Large Green Spaces Research Articles

Exploring the user experience, quality, and provision of urban greenspace: A mixed-method approach

Urban greenspace plays a crucial role in city design, offering residents various benefits for their health and wellbeing. With increasing urbanisation and human population growth, urban greenspace is becoming an even more significant resource. By implementing a mixed-method approach, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of urban greenspace based on public usage and perceptions, and quality, availability and accessibility in Derby, UK. Our methodology included an online questionnaire to investigate greenspace usage and perceptions, an in-situ assessment to assess greenspace quality, and Geographical Information Systems analysis to quantify greenspace provision based on Natural England’s (2023) Accessible Greenspace Standards (AGS). We found that greenspace usage and perception vary according to demographic and socioeconomic aspects, with younger people and students showing lower engagement with greenspace. Positive engagement correlates with factors such as proximity, car access, employment, and education. We also found that moderately high levels of greenspace quality (69.47/100) are available in the city, with the most notable insufficiencies related to quietness/peacefulness, aesthetics, and naturalness. Finally, none of the AGS criteria are met at a city-wide scale given the lack of large greenspace sites (particularly over 100 ha) and inequalities in spatial distribution. Our study highlights the value of the use of different methodologies to assess greenspace-related factors and emphasises the significance of public engagement in evaluating greenspace quality. Additionally, we identified factors adversely affecting greenspace use, including parking fees and issues with facilities, amenities, and safety. We therefore recommend interventions to address these challenges and enhance greenspace experience and accessibility in the city.

Relevant landscape components in a large urban green space in Oporto (Portugal)

Landscape components are essential in the design and fruition of any urban green space (UGS). This is particularly relevant considering the growth rate of the urban population worldwide, the increase in the number and intensity of severe weather episodes due to climate change, and the relevance of UGSs for global human well-being, as highlighted by the United Nations in their Sustainable Development Goals. This study examines users’ perceptions of UGSs regarding the importance of landscape components, which can influence users’ preferences for UGS use. The research was conducted in a major urban park subdivided into 10 landscape units in Oporto, Portugal. The paper uses information gathered through face-to-face surveys from stationary park users (n = 500) engaged in diverse activities, through which 13 landscape elements were assessed for their relevance in determining choice of location. The results show significant differences between the assessed landscape units at the user level for all socio-demographic variables, with the exception of the gender variable. Significant differences between landscape units were also identified in terms of the relevance attributed to the different landscape components. Exploratory factor analysis identified five main factors influencing user preferences: comfort and security (including vegetation density, tranquillity of space, availability of shade, good maintenance, and forest coverage), landscape diversity (diversity of open spaces, diversity of flora and fauna, and presence of shrubs), water presence, recreational facilities, and open spaces for activities. The results also highlight an issue related to distributional justice regarding the assessed study area. Our results have relevant implications for the design and management of UGSs. We propose diverse actions, addressing issues related to the balance between open spaces and rich greenery, multifunctional design, shade coverage, maintenance, forest coverage, vegetation diversity, the incorporation of water features, and the provision of recreational facilities.

Consequential urban development of sustainable strategies

ABSTRACT A green transition is necessary for urban development so that cities can foster a more sustainable urban future. While this need has gained increasing recognition in planning policies in recent decades, there is a risk that counterproductive interests, which are concealed by the sustainable agenda, may go unnoticed. The paper examines disparities between urban neighborhoods, which contemporary sustainable urban planning may either neglect or reinforce. It draws on an empirical study of two areas in Copenhagen and is informed by the literature on eco-gentrification and the paradox of sustainable development. The case areas exhibit divergent sustainability profiles: a low-income area with large green spaces but inadequate transport infrastructure compared to a newly built sustainable area. The paper underscores the disproportionate focus on social and green improvements in urban renewal projects that are framed as sustainable. It highlights that disparities between neighborhoods with mixed sustainability profiles become evident when focusing on the broad spectrum of sustainable urban practices in places significantly or slightly affected by them.

COVID-19 pandemic: the role of risk factors related to urban space (Analytical review)

Comfortable urban environment plays a key role in protecting health of people residing in large urban settlements. At the same time, urban space has some peculiarities including high population and building density, imperfect traffic infrastructure, irrational planning decisions, elevated levels of ambient air pollution, heat islands and lack of urban green spaces. All these features of any urban space are significant health risk factors able to facilitate spread of respiratory diseases. This was the most evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. The analytical review examines the results of studies focusing on impacts exerted by these unfavorable urban conditions on COVID-19 infection, incidence, hospitalization and mortality in cities across the globe. Influence of elevated population density on COVID-19 infection is shown to be ambiguous as compared to other risk factors. More reliable data are available on the impact of air pollutants, especially PM, on incidence and mortality rates from the infectious disease in question. Also, the COVID-19 virus and abnormally high temperatures were shown to produce combined effects on mental health during the pandemic. To reduce levels of infection in urban population, a suggestion is to further develop urban infrastructure providing people with retail and other necessary facilities within a walking distance (15 minutes). An important conclusion has been made by experts on elevated risks of infection in dense foot traffic as compared to public buildings. Therefore, it is important to improve communications about the necessity of social distancing. Urban development that aims to reduce infection with respiratory diseases should involve better street aeration. The results of these studies in various cities across the globe gave grounds for making management decisions on providing better mobility in suburban areas in a more comfortable natural environment, developing green areas in cities, and reducing negative effects of the warming climate on heat islands and elevated levels of ambient air pollution. Large open green spaces are the most effective in this respect.

Роль факторов риска городского пространства в пандемии COVID-19 (Аналитический обзор)

Comfortable urban environment plays a key role in protecting health of people residing in large urban settlements. At the same time, urban space has some peculiarities including high population and building density, imperfect traffic infrastructure, irrational planning decisions, elevated levels of ambient air pollution, heat islands and lack of urban green spaces. All these features of any urban space are significant health risk factors able to facilitate spread of respiratory diseases. This was the most evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. The analytical review examines the results of studies focusing on impacts exerted by these unfavorable urban conditions on COVID-19 infection, incidence, hospitalization and mortality in cities across the globe. Influence of elevated population density on COVID-19 infection is shown to be ambiguous as compared to other risk factors. More reliable data are available on the impact of air pollutants, especially PM, on incidence and mortality rates from the infectious disease in question. Also, the COVID-19 virus and abnormally high temperatures were shown to produce combined effects on mental health during the pandemic. To reduce levels of infection in urban population, a suggestion is to further develop urban infrastructure providing people with retail and other necessary facilities within a walking distance (15 minutes). An important conclusion has been made by experts on elevated risks of infection in dense foot traffic as compared to public buildings. Therefore, it is important to improve communications about the necessity of social distancing. Urban development that aims to reduce infection with respiratory diseases should involve better street aeration. The results of these studies in various cities across the globe gave grounds for making management decisions on providing better mobility in suburban areas in a more comfortable natural environment, developing green areas in cities, and reducing negative effects of the warming climate on heat islands and elevated levels of ambient air pollution. Large open green spaces are the most effective in this respect.

Reconstruction of vanished cities

The preservation of historical heritage has the potential to act as a means of regenerative design in line with the concept of sustainable architecture. The idea of revitalising monuments is a tool to preserve and restore large green spaces and biodiversity. It is possible to create a multiplicative effect between historical and requested values of the contemporary environment: revival of dervish hotels – “hanakas” for digital nomads, wine taverns for tourists, craft workshops, gardens, art etc. to preserve crafts and natural environment, while participating in climate change mitigation.

Population size and factors influencing the distribution of the urban pigeon Columba livia f. domestica in Pamplona

The environmental and trophic conditions of cities often give rise to very large populations of urban pigeons Columba livia f. domestica, which can cause local health and heritage problems due to accumulations of their droppings. Estimating the size of pigeon populations and defining their spatial patterns of abundance are therefore crucial for effective pigeon management in built-up areas. This article estimates the abundance of pigeons in Pamplona and the factors that explain the variability of pigeon abundance at local level. The Random Forest model of abundance at a local scale of 0.25 km2 cells had very high explanatory power, although its predictive power decreased due to this species’ gregariousness. Abundance decreased with increasing distance from the city centre, and from historic buildings and large parks, but increased as the proportion of the area covered by parks and built-up areas increased. The rock pigeon population in Pamplona was estimated at 8,030 individuals (95% CI: 6,483–9,860). The estimated density of urban pigeons for Pamplona as a whole was, on average, 218 birds/km2, although this figure varied considerably between habitats and areas: the highest values were measured in urban areas with historic buildings (exceeding 600 individuals/km2; in 35.8% of the 0.25 km2 cells, more than 200 individuals were estimated). Pigeon densities fell to ca. 250 birds/km2 in urban areas lacking large parks or green spaces whether near or far from historic buildings. In the peri-urban areas (i.e. arable fields, scrub and woodland), densities decreased to around 10–50 individuals/km2. In the city of Pamplona, although the population density of urban pigeons did not reach the numbers observed in other northern Spanish cities such as Barcelona, the habitat preference patterns in urban gradients are consistent with those documented in other European regions. We identify specific urban areas for population control and recommend measures such as feeding bans and waste and facade management to make it difficult for urban pigeons to access roosting and breeding sites in buildings.

Assessing Coastal Vulnerability and Evaluating the Effectiveness of Natural Habitats in Enhancing Coastal Resilience: A Case Study in Shanghai, China

This research evaluates the coastal vulnerability of Shanghai, evaluates the effectiveness of existing natural habitats in reducing that vulnerability, and, finally, provides recommendations to improve the resilience of the coastal areas. Shanghai is an important economic center that is home to a large population. However, the combination of ground subsidence, rising sea levels, and more frequent coastal flooding due to tropical cyclones poses escalating climate risks for Shanghai, demanding urgent mitigation measures. The InVEST Coastal Vulnerability Model was used in this study to assess Shanghai’s coastal vulnerability under the current situation and various scenarios that simulated the absence of natural habitats. The assessment results were analyzed through a comparison between different scenarios and spatial aggregation analysis. This study pinpointed highly vulnerable areas, primarily located on the east coast of Chongming Island, the east and northeast coasts of Hengsha Island, and the east coast of the mainland of Shanghai. These areas need to be prioritized for intervention. Also, it demonstrated the effectiveness of existing natural habitats in reducing coastal vulnerability, with large green spaces and salt marshes playing a greater role compared to small green spaces. This is the first study applying the InVEST Coastal Vulnerability Model to Shanghai, demonstrating the model’s potential in providing valuable information regarding coastal protection against the impacts of climate change in Shanghai. Insights from the findings of this study are useful in crafting sustainable land-use policies and plans for Shanghai.

Building a “reservoir of social resilience:” A strategy for social infrastructure regeneration in shrinking cities based on social network analysis

Northeast China is generally experiencing a shrinkage phenomenon similar to that in other old industrial regions worldwide. Large-scale growth-oriented regeneration programs by the government over the long term have led to the decline of social infrastructure in inner cities, thereby causing a structural crisis at the social level, and exacerbating the negative effects of shrinkage. This study investigated Hegang as a typical shrinking city in northeastern China. Coupling analysis was conducted based on network indexes and two categories of social resilience indexes to identify the key social infrastructure that provides residents with resilience to help cope with shrinkage. Our results demonstrate the centralizing effect of large-scale retail sites, and large green spaces and squares on social resilience. We also found that these categories of social infrastructure had effects across different areas of the city, which then provided social resilience to a wider range of residents. Our results also provide evidence for inequalities in the ability of residents to cope with shrinkage. Based on these findings, we characterize China's urban shrinkage and future development trends, and discuss the limitations of the regeneration model that has long been adopted by local governments. We suggest that local governments should consider incorporating investment in resilience to shrinkage into regeneration policies. They should also consider regenerating social infrastructure and deploying funds to a holistic network to build “reservoirs” of social resilience in shrinking cities. In addition, we highlight our methodological contributions and argue that social resilience monitoring should be integrated into China's urban physical examination framework to enhance dynamic planning and the sustainable regeneration capacity of shrinking urban local governments.

5 year public health impacts of an urban greenway, Belfast, Northern Ireland: Causal Loop Diagram

Abstract Background The development of large scale urban green space infrastructure, such as a new urban greenway, provokes a cascade of changes abating a series of public health impacts, in the realms of: health, society, economy and the environment. The relationships between these factors sustain reciprocal and dynamic influence with potential to generate a virtuous cycle. However, such long-term impacts and their inter-relationships are poorly understood. Methods We aimed to co-develop a shared understanding of the public health impacts of the Connswater Community Greenway with multi-sectoral stakeholders 5 years post-implementation. Objectives were to (a) build shared understanding of the complex system influencing the public health impact of the Connswater Community Greenway, and (b) identify and explore priorities, opportunities, and actions to improve future impacts. We undertook Group Model Building workshops with people representing relevant stakeholders involved in the development and/or maintenance of the Connswater Community Greenway, and local residents living on or along the greenway. Results 23 participants were involved in the workshop included local governmental agencies, local residents, advocacy groups, private sector, and researchers. Stakeholders produced a systems map detailing the public health impacts of the Connswater Community Greenway 5 years post-implementation. Key impacts included increased in mental wellbeing, sense of community pride, increased biodiversity, increased economic investment in the local area. Participants identified a range of priority actions that, in their view, could impact and help reshape the system and influence the future impacts of the greenway. Conclusions The CLD was reflective of the various stakeholders’ experience, knowledge, perceptions, and views about the factors, and the inter-relationships between these factors, of the public health impact of the Connswater Community Greenway at 5 years post-implementation. Key messages • Systems thinking approaches can help identify the public health impacts and plausible causal pathways of green space interventions. • 5 year impacts of an urban greenway included improvements in the realms of health, wellbeing, the environment, the economy and society.

Pengelolaan Sumber Daya Alam Hutan Studi Kasus : Hutan Kota Tinjomoyo Kota Semarang

Forest is a stable ecosystem, which has a balance between producers, consumers and decomposers. Where, the forest itself has the ability to provide unlimited natural resources. However, optimal and sustainable forest management and utilization is needed in order to have a forest that has adequate environmental carrying capacity, with the aim of guaranteeing the role and existence of the forest. The Tinjomoyo City Forest which is located in Semarang City has an area of ​​57 ha, with the area of ​​green space in Semarang City being 10,966 ha, out of the 37,367 ha area of ​​Semarang City. Thus, it has reached 30% of the need for green space in the City, if based on Law no. 41 of 1999. Therefore, because the position of the City of Semarang, which has a large green space, has complied with the Law, it is very important to maintain its existence. In this research, it was carried out by direct observation method, which included observation, inventory, and volume calculation. After carrying out an inventory and data processing, it was found that the Tinjomoyo City Forest had a volume of wood reserves of 4,548,600 m3. So with the knowledge of these large enough wood reserves, it is necessary to maintain, manage and utilize forest resources optimally and sustainably. With the aim, to maintain the availability of wood reserves in the Tinjomoyo City Forest.

Spatial Green Space Accessibility in Hongkou District of Shanghai Based on Gaussian Two-Step Floating Catchment Area Method

Green space in urban areas is one of the most critical infrastructures for the well-being of residents, and its spatial accessibility configuration is a key indicator of urban planning layout and ecological civilization construction. Using the Gaussian two-step floating catchment area (G2SFCA) method, K-means cluster analysis, and Kriging spatial interpolation, this study examines the spatial characteristics of green space accessibility in the Hongkou District, focusing on the relationship between “green space-community” supply. The findings indicate the following: (1) green space accessibility in Hongkou District decreases as the level of green spaces decreases. Higher levels of accessibility are associated with smaller variations in spatial distribution. (2) The green space accessibility in Hongkou District is affected by the surrounding large green space. Compared to other areas, the community green spaces near Lu Xun Park and Peace Park have higher accessibility. (3) The green space accessibility in Hongkou District is impacted by the mismatch between population density and green spaces. An overlay analysis of accessibility and population density reveals that high accessibility areas have average or low-average population density. Based on the results of the green space accessibility analysis, recommendations are proposed to optimize the green space layout in Hongkou District from the perspective of spatial justice. These suggestions are aimed at promoting the equalization of green space services in Hongkou District, improving the overall level of urban green space services, with a view to improving the quality of urban living environment and creating a green and livable urban area.

Woodpeckers in the city: Abundances are highest in large green spaces with complex understories

Abstract We documented occurrence and relative abundance (henceforth abundance) of five woodpecker species in 36 forested green spaces in Portland, Oregon (USA), to estimate minimum area requirements (MAR; 0.5 probability of occurrence) and to test for potential influences of green space area and type (heavily treed manicured green spaces vs. undeveloped natural forests), habitat features, and landscape composition on the abundance of woodpeckers. Abundances of all species increased with green space area. Manicured and natural green spaces did not differ in canopy cover or total basal area, but woodpecker abundances were greater in natural than manicured green spaces for all species except Northern Flickers (Colaptes auratus). Flickers and Downy Woodpeckers (Picoides pubescens) were most abundant, MAR of both were under 1.5 ha, and both were found in essentially all green spaces. Hairy (P. villosus) and Pileated (Dryocopus pileatus) woodpeckers were least abundant, and with MAR of 34 and 51 ha, respectively, exhibited pronounced area sensitivity. Red-breasted Sapsuckers (Sphyrapicus ruber) were intermediate in abundance and MAR to the 2 former and 2 latter species. The most important habitat variables associated with variation in abundance among green spaces were the contribution of deciduous trees to the canopy (Downy Woodpecker [+], Pileated Woodpecker [+], and Northern Flicker [–]), canopy cover (Hairy Woodpecker [+] and Northern Flicker [+]), and log density (Hairy Woodpecker [+], Red-breasted Sapsucker [–]). At the landscape level, lower woodpecker abundance was associated with increased urbanization (Red-breasted Sapsucker and Northern Flicker), while increasing forest cover influenced abundance of Northern Flicker (–) and Pileated Woodpecker (+). Highest woodpecker abundances were thus found in large green spaces with complex understories that were embedded in relatively undeveloped treed landscapes. Management of forested urban green spaces should prioritize needs of the area-sensitive species because ensuring their continued presence benefits the entire avian community.

Planning Queen Elizabeth II’s Visit to Bondi Beach in 1954

Planning Queen Elizabeth II’s Visit to Bondi Beach in 1954

Comprehensive Case Study on the Ecologically Sustainable Design of Urban Parks Based on the Sponge City Concept in the Yangtze River Delta Region of China

Owing to widespread urbanization, previously elastic and permeable ecological foundations are being continuously hardened, sealed, and channelized, leading to problems such as intensified urban convergence, water pollution, seasonal rain, and flood disasters. Urban parks and large green spaces, as rare large, cavernous bodies in cities, can effectively address the abovementioned urbanization problems. This study holistically analyzed and discussed the current developments in the sponge city concept using several case studies of recent ecologically sustainable designs for urban parks in the Yangtze River Delta region of China. Under basic conditions of the same hydrological characteristics and considering the differences in other external conditions and the environment, sponge city construction aims to address the actual characteristics and needs of specific projects, develop applicable goal-oriented sponge city constructions, and ensure design practices around a goal-oriented method. Practical problems associated with identifying specific design features, priorities, and measures were then identified according to the project location, goals, and characteristics. Thus, this study details various goal-oriented sponge city designs and their application methods to inform future design efforts.

Quantification of the Cooling Effect and Cooling Distance of Urban Green Spaces Based on Their Vegetation Structure and Size as a Basis for Management Tools for Mitigating Urban Climate

The urban climate is receiving increased attention mainly due to climate change. There are several ways to mitigate the urban climate, but green spaces have an advantage over other cooling systems because, in addition to their climate function, they provide several other ecosystem services that enhance the sustainability of urban systems. The cooling effect of green spaces varies depending on their species composition, the structure of the vegetation, the size and shape of the green spaces or the specific characteristics of the plants. Therefore, the exact quantification of urban green space’s cooling effect is of critical importance in order to be effectively applied in urban planning as a measure of climate change adaptation. In this paper, we quantified the difference in the cooling effect between urban green spaces depending on their vegetation structure (grass versus trees) and their size, and assessed to what distance from the urban green space its cooling effect can be observed. Urban green spaces were identified using Landsat orthophotomosaic and airborne laser scanning. The urban temperature was calculated as the land surface temperature (LST) from Landsat data using a single-channel method. To quantify differences in the magnitude of the cooling effect of green spaces and the distance from the edge of the green space over which the cooling effect occurs, we used a one-way analysis of variance and regression analyses. Our results show that the cooling intensity, as well as the cooling distance, are dependent on the size and structure of the green space. The most significant cooling effect is provided by large green tree spaces, where the cooling intensity (difference of LST compared to an urban area without vegetation) was almost 4.5 °C on average (maximum almost 6 °C) and the cooling distance was significant up to 90 m (less significantly up to 180 m). Large grass spaces and medium tree spaces have similar effects, with a higher cooling intensity (2.9 °C versus 2.5 °C on average) however, the cooling effect extends to a greater distance (up to 90 m) for medium tree spaces compared to large grass spaces, where the cooling effect only extends to 30–60 m. Small areas with trees and medium and small grass areas without trees have an average cooling intensity below 2 °C.

Quantitative estimation of the PM2.5 removal capacity and influencing factors of urban green infrastructure

Long-term exposure to PM2.5 (fine particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm) could cause great harm to human health and sustainable development. It remains a challenge to estimate the long-term PM2.5 removal capacity of nature-based green infrastructure in urban areas. In this paper, the annual PM2.5 removal capacity of urban green infrastructure (UGI) from 2000 to 2019 in Shenyang was estimated based on the PM2.5 dry deposition model. The spatial heterogeneity of annual PM2.5 removal capacity were detected Sen-MK test and local spatial autocorrelations analysis. Then the effects of landscape patterns and socioeconomic variables on PM2.5 removal capacity were explored based on linear regression model. The results illustrated that the PM2.5 removal capacity of UGI increased significantly from 2000 to 2019 in Shenyang, with the amount of PM2.5 removal, PM2.5 removal flux and removal rate increasing by 20.64 Mg/a, 0.0258 g/m2/a, and 0.377 %/a, respectively. The PM2.5 removal capacity of UGI exhibited spatial heterogeneity in the study area. Specifically, the regions experiencing the increase in PM2.5 removal capacity of UGI accounted for majority of the old urban area of Shenyang City during the study period; the lower PM2.5 removal capacity clustered in the center urban area, in which high density impervious surfaces distributed, while the higher PM2.5 removal capacity mainly gathered in the area with large scale green space; PM2.5 removal capacity were significantly higher in urban functional zones with a high proportion of green spaces. The landscape metrics representing fragmentation and shape complexity positively affected the annual PM2.5 removal flux and removal rate, while the aggregation metrics had significantly negative correlations with the PM2.5 removal flux and removal rate. Moreover, it was also found that population density and GDP negatively affected the PM2.5 removal capacity of UGI. This study provides a methodological reference and some new insights for future urban landscape planning and air pollution purification.

Small terrestrial mammals (Rodentia and Soricomorpha) along a gradient of forest anthropisation (reserves, managed forests, urban parks) in France.

Understanding the relationships between wildlife biodiversity and zoonotic infectious diseases in a changing climate is a challenging issue that scientists must address to support further policy actions. We aim at tackling this challenge by focusing on small mammal-borne diseases in temperate forests and large urban green spaces. Small mammals are important reservoirs of zoonotic agents, with a high transmission potential for humans and domestic animals. Forests and large urban green spaces are ecosystems where efforts are undertaken to preserve biodiversity. They are put forward for their contribution to human well-being in addition to other ecosystem services (e.g. provisioning and regulating services). Moreover, forests and large urban green spaces are environments where small mammals are abundant and human/domestic-wildlife interactions are plausible to occur. These environments are, therefore, focal points for conservation management and public health issues. The European Biodiversa BioRodDis project (https://www6.inrae.fr/biodiversa-bioroddis) aims at better understanding the relationships between small terrestrial mammal biodiversity and health in the context of global change and, in particular, of forest anthropisation and urbanisation. Here, we present the data gathered in France. The dataset will enable us to describe the diversity of small terrestrial mammal communities in forested areas corresponding to different levels of anthropisation and to evaluate the variability of this diversity over time, between seasons and years.The dataset contains occurrences of small terrestrial mammals (Rodentia and Soricomorpha) trapped in forested areas in eastern France (administrative Departments: Rhône, Ain, Jura). The sampling sites correspond to different degrees of anthropisation. Forests included in biological reserves are the least anthropised sites. Then, public forests and urban parks experience increasing levels of anthropisation. Data were collected during spring and autumn 2020 (three to four sampling sites), 2021 (six sampling sites) and 2022 (four sampling sites). These variations in the number of sites between years were due to lockdown restrictions in 2020 or to the legal authorisation to trap around biological reserves granted in 2021 only. The capture of animals was carried out in various types of forests (pine, deciduous, mixed) and in different habitats within urban parks (wooded areas, buildings, hay storage yards, riverside vegetation, restaurants, playground for kids, botanical garden, landfills). Animals were captured using live traps that were set on the ground for one to 11 nights. During this study period, 1593 small mammals were trapped and identified. They belong to 15 species, amongst which were nine species of rodents (Muridae, Cricetidae, Gliridae) and six species of shrews (Soricidae). They were weighted (gram) and measured (cm): head-body length, tail length and hind-foot length. Sexual characteristics were also recorded.

Planning small for winning big: Small urban green space distribution patterns in an expanding city

While major urban areas are expanding, becoming more crowded, vegetated lands areshrinking. Built-up densification limits the planning of large urban green spaces,depriving urban dwellers of the benefits provided by such structures. In this context,small public urban green spaces (SPUGS) become of high value for urban landscapes,and their distribution throughout the city should aim to compensate the lack of largergreen areas. The driving forces of SPUGS distribution may be linked to the urbanfunctions they are usually paired with.The current study aimed to determine which are the urban functions that benefit ofhigher amounts of SPUGS in their proximities and to map the distribution and densityof SPUGS within Bucharest, helping us expose the green deprived communities.Results revealed that multi-dwelling residential areas are the ones with higher share ofSPUGS within walking distance. Nevertheless, analysis on SPUGS deprivation withinthe city showed that communist planned residential neighbourhoods are greener thanthe ones developed in the past three decades. Healthcare and commercial functionswithin the city recorded smaller shares of SPUGS in their proximity, highlighting thatvulnerable groups (such as ill people) are exposed to less vegetation, and that publicplanning documents are not encouraging developers to allocate more land for greenfeature development.These results are relevant for projecting the quality of outdoor environmentsthroughout Romania’s capital and for assessing potential future managementchallenges. The outcomes of this research provide local policy makers and plannerswith the vulnerable areas in which immediate action for expanding the greeninfrastructures should take place. At the same time, the methodological approachdescribed in the study proved to be efficient in assessing the distribution of SPUGSthroughout the city and the determinants of this distribution. It can be easily replicatedin other cities by scholars and planners.

Emotional perceptions of people exposed to green and blue spaces in forest parks of cities at rapid urbanization regions of East China

Urbanization modifies the landscape with green and blue spaces (GBS), which further leads to a functional change along an urban-rural gradient. Emotional improvement is a critical service of GBS, which may be perceived and exposed through facial expressions by visitors. How people react, however, may vary at different locations of a city at varied phases of urbanization. In this study, happy and sad emotions were rated as scores from 7965 Sina-Weibo users who visited 77 GBS across 49 cities of East China in 2020. GBS were located in different regions of a city, either near downtown or in more rural-like regions. Compared to cities near the Hu Huanyong line, those along the eastern coast were built with parks that had smaller green spaces at lower elevations in locations near downtown. They also had larger blue spaces in parks at suburban areas of the same cities. People expressed more happiness in GBS in regions closer to remote rural regions, or in cities further from the eastern coast. Larger green spaces were associated with by the presentation more smiles in parks near downtown, while experiences in large blue spaces evoked positive emotions at suburban areas. Overall, GBS in population-dense regions of more developed cities can be perceived as an activation of exposing higher depression by visitors. More smiles can be exposed in GBS with a large green space near downtown, or with a large blue space at suburban regions of a city in East China.