Park Setting Research Articles

Tree crown traits and planting context contribute to reducing urban heat

Urban warming affects many millions of city dwellers worldwide. The current study evaluated the extent to which trees reduce air and surface temperatures in urban settings across Greater Sydney, Australia. Summertime air and surface temperatures were measured directly in the shade of 470 individual trees planted in three contrasting contexts (parks, nature strips, asphalt) and compared with temperatures in paired adjacent areas receiving full sunlight. Differences between shade and sunlit temperatures were evaluated against measured morphological traits (leaf area index [LAI], clear stem height, crown depth, height and diameter at breast height) for all trees. On average, tree shade reduced mean and maximum air temperatures by 1.1 °C and 3.7 °C, respectively. Temperatures of standardised reference surfaces (black and white tiles and artificial grass) in tree shade were up to 45 °C lower compared to full-sun exposure, and were also lower in parks and nature strips compared to asphalt settings. The surface temperature of shaded natural grass was cooler compared to sunlit natural grass, although this difference did not vary between nature strip and park settings. The magnitude of air and surface temperature reductions due to tree shade was significantly, positively related to tree-level LAI and these relationships were stronger in asphalt and park contexts compared to nature strips. These findings can inform decisions made by urban managers and planners around the selection of tree characteristics to enhance cooling benefits in different contexts, as an important step towards more liveable and resilient cities.

Festive Parks as Inclusive Spaces: Celebrating Latin American London in Finsbury Park

Festivals are often regarded as a way of making cities and urban public spaces more inclusive, particularly for migrant communities. This proposition is examined here by analysing a festival that celebrates the growing number of Latin Americans who live in London. The research assesses how the Latino Life in the Park festival contributes to social and cultural inclusion and focuses on how this festival affects the inclusiveness of the park in which it is staged. Large-scale, fenced music festivals tend to be regarded as installations that make London's parks less inclusive. However, this article highlights the value of staging a free, and fence free, festival in a park setting. This created a sociable, festive park in which marginalised communities were made visible. By examining how the festival was organised, the ways people behaved and who attended, the article outlines how music festivals affect the dynamics and inclusivity of public spaces.

Stress Recovery Effects of Viewing Simulated Urban Parks: Landscape Types, Depressive Symptoms, and Gender Differences

Previous studies may have overstated the restorative benefits of natural environments by comparing them to low-quality urban environments. Few studies have compared the stress recovery effects across various park settings. Moreover, it is unclear how depressive symptoms affect these benefits. Depressive symptoms may lessen or boost the restorative effects of viewing nature. A total of 125 participants engaged in the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) to induce stress and were then randomly assigned to view one of five 10 min video presentations depicting greened streets, lawns, plazas, forests, or watersides. Depressive symptoms experienced over the last month were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The analysis revealed that, while greened streets had a physio-psychological stress-relieving effect, they were not as effective as the four park settings. The skin conductance level (SCL) declined significantly in the forest group’s first and second halves of the recovery period. However, the difference between the four park settings was insignificant at the end of recovery. Subjects viewing the four park conditions (vs. the greened street) reported that perceived stress remained stable as individual depressive symptoms increased; subjects with higher depressive symptoms reported lower perceived stress under lawn conditions. However, the SCL did not show the same trend. Our findings may support the hypothesis that natural interventions may be especially beneficial for people suffering from subclinical depressive symptoms. We also found gender differences in perceived stress and SCL reduction across all five settings, which may be due to the differences in women’s and men’s perceptions and use of restorative environments, or their responses to stressors.

Attention and Emotion Recovery Effects of Urban Parks during COVID-19—Psychological Symptoms as Moderators

Previous research that compared the restorative effects of natural settings with poor-quality urban settings may have exaggerated the restorative benefits of greenspace. Few studies have been conducted to examine the restorative benefits of green streets and other types of park landscapes on attention and emotion. In addition, it is not clear how negative psychological symptoms (e.g., stress, depression) affect natural’s restorative benefits, especially as the current COVID-19 pandemic has added to people’s psychological burden. In this study, 125 participants were randomly assigned to view one of five videos (green street, lawn, plaza, forest, waterside) for a break after completing an emotion and attention fatigue induction task. Attention function and emotion were measured using the backward digit span test and the Self-Assessment Manikin scale. Stress and depressive symptoms experienced over the last month were measured using the Perceived Stress Scale(PSS-10) and the Patient Health Questionnaire(PHQ-9). Our results indicate that the four park settings showed significant attention function recovery and valence improvement compared to the green streets, while subjects’ arousal changed only over time. Hardscapes (plazas) could provide the same attentional and emotional restorative benefits as natural landscapes (forests, watersides, lawns). In addition, we also found that the mood-improving benefits of natural environments may decrease with increasing depressive symptoms, although chronic stress symptoms did not show the same trend.

Evaluation of the Effects of Administering Ultradiluted Avena sativa and Echinacea angustifolia on the Hematological Parameters of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) during the Reproductive Period.

Penguins are seabirds that manifest physiological and immunological alterations during the reproductive season. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the laboratory parameters of male and female Magellanic penguins and to determine the penguins' hematological response to homeopathic medicines during that reproductive period. Penguins (N = 18), kept under human care in a zoological park setting, were evaluated during the reproductive period and were divided randomly into two groups: a group subjected to treatment with Echinacea angustifolia 6cH and Avena sativa 6cH (N = 8; four breeding couples), and a placebo control group (N = 10; five breeding couples). The investigators were blinded to treatment allocation. Two-way ANOVA was performed to determine whether the experimental group (control or verum) and the sex of the animal had any significant effect on the variation of each hematological parameter between the samples. One-way ANOVA was performed on hematological parameters for which the sex did not present a significant effect. The significance level was p ≤0.05. Significant effects were seen regarding the following: mean corpuscular volume (MCV), in which the verum group showed an increase (29.78 ± 52.95 fL) while the control group showed stability/reduction (-3.08 ± 46.36 fL) (p = 0.049); proportion of heterophils, in which the verum group showed a less marked increase (8.38 ± 12.53%) than that of the control group (18.00 ± 9.37%) (p = 0.010); lymphocyte concentration, in which the verum group showed less marked reduction (-4.39 ± 2.21 × 109 cells/L) than that of the control group (-1.56 ± 2.76 × 109 cells/L) (p = 0.001); and proportion of lymphocytes, in which the verum group showed a less marked reduction (-6.75 ± 10.35%) than that of the control group (-17.3 ± 8.73%) (p = 0.002). Comparison of samples collected before and during the reproductive period showed that, regardless of group allocation, there were differences in the effects on MCV, heterophils and lymphocytes. Treatment with Echinacea angustifolia and Avena sativa resulted in maintenance of lymphocyte levels in Magellanic penguins during the breeding period, thus aiding these birds' immunity.

Top-down regulation of hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) in its native range in the Pacific Northwest of North America.

The density of insect herbivores is regulated by top-down factors (e.g., natural enemies), bottom-up effects (e.g., plant defenses against herbivory), or a combination of both. As such, understanding the relative importance of these factors can have important implications for the establishment of effective management options for invasive species. Here, we compared the relative importance of top-down and bottom-up factors on the abundance of hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), Adelges tsugae. HWA is invasive in eastern North America, but its native range includes the Pacific Northwest of North America where it has co-evolved with western hemlock, Tsuga heterophylla. Eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis, can also be found planted in city and park settings in the Pacific Northwest and the presence of both host species allowed us to directly compare the importance of predators (top-down) and host plant resistance (bottom-up) on HWA abundance by placing mesh exclusion bags on branches of both species and monitoring HWA abundance over two years. We found no evidence for bottom-up control of HWA on western hemlock (a native host). HWA established more readily on that species than on eastern hemlock on which it is a major pest in eastern North America. We found strong evidence for top-down control in that both summer and winter-active predators significantly reduced HWA densities on the branches of both tree species where predators were allowed access. These findings support the validity of the biological control program for HWA, the goal of which is to reduce outbreak populations of HWA in eastern North America.

Do national parks protect natural landscapes?

Establishing national parks should result from a desire to protect natural or near natural landscapes with the lowest degree of anthropogenic transformation. This paper tries to ascertain whether national parks in Poland protect the most natural landscapes and how far they have been affected by humans. The level of anthropogenic transformation of natural landscapes was assessed based on an analysis of the percentage of natural, semi-natural and anthropogenic land cover. The vast majority of national parks in Poland (21 out of 23) protect landscapes which have been minimally transformed by humans (RATTNP ranges from 1.01 to 1.16). Only two kinds of natural landscapes, those that are the most transformed by humans, are not represented within the set of the Polish national parks. Hence, the distribution of national parks reflects the degree of anthropogenic landscape transformation. The proposed method could be applied to any type of spatial unit and thus be the basis for designating areas that should be protected.

"It Felt Like Walking Through a Night Sky": Managing the Visitor Experience During Biologically Based Nighttime Events

Nighttime activities and events specifically related to natural phenomena are becoming increasingly popular. As nighttime recreation in parks and protected areas increases, managers must implement policies and frameworks that maintain both the visitor experience and natural darkness and soundscapes. The Congaree National Park Fireflies Festival celebrates the annual fireflies mating season, and after national renown for this event the park has witnessed increased visitation. Over the past year, visitation rates have forced management to implement a designated trail to enhance the visitor experience while reducing crowding on the boardwalk and manage the natural phenomena more like a festival event than an outdoor recreation opportunity. Visitor perceptions of these actions are currently unknown. Therefore, this study examined visitor motivations for attending the event and their perceptions of crowding to distinguish whether festival attendees had higher tolerances of crowding at a nature-based event within a national park. This study implemented an online survey and phone interviews to distinguish what factors at the Fireflies Festival bolster or degrade visitor experiences and to gauge perceptions of current and future management actions. Moreover, this study sought to understand visitor motivations to attend BBNEs and employed the novelty seeking and Event (Festival) Motivations Scale. This study expands on night recreation research and fills in some of the literature gap on nighttime event management in a national park setting.

The Case of the Basque Country Capital City´s Green Belt: An Effective Resilient Border

In this article, we analyze not only the evolution but the different effects Vitoria-Gasteiz´s green belt has showed on retaining urban sprawl and the simultaneous natural native environment enhancement. Assets that granted the city the European Green Capital award in 2012, and still render important environmental benefits. Applying the beneficial effects of green borders as a soft transition between the urban and the rural realm, amid the never properly solved problem of the city limits. It means a remarkable case study to learn from, that deals with the way of giving form to the already built city limits. Starting from the very first steps with a set of small peripheral parks that meant the beginning of a whole green infrastructure strategy, this text is a succinct critical view that depicts the origins, processes and challenges of this case study. It mainly focus its scope on the North and East part of the belt (some of the earliest and biggest), where water is the main character based on the recovery of existing wetlands, giving form to a kind of green and blue belt, performing multiple functions according to the quoted key concepts. And in the end, being a repeatable example of a resilient border for medium size cities.

Happiest place(s) on Earth? Investigating the differences (and impact) of fandom and rivalry among fans of sport and Disney’s Theme Parks

The present study investigated differences in the way fans experience rivalry in sport and popular culture, specifically, Disney Theme Park fandom. The results showed that fans of a sport team identified more with their favourite team and were more negative towards their rival team than were fans of Disney’s Theme Parks towards Disney and Universal (rival theme park of interest). Further, analysis showed that being a fan of both a sport team and Disney’s Theme Parks resulted in more positive perceptions and behaviours towards the rival in both the sport and theme park setting. Implications for practitioners are discussed, along with future areas of inquiry.

Colour Perception and Visitor Experiences of Urban Parks as Influenced by an Intense Colourful Urban Artefact: An In-situ Quasi-experiment

Purpose Colourful street furniture, fitness and playground equipment has become increasingly common in contemporary urban green spaces. The study aims to increase knowledge about their influence on human perception of urban park settings, and explore the perceived interaction between an orange-coloured urban artefact and the colour schemes of a public park. Design/Methodology/Approach This study consisted in first reviewing 794 park visitors through formal observations, and applying the semantic environmental description (SMB) on 102 individuals (park visitors). The analysis of the SMB dimensions used an analysis of variance with a 3x2 factorial design and the perceived colours measured with Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) colour charts. Findings The findings from the study show that placing intense colourful artefacts in various park environments can both increase and decrease experienced pleasantness and change the overall perceived characteristics of colour (colour contrast). Research Limitations The limitation of this study was that only a monochromatic coloured (orange) object with a specific structure and scale was used and that complementary colour combinations were not investigated. The experimental design did not allow a completely randomized design of the individuals in the study. Social/Practical Implications Given the results from the study, we propose that municipalities and landscape architecture offices involved in the planning, design and management of urban green spaces should pay just as much attention to the placement of urban artefacts in a public outdoor context as to the design of the artefacts themselves. Discussing these issues across the planning and management level can help increase consciousness of the impact of intensely colourful street furniture on park visitors colour perception and experiences. Original/Value The number of studies on this subject is very limited and performing this study is considered to contribute to the understanding of coloured urban artefacts in urban green spaces.

Assessing the effectiveness of protected areas against habitat fragmentation and loss: A long-term multi-scalar analysis in a mediterranean region

Landscape fragmentation and human-induced land-cover changes are two of the main current threats to nature conservation. To face such challenges, the development of networks of Protected Areas (PAs) has become a central element of nature conservation policies. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of PAs against long-term natural habitat fragmentation and loss at a regional scale in a South West European context (Andalusia, Spain). A multiscalar approach –covering the entire region, the regional PAs network, the complete set of Andalusian Nature Parks and ten individual Parks– has been adopted for the analysis of four landscape metrics. The study covers a time span of approximately 50 years (1956–2007) divided into two periods (1956–1984 and 1984–2007), which allows for the assessment of the effects of PAs development in the region. The results show that habitat loss has a relatively low incidence and is distributed very irregularly throughout the region under study. In contrast, habitat fragmentation has a strong incidence at all scales of analysis. The loss of habitat continuity is mainly located in non-protected areas. Small losses of natural cover in key areas located outside PAs may lead to a strong increase in habitat fragmentation at the regional scale and indirectly affect valuable natural areas under protection. According to the results, it is highly advisable to reinforce the ecological connections between large PAs and adopt a more ecologically sound and proactive landscape planning approach in non-protected environments.

Exploring the conditions that promote intergroup contact at urban parks

Urban parks have the potential to serve as places that facilitate intergroup contact between racially and ethnically diverse users. However, there is limited evidence identifying the conditions under which intergroup contact occurs in urban park settings. Existing literature suggests that the psychosocial conditions of safety, community engagement, psychological ownership, and sense of welcome and belonging may be related to park-based intergroup contact. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesized structural relationships between these factors and intergroup contact among park visitors at three parks in Philadelphia, PA (n = 324). Results demonstrated that intergroup contact is more common when visitors feel a greater sense of welcome and belonging at parks. Moreover, indirect relationships suggest that efforts to engage community residents in decision making, stimulate psychological ownership, and improve safety can help diverse users to feel more welcome, and in turn, engage in more intergroup contact.

Are trees and shrubs unsafe hiding places? Impact of plant forms on the perception of danger in urban green spaces in crime hot spots

Urban parks and forests are important for wellbeing, but feelings of unsafety limited their usage. Removal of vegetation from hotspots of fear is sometimes recommended as a means of boosting safety. However such actions should be approached with caution. One explanation, based on prospect-refuge theory, is that plants increase perceptions of danger because of their contribution to a setting’s effectiveness in concealing criminals. It is also believed that people do not like urban green spaces parks containing trees and shrubs that can act as hiding places because of the sense of danger that this vegetation evokes. To test this explanation, participants rated 57 photos of urban parks and forest parks settings park settings on perceived danger, effectiveness of concealment, and landscape preference. In addition, the effectiveness of concealment in the photos was measured assuming that the value of this variable is expressed by the percentage of the pixels occupied by trees and shrubs offering concealment in a photograph. Results confirmed that concealment and danger are highly correlated mediation analysis confirmed that the impact of concealment on preferences can be explained by perceived danger. When the danger was controlled, the efficiency of concealment had no influence on preferences.

The impact of plants offering cover on female students’ perception of danger in urban green spaces in crime hot spots

Urban parks and forests are important for wellbeing, but feelings of unsafety limited their usage. Removal of vegetation from hotspots of fear is sometimes recommended as a means of boosting safety. However such actions should be approached with caution. One explanation, based on prospect-refuge theory, is that plants increase perceptions of danger because of their contribution to a setting’s effectiveness in concealing criminals. It is also believed that people do not like urban green spaces parks containing trees and shrubs that can act as hiding places because of the sense of danger that this vegetation evokes. To test this explanation, participants rated 57 photos of urban parks and forest parks settings park settings on perceived danger, effectiveness of concealment, and landscape preference. In addition, the effectiveness of concealment in the photos was measured assuming that the value of this variable is expressed by the percentage of the pixels occupied by trees and shrubs offering concealment in a photograph. Results confirmed that concealment and danger are highly correlated mediation analysis confirmed that the impact of concealment on preferences can be explained by perceived danger. When the danger was controlled, the efficiency of concealment had no influence on preferences.

Short-term vegetation changes in tropical urban parks: Patterns and design-management implications

Singaporean parks are generally planted and managed, but their contribution to urban diversity may alter over time. This study examined the key growth patterns of managed vegetation and factors influencing floral diversity through short-term observation of vegetation changes in a typical tropical urban park setting. The study selected 222 plots using a 10m × 10m grid in three Singaporean parks and surveyed their species richness and spatial distribution. It studied factors affecting vegetation flourishing or decline using multiple on-site mappings and interviews with managers in 2018 and comparison of these findings with vegetation as it had been planted in 2012 or 2015. The study found that diversity in species and structure and vegetation area consistently increased over time despite regular maintenance. Initially planted vegetation, geographical characteristics, and diverse maintenance activities all played an essential role in shaping the parks’ microhabitats, affecting the emergence and growth of plant species. We argue that the role of spontaneous vegetation is critical in the tropical park context, as it contributes to landscape heterogeneity without intensive maintenance. At the same time, however, not all spontaneous vegetation contributes to floral diversity. The findings may help landscape designers and managers understand the opportunities and challenges of tropical planting which can contribute to the long-term biodiversity of an urban ecosystem.

Visitor Capacity Considering Social Distancing in Urban Parks with Agent-Based Modeling.

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly influenced society in the past few years. Park accessibility and social distancing are considered important under the threat of a long-term epidemic. However, measures that can maintain park accessibility and diminish virus spreading synchronously have been seldom studied before, which may threaten public health in all major urban parks globally. This paper proposed a methodology based on an agent-based model to analyze capacities for parks by simulating park visitor behaviors when they all are social distancing. The model was derived from historical visitor data and realistic visitor behaviors in three park settings. Then, park capacities of varied contact conditions, different park policies, and layout adjustments were analyzed. First, congestions caused by social distancing without proper visitor control are found inside all parks. Second, 85 to 3972 square meters per person is predicted as a safe space in different parks. Third, the current results can be easily adjusted according to various concerns regarding infection distance and rate. Finally, it can be inferred that information provisions are more effective than space design adjustments and mandatory measures. The results can guide park managers and those who plan and design park settings. They are also helpful in improving knowledge of the mechanisms behind visitor behaviors. Moreover, these findings can be tested and verified in a variety of public spaces with many other contact-based illnesses.

SEROLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF COXIELLA BURNETII INFECTION IN THE WHITE RHINOCEROS (CERATOTHERIUM SIMUM) IN SOUTH AFRICA.

Coxiellosis, or Query (Q) fever, a disease caused by the intracellular bacteria Coxiella burnetii, was recently described in a managed breeding herd of white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) in the southeastern United States. Clinical disease often results in abortion and could represent a conservation challenge for this species. In addition to the reproductive and herd management consequences, coxiellosis is also a zoonotic disease. Infection or clinical disease in any free-ranging rhinoceros species in a national park setting has not been previously described. In this study, evidence of prior infection was measured by immunofluorescent antibody titers in 89 serum samples collected from white rhinoceros within private reserves and a national park in South Africa. Total seropositivity was 48/89 (53.9% [95% CI, 43.6-63.9%]). Animals on private reserves had a seropositivity of 21/51 (41.1% [95% CI, 27.1-55.2%]), and national park rhinoceros had a higher rate of seropositivity at 71.0% [95% CI, 55.9-86.2%] (27/38; P= 0.004). Adults had a higher seropositivity compared with subadults (P= 0.03). There was no difference in seropositivity between sexes (P > 0.05). Results demonstrate that South African white rhinoceros populations are exposed to Coxiella, which could result in underrecognized reproductive consequences. Further studies should investigate potential implications for public health and conservation management of this species.

Relationships between residents’ ratings of place attachment and the restorative potential of natural and urban park settings

Recent studies have supported the proposition that place attachment positively contributes to psychological restoration. However, fewer studies have been conducted regarding the relationships between place attachment and restorative components within China. This study explores residents’ ratings of urban parks and natural settings for restorative potential and its four components in relation to two constructs of place attachment, place dependence and identity. We conducted a cross-regional comparative study using Fuzhouese and Macanese urban park setting images and natural images as stimuli, with local inhabitants as respondents. Respondents were asked to rate three groups of images in terms of familiarity, preference, place dependence, place identity, sense of being away, extent, fascination, compatibility, and restorative potential. The results showed that both Fuzhouese and Macanese respondents assigned higher ratings in all categories for familiar urban park settings compared to unfamiliar ones. Respondents’ ratings of the restorative potential of natural settings and their familiar urban park settings were equivalent. In addition, both place dependence and place identity played significant and positive roles in contributing to the respondents’ views of the restorative potential for familiar urban park settings. However, for natural settings, only place identity positively contributed to restorative potential. The results illustrate the significant role of local urban parks in enhancing residents’ place attachment and providing psychological restoration. This finding can offer insight and impetus for landscape designers working in restorative environmental design.

Do outdoor adventure park activities increase visitors’ well-being?

Outdoor adventure activities have become more popular in recent decades, offering excitement and thrills to their consumers. There has been little research on whether or not outdoor adventure activities impact well-being, especially when these activities are consumed in an outdoor adventure park setting. Thus, this study examined the impact of outdoor adventure park visits on the well-being of (day) tourists by applying a quantitative between-subject pre-post-visit design (n = 349). Results suggested short-term effects of outdoor adventure park activities on well-being, which were also impacted by gender patterns. The study at hand broadened existing discussions and literature in terms of the understanding of outdoor adventure park effects on visitors by (1) providing a before-after comparison of outdoor adventure park guests’ well-being, (2) taking heed of socio-demographic predeterminations, and (3) gathering knowledge about how the duration of a stay at an outdoor adventure park effects changes in well-being.