGS in accordance with Chengdu Green Space System Planning. The equity of RGS has been significantly improved after optimization, which can meet the needs of over 90% of residents for 15 min. This study provided feasible suggestions for the layout and structural optimization of the future RGS within the Third Ring Road of Chengdu, which aimed to create a RGS network with complex functions, to meet the multiple needs of citizens.

Research on the layout of urban disaster-prevention and risk-avoidance green space under the improvement of supply and demand match: The case study of the main urban area of Nanjing, China

Accelerated urbanization has made the disaster situation increasingly severe, especially that related to geological disasters, floods, fires, and other disasters. In response to high-frequency disasters, external disaster prevention spaces, mainly urban green spaces, play a key role in sheltering and housing. While many current studies focus on the balanced layout of green space, which improves their disaster prevention and avoidance capacity to a certain extent, there is insufficient consideration of disaster distribution and population demand, leading to conflicts between green space supply and demand. Therefore, this study further explores the efficiency improvement of disaster-prevention and risk-avoidance green space (DPRAGS) from the perspective of matching supply and demand. Taking the main urban area of Nanjing as an example, we rely on ArcGIS, combined with the maximum capacity limitation coverage model, and conduct green space layout analysis through analysis of urban infrastructure, disaster risk, and the demand and supply of DPRAGS. The research results show that compared with previous green space planning methods involving suitability assessment and accessibility analysis, the unitized planning method, mainly based on supply and demand matching, can better meet the refuge requirements of demand points and improve the rationality of green space layout. This study enriches the theory of urban green space planning and guides the planning of DPRAGS in typical densely populated metropolises, such as Nanjing. Additionally, it can help develop emergency plans and management rules and regulations, ultimately enhancing evacuation efficiency during disasters and improving overall urban disaster prevention and emergency management capabilities.

Greening residential quarters in China: What are the roles of urban form, socioeconomic factors, and biophysical context?

Residential greenspace has great intracity variations. Its driving factors have been widely investigated in Western countries (e.g., in Europe and North America), where residential areas are mostly privately owned, but few studies have examined the determinants of residential greenspace in China, where land is owned by the government. Taking the subtropical city of Changsha, China, as an example, this study mapped the percent green cover (PGC) in residential quarters with a fine-resolution satellite image. We also investigated its driving factors measured from multisource geospatial data. The results show that (1) the PGC in the residential quarters showed great spatial variation, with an average of 36.6% (0–85.7%) and a standard deviation of 18.3%. (2) Urban form, biophysical context, and socioeconomic factors together explained 49.18% of the variation in the PGC, and they independently explained 22.87%, 11.17%, and 2.31% of the variation, respectively. (3) Residential quarter size, PGC in the surrounding buffer zone, residential quarter age, housing value, and population density significantly and positively impact the PGC, while percent building cover, floor area ratio, and distance to city center had significant negative impacts. The strongest positive and negative impacts came from PGC in the surrounding buffer zone and percent building cover, respectively. Socioeconomic factors, the dominant driving factors in Western countries, show little impact on residential PGC. These findings expand our understanding of the intracity variation in greenspace coverage and the driving factors, which sheds light on the effective planning and management of urban greenspaces in China.

A Theoretical Nonlinear Regression Model of Rainfall Surface Flow Accumulation and Basin Features in Park-Scale Urban Green Spaces Based on LiDAR Data

Green infrastructure is imperative for efficiently mitigating flood disasters in urban areas. However, inadequate green space planning under rapid urbanization is a critical issue faced by most Chinese cities. Aimed at theoretically understanding the rainwater storage capacity and improvement potential of urban green spaces, a synthetic simulation model was developed to quantify rainfall surface flow accumulation (FA) based on the morphological factors of a flow basin: the area, circumference, maximum basin length, and stream length sum. This model consisted of applying the Urban Forest Effects-Hydrology model (UFORE-Hydro) to simulate the actual precipitation-to-surface runoff ratio through a procedure involving canopy interception, soil infiltration, and evaporation; additionally, a relatively accurate multiple flow direction-maximum downslope (MFD-md) algorithm was applied to distribute the surface flow in a highly realistic manner, and a self-built “extraction algorithm” extracted the surface runoff corresponding to each studied basin alongside four fundamental morphological parameters. The various nonlinear regression functions were assessed from both univariable and multivariable perspectives. We determined that the Gompertz function was optimal for predicting the theoretical quantification of surface FA according to the morphological features of any given basin. This article provides parametric vertical design guidance for improving the rainwater storage capacities of urban green spaces.

VLAS: Vacant Land Assessment System for Urban Renewal and Greenspace Planning in Legacy Cities

Vacant land in shrinking cities has long been associated with high crime rates and economic decline. While some efforts have been made to repurpose vacant land for tax revenue generation and temporary environmental restoration, a comprehensive framework for city-scale assessment and reprogramming remains lacking. To address this gap, our study introduced the Vacant Land Assessment System (VLAS), a multi-scale spatial analysis and planning tool that assesses the distribution and characteristics of vacant lots using publicly available spatial data. Taking Hartford, Connecticut as a case study, we assessed and categorized the characteristics of vacant lots into four typologies: Row House, Street Corner, Commercial/Industrial, and Main Street. Responding reuse programs for those typologies were generated and one design example of vacant lot greening was also provided based on identified sustainable goals and techniques. The VLAS serves as an effective planning support tool, enabling efficient assessment, classification, and planning for urban vacancy management across city, district, neighborhood, and site scales. This multi-scale planning and design approach to repurpose vacant lots with diverse physical characteristics offers valuable insights for transforming vacant land in other shrinking legacy cities for sustainability and neighborhood revitalization.