Peri-urban Forest Research Articles

Green in the City: Estimating the Ecosystem Services Provided by Urban and Peri-Urban Forests of Tbilisi Municipality, Georgia

Green spaces play a significant role in providing essential natural services to cities. This study aims to estimate Tbilisi’s green cover and identify the surface cover classes, volumes, and values of ecosystem services. The study area embraces the territory of Tbilisi municipality in its legal/administrative boundaries, which is equal to 502 sq. km. We use the i-Tree Canopy program (v.7.1) to identify the surface cover classes and quantify and price the ecosystem services provided by Tbilisi’s urban and peri-urban forests. The analysis includes the identification and distribution of the surface classes of the territory of Tbilisi, which is presented as follows: grass/herbaceous (38.71% +/− 1.36%), various impervious surfaces (approx. 21.18%), soil/bare ground (8.61% +/− 0.78%), trees/shrubs (28.55% +/− 1.26%), and water (2.95% +/− 0.47) surfaces. Analysis revealed the volumes of the removal of atmospheric pollutants, the annual removal of atmospheric carbon, and the total carbon stock fixed in the trees and shrub vegetation and provided the monetary values, expressed in US Dollars rounded per sq. km, of stored and sequestered carbon and pollution removal on the studies territory. The results showed that the annual removal of air pollutants (CO, NO2, O3, SO2, PM2.5 and PM10) totals 1227 tons or 2.444 t/sq.km. The average annual carbon sequestration by trees and other vegetation is 43.72 thousand tons (87.09 t/sq.km), with an approximate value of 8.22 million USD. The trees are storing 1097.9 kilotons of carbon (2187.95 t/sq.km) with its CO2 equivalent of 4025 kilotons. The estimated value of this service equals 206.4 million USD. This type of analysis of surface covers and ecosystem services has been performed in Tbilisi for the first time. The study revealed the significant magnitude and the great potential of “green benefits” provided by the urban vegetation to the city. It gives additional arguments for better utilization of this knowledge for advanced planning of the urban green infrastructure of Tbilisi for strengthening its sustainable and resilient development.

Uma estimativa dos serviços ecossistêmicos fornecidos pelas florestas urbanas e peri-urbanas: um estudo de caso em Juiz de Fora, Brasil

ABSTRACT: Urban expansion has led to the replacement of natural landscapes and environmental degradation, making cities and their urban and peri-urban forests (UPFs) vulnerable to climate change, especially on the formation of heat islands. Using i-Tree Canopy program (v. 7.0), we estimate the ecosystem services provided by UPFs in Juiz de Fora (Minas Gerais State, Southeastern Brazil), through the analysis of the (1) annual removal of atmospheric pollutants, (2) annual removal of atmospheric carbon, (3) total carbon stock in vegetation, and (4) the monetary benefits of sequestered and stocked carbon, based on Future Carbon Credit (CFI2Z1) as a monetary proxy. The results showed an average total amount of removal of 4.45 thousand tons of air pollution annually. The average annual total carbon storage was 158 thousand tons and the equivalent CO2 was 580 thousand tons, with an estimated total value of R$ 173 million per year. Significant values of the gross carbon stock (3.98 million tons) and equivalent CO2 (14.59 million tons) were found, being valued at R$ 4.35 billion. We concluded that the Juiz de Fora UPFs have a great potential for socio-environmental and economic benefits.

Exploring Public Willingness to Pay for Ecosystem Service of Peri-Urban Forests: The Case of Entoto Forest Based Park, Ethiopia

Exploring Public Willingness to Pay for Ecosystem Service of Peri-Urban Forests: The Case of Entoto Forest Based Park, Ethiopia

Gender inequalities in Transylvania's largest peri-urban forest usage

Urban green spaces (public gardens, parks, urban and peri-urban forests) offer multiple-use opportunities and spaces for recreational activities and played a key role in supporting mental and physical health of dwellers during covid-19 pandemic, being ones of few places where outdoor and social activities where allowed. This study was conducted in Brașov city (also known as Kronstadt, by its German name), the second largest metropolitan area of Romania and surrounded by a significant area of peri-urban forests in Transylvania. Brașov city own just 5.62 sqm of urban green space/inhabitant, one of the lowest in the country, so the presence of a large peri-urban forest area become very valuable for locals and tourists visiting the area. Due to its importance and because understanding visitors' expectations and perceptions is a key element to support decision-makers and ensure proper management of these forests, the Brașov’s forests administrator (Kronstadt Local Public Forest District – RPLPK) decided to investigate how dwellers generally interact with the peri-urban forests and to identify opportunities for improving the capacity of forests in providing social and recreational services. Data were collected through the administration of CAWI (computer assisted web interview) to 314 respondents at beginning of 2021, at exactly one year distance after the pandemic lockdown was imposed all around the country. Analyzing the participants responses, a surprising fact become evident: the use of peri-urban forest is not gender equal, women being less able than men to access these green natural spaces and, therefore, to uptake the benefits provided by the peri-urban forests.

Spatial and seasonal dynamics of amphibians from shallows and forests in urban and Peri-urban areas of Daloa (Ivory Coast, West Africa)

The disappearance of forests and biodiversity in Côte d'Ivoire is also due to the expansion of urban areas. This expansion was carried out without any concern for the preservation or restoration of the natural resources. The Daloa area, in addition to the forest relics, contains shallows, important for agriculture. These shallows were mostly landing sites for drainage water from various horizons. To assess the conservation status of these environments, amphibians, due to their high sensitivity to changes in environmental conditions, were used to assess the biotic integrity of the ecosystems. Thus, daytime and night-time sampling were carried out in urban, peri-urban shallows and peri-urban forests. These acoustic, visual and capture samplings lasted 12 months and revealed the presence of 20 amphibian species. Nineteen species were found in urban shallows, peri-urban forests and 17 species in peri-urban shallows respectively. There was no significant difference between the species richness of the different habitats (Kruskal-Wallis test, p > 0.05). Furthermore, in the rainy season, amphibian diversity was higher in peri-urban forests than in shallows. In addition, over the whole study area, Amphibian abundance was higher in the rainy season than in the dry season. Also, the most frequent species in this area was Ptychadena mascareniensis. Finally, in the rainy season, the distribution of Amphibians in peri-urban forests was more equitable than that of dry season and in other sites.

Ecological Evaluation and Sustainable Management of the Riparian Forest in Central Greece

The aim of this research is the ecological evaluation of the trees of a riparian peri-urban park, with measurement, inventory and processing of qualitative and quantitative variables of trees (Dendometry) in the riparian forest of the river Karpenissiotis in Central Greece. Each tree is recorded in relation to its species (structural elements) including the diameter at breast height (DBH), the height (H), the ruggedness coefficient (H/D), the height of the crown (Hk), the length of the crown (Lk), the diameter of the crown (Dk), the order of the crown, the order of vitality, the tendency of evolution, the position of the trunk, the shape of the crown, the problems in the space of the roots, the crown, pruning, insect infestations, fungi, and runoff. From the statistical analysis and processing of the measurements, assessment was made of the condition of their health and stability; and necessary measures are proposed in order to significantly improve the ecological conditions of a riparian forest. Thus, the main problems presented by the forest species of trees concerned mainly the sloping, crooked and serpentine trunks, asymmetrical crown shape, insect and fungal infestations. The riparian peri-urban plane forest studied is dominated by trees, which are classified as remaining, normally growing with long asymmetrical crowns with a moderate health status and moderate stability. For the sustainable management and sustainable development of the riparian forest, measures are proposed which are necessary for the forest protection of the trees including their health and safe growth.

Effects of Environmental Stress on the Pollen Viability of Ornamental Tree-Species in the City of Granada (South-Eastern Spain)

Atmospheric conditions, as well as pollutants, can induce changes in the viability and germinability of the pollen grain. This process frequently occurs in cities due to the high rate of air pollution that can alter the quality of pollen, affecting its biological functions. In this work, the effect of different environmental stress factors, mainly UV-B radiation and polluting gases (CO, NO2 and SO2), on the viability and maturity of the pollen of four ornamental tree-species present in the green infrastructure of Granada, namely Acer negundo, Carpinus betulus, Olea europaea and Cupressus spp. is analyzed. Differential staining techniques were used with fresh pollen collected in areas with different exposure to environmental stress to detect intact cell membranes (Trypan blue) and the state of maturity (Pyrogallol red). It was observed that the species from sectors more exposed to environmental stress registered a low viability and were affected by factors such as UV-B radiation and atmospheric pollutants. On the contrary, the pollen from tree species growing in peri-urban forests presented a higher rate of viability and less effect of pollutant factors. Differences were also observed according to the species/genus and according to the sampling area. This modification in the morphological and/or organic composition of the pollen wall may cause a loss of quality in the reproductive processes of plants, and it may be bioindicator of the process of progressive degradation that plant species can experience in urban environments under conditions of environmental stress, and prevent the impacts that can affect other species.

Effects of Agricultural Land and Urban Expansion on Peri-Urban Forest Degradation and Implications on Sustainable Environmental Management in Southern Ethiopia

Policy failure in controlling horizontal urban expansion coupled with agricultural/cultivated land expansion typically leads to forest degradation mostly in developing countries. Peri-urban areas are havens and vulnerable and dispute areas of uncontrolled urban expansion and forest degradation. This study was aimed to assess the effect of cultivated land and urban expansion land use/land cover change (LULCC) dynamics rate on peri-urban forest degradation and implications on sustainable environment management there by identifying the derivers of LULCC. The study used Landsat images of 2002, 2010 and 2018 and examines the underlying factors. The results revealed significant conversion from forest and grass land to built-up and cultivated land. The proportion of built-up area and cultivated land increased to 75 ha yr−1 and 85 ha yr−1 of the study area from 2002 to 2018, respectively. The identified drivers were generally grouped as proximate and underlying drivers. The effect of driving factors in shaping LULCC tends to remain stable over time, and the gradual enforcement of spatial planning policies appears to be important factors in dynamics of LULCC. Hence, it was suggested that integrated land-use planning and management has a paramount importance of reducing peri-urban forest degradation and maintaining sustainable environmental management.

Relationships between the Visual Quality and Color Patterns: Study in Peri-Urban Forests Dominated by Cotinus coggygria var. cinerea Engl. in Autumn in Beijing, China

The spatial pattern of color patches plays a crucial role in affecting the visual quality of peri-urban forests dominated by Cotinus coggygria var. cinerea Engl. in autumn. The impact mechanism has been studied to facilitate algorithm-based automatic visual quality estimation. The color patterns of 120 photographs were calculated after color quantization and automatic color substitution. The scenic beauty of the forest was estimated by 698 respondents. Multiple correlations between visual quality and color pattern metrics were explored with stepwise regression. Principal component analysis (PCA) was also employed to investigate the impact mechanism of color patterns on visual quality. Number of patches (NP), largest patch index (LPI), mean patch area (AREA_MN), patch size standard deviation (AREA_SD), and Shannon’s evenness index (SHEI) were the main factors affecting the visual quality of the Cotinus coggygria forest. AREA_MN correlated positively with visual quality, while NP, LPI, AREA_SD, and SHEI correlated negatively. Moreover, AREA_SD had the most significant impact on the visual quality of the landscape, while SHEI, LPI, and AREA_MN had the second-highest impact. The evenness and the size of color patches significantly affected the visual quality of the forest landscapes. Balancing the diversity and evenness of color patches plays a decisive role in creating a forest landscape with high visual quality.

Historical Changes in Urban and Peri-Urban Forests: Evidence from the Galați Area, Romania

In Romania, urban and peri-urban forests (UPUF) have been subject to significant transformations during the past centuries, especially during the post-communist period. The current paper seeks to provide an integrated assessment of UPUF in one of the most dynamic and densely populated urban areas in Romania, i.e., Galați, in terms of historical overview, forest structure and dynamics, and conservation of forest ecosystems, and the way all these aspects are reflected in the toponymy. The analysis covers three main time intervals: (1) until the 20th century, (2) the first half of the 20th century, and (3) the second half of the 20th century through the beginning of the 21st century. For each of the three intervals, complex quantitative spatial and temporal analyses were performed at the level of the Local Administrative Unit (LAU) using in-depth documentation of relevant historical records and geospatial data for selected years (1912, 1948, 1976, 2002, and 2018) derived from cartographic materials and satellite images. Significant changes in the urban and peri-urban forests were evidenced, but the most notable were observed since the 19th century in relation to the new political and socio-economic context, which pushed deforestation processes to support settlement expansion (though urbanization and suburbanization) and agricultural development (intensification and extensification). These processes gradually expanded until the beginning of the 21st century under the socio-economic changes during the communist regime and the post-communist period. Galați area has more than tripled in size, which led to a significant pressure on the forest-covered area, followed by changes in its structure and composition.

A refuge between houses and buildings: reptiles in a peri-urban Atlantic Forest fragment in northeastern Brazil

The Atlantic Forest is recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot, but despite the comparatively large number of published reptile inventories already available for this region, large geographic gaps remain unfilled. The purpose of this paper is to provide a list of reptile species recorded in the Área de Proteção Ambiental do Catolé e Fernão Velho (APACFV), a 37 km2 peri-urban protected area in the northern Atlantic Forest in the Brazilian state of Alagoas. Based on a review of reptile specimens and photographs collected over 27 years, a total of 65 species belonging to three orders and 22 families occur in the APACFV: three turtle families (4 spp.), one alligator family (2 spp.), 12 non-snake lizard families (24 spp.), and six snake families (35 spp.). Despite the imperilment of the biota of this region, only one of the recorded species is included on the endangered species list of the Brazilian government (Amerotyphlops paucisquamus, Vulnerable), and none are categorized as threatened under the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The reptile assemblage in the APACFV is among the most diverse documented for Alagoas, and this list is an important step to inform management strategies in this protected area.

Valuing nature-based recreation in forest areas in Italy: An application of Travel Cost Method (TCM)

Nature-based recreation provides benefits facilitating social interactions and cohesion, creating job opportunities, and stimulating the local economy. The aim of this study was to assess the recreational economic value of different forest areas considering two aspects: stand features and proximity of the forest to urban areas. An individual Travel Cost Method (TCM) was applied in three study areas in Italy involving 603 visitors in the survey. The results show that in all three case studies the most important forest-based recreational activity carried out by visitors is hiking, followed by picnicking and mountain biking. The TCM estimates a consumer surplus between €7.33 and €17.37 per visit. The key points highlighted by the study are that: managed natural forests have a higher recreational economic value than unmanaged artificial forests; the peri-urban forests are characterized by a higher number of visitors but a lower value per visit than mountain forests.

Seasonal Variability of Large-Sized Particulate Matter Concentrations

Human exposure to particulate matter (PM) is of great scientific interest due to its impact on both human health and the environment (climate change, reduced visibility, deterioration of archaeological sites, etc.). The aim of the current paper was to study the concentration of large-sized particulate matter (PM10) in relation to the season of the year. Measurements were performed with the help of a personal Button Sampler in three repeated cycles, namely summer, autumn, and winter, in order to obtain comparable results from three different seasons of the year. A total of 45 samples were collected, 27 of which were obtained from a peri-urban Pinus brutia forest and 18 from an adjacent urban area (9 and 6 samples in each repeated sampling cycle, respectively). Results obtained from both sampling areas show a significant increase in PM10 levels during the summer (8.86 mg m−3/24 h) in comparison with the autumn and winter concentrations (3.71 mg m−3/24 h and 4.12 mg m−3/24 h, respectively).

Capturing landscape values in peri-urban Satoyama forests: Diversity of visitors' perceptions and implications for future value assessments

Peri-urban Satoyama forests in Japan provide multiple or bundles of cultural ecosystem services (CES), yet, visitors’ perceptions of CES are not well established. There is a need to explore these perceptions in order to provide comprehensive information to forest managers. This study aims to address this knowledge gap by exploring the profiles of visitors of peri-urban Satoyama forests and their perceived importance of CES using a landscape value (LV) typology table. Nine LVs of Kaisho Forest in Aichi, Japan were assessed using face-to-face questionnaires on socio-demographic variables, forest use, and a photograph-based approach, which were analyzed using descriptive statistics, quantitative cross-tabulation, multiple response analyses, and geocoding. Results showed that the forest is visited mostly by married elderly people from Aichi Prefecture who were engaged in forest bathing or birdwatching. Forest use patterns, like frequency, duration of the visit, and group size, presented a significant relation to demographic variables, like marital status or gender. Furthermore, the study showed how visitors´ LV perceptions were weighted towards natural and aesthetic values. The socio-cultural Satoyama forest elements displayed a more detailed value perception where recreational, therapeutic, spiritual, cultural-historic, and educational values were also assigned. The LV perception enhances a comprehensive description of the perceived positive effects of visiting such forests. Hence, we concluded that visitors gain positive effects on mental and emotional health and spirituality as part of CES. Forest managers can reflect and accommodate diverse landscape value typology as a tool for monitoring visitors’ perceptions.

Medium and large-sized mammals in a remnant forest in the state of Rondônia, Brazil

The Brazilian mammalian fauna is threatened by several factors, the main ones being anthropogenic origins, such as agriculture, cattle ranching, and hunting. Medium and large mammals are continually affected by these factors. In this context, we conducted an inventory and estimated the abundance of medium and large mammals in a particular peri-urban remnant forest in the city of Porto, Rondônia. Fieldwork was carried out involving 88 kilometers of census during the daytime, indirect signs research, and interviews. We recorded 21 species of mammals. Private forest reserves have the potential to conserve endangered species, and therefore, actions that favor the connection of these areas in the rural environment should be prioritized

Characterizing, mapping and valuing the demand for forest recreation using crowdsourced social media data.

Mapping and valuing of forest recreation is time-consuming and complex, hampering its inclusion in forest management plans and hence the achievement of a fully sustainable forest management. In this study, we explore the potential of crowdsourced social media data in tackling the mapping and valuing of forest recreation demand. To do so, we assess the relationships between crowdsourced social media data, acquired from over 350,000 Flickr geotagged pictures, and demand for forest recreation in British Columbia (BC) forests. We first identify temporal and spatial trends of forest recreation demand, as well as the countries of origin of BC forests visitors. Second, we estimate the average number of annual recreational visits with a linear regression model calibrated with empirically collected secondary data. Lastly, we estimate recreational values by deriving the average consumer surpluses for the visitors of BC forested provincial parks. We find that annually, on average, over 44 million recreational experiences are completed in BC forests, with peaks during the summer months and during the weekends. Moreover, a crowdsourced travel cost approach allowed us to value the recreational ecosystem service in five forested provincial parks ranging from ~2.9 to ~35.0 million CAN$/year. Our findings demonstrate that social media data can be used to characterize, quantify and map the demand for forest recreation (especially in peri-urban forests), representing a useful tool for the inclusion of recreational values in forest management. Finally, we address the limitations of crowdsourced social media data in the study of forest recreation and the future perspectives of this rapidly growing research field.

A cloud-based mapping approach for assessing spatiotemporal changes in erosion dynamics due to biotic and abiotic disturbances in a Mediterranean Peri-Urban forest

During the last decades, the demographic trajectory and the associated urban development have increased the demand for urban and peri-urban green space. Peri-urban forests provide a wide range of goods and services to city dwellers critical to human well-being. However, these ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to biotic and abiotic stresses. This study aimed to assess the effects of forest disturbances on soil erosion dynamics in a peri-urban forest of Northern Greece, between 1995 and 2020. Monitoring of soil erosion dynamic was performed by coupling the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud-computing platform and the RUSLE erosion prediction model. The results highlighted the potential of Landsat imagery to efficiently delineate through time forest cover changes due to the influence of biotic and abiotic factors. After a major fire event, average soil erosion showed an increase of 7.7 t/ha/year whilst the emergency hillslope rehabilitation treatments led to a decrease equal to 8.9 t/ha/year. On the contrary, post-fire watershed stabilization measures and selective logging for the removal of the infested individual trees had a negligible effect on soil loss. The temporal changes in soil loss rate are not only justified by forest cover changes but also by the variability in rainfall, which is also considered a dynamic factor of RUSLE model. Monitoring of soil loss and erosion regulation services over peri-urban forests provide essential information for policy-making and management of these valuable natural resources.

Habitat Fragmentation and Lichen Diversity in Peri-Urban Woodlands: A Case Study in the Municipality of Potenza (Southern Italy).

The fragmentation of the natural habitat is a process that is exponentially increasing worldwide and represents one of the biggest threats to biological diversity. Habitat destruction and fragmentation have a major impact on landscapes and may also affect ecosystems, populations, and species. The ongoing anthropogenic process can result in habitat loss for some species, habitat creation for others, reduced patch size, and increased distance between patches, which may lead to local extinction. We analyzed the effects of patch size and isolation on lichens in Quercus pubescens woods surrounding the city of Potenza (south Italy). We randomly sampled 11 forest patches with homogeneous environmental variables using circular plots with a 10 m radius; the patches ranged from 0.3 to 30 ha. For each plot, we collected data about presence and abundance of epiphytic lichens. We performed the analyses at the patch level using linear regression and multivariate analysis, searching for effects on species richness, life forms, and community compositions. Multivariate analyses were used to study the effect of fragmentation on the structure of lichen vegetation. We investigated the main predictor of lichen species richness in habitat fragmentations and concluded that patch area per se is an important (positive) driver of lichen species richness in Mediterranean peri-urban forests.

Exploring Biodiversity and Disturbances in the of Peri-Urban Forests of Thessaloniki, Greece

Forests host important plant biodiversity. Nevertheless, due to climate change and human disturbances, the floristic quality of forest ecosystems is degraded. Greek peri-urban forests biodiversity is threatened by anthropogenic activities such as forest fragmentation, pollution, garbage, etc. Measurement of biodiversity status and the floristic quality assessment can be used to estimate the degree of forest degradation caused by anthropogenic disturbances. In this study, we compared and evaluated six forest ecosystem types in the peri-urban forests of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, by using Shannon’s biodiversity index as well as and α and β diversity Sørensen indices. Furthermore, we recorded the prevailing anthropogenic disturbances and compared the plant families and the ruderal species appearing in each forest ecosystem. Finally, the average conservatism value (C value) of the plant species found in each ecosystem was determined in order to calculate the ecosystem floristic quality index. Analysis of the results showed that the floristic and ecological parameters tested greatly vary among ecosystems. Broadleaf forests of higher altitude hosted the greatest biodiversity, and the higher floristic quality index and plant conservation value. On the contrary, most disturbances and most ruderal species were recorded in ecosystems of lower altitude, adjacent to the city (Pinus brutia forest and Maqui vegetation), the least disturbed ecosystems were found in the steep slopes (Castanea sativa forest). Most ruderal species found belonged to the Asteraceae and Rosaceae families. Accessibility and attractiveness of stands were positively correlated with disturbances. Insufficient management, lack of protection measures, and littering removal contribute to the increase in the level of disturbance.

Assessment of Soil Physical and Chemical Properties among Urban and Peri-Urban Forests: A Case Study from Metropolitan Area of Brasov

Cities are affected by the impact of rapid urbanization on changes to soil properties. The aim of this study was to assess the physical and chemical properties of the soil of urban and peri-urban forests and to define which soil property is more significant for these two types of forests. The research took place in urban and peri-urban forests in the metropolitan area of Brasov, Romania. Among the properties determined were: particle size distribution, reaction, soil organic matter content, and the base saturation degree. As supplementary data, for plots from urban forests, the heavy metal content was determined. The results revealed that soils from urban forests had an alkaline reaction and the ones from peri-urban forests had a moderately acid reaction. The soil from the peri-urban plots was sandier and the other ones were more clayey. Testing the differences between the forests led to significant differences in the case of seven properties of which we mentioned pH and sand and clay content. Using PCA, the most significant and important soil properties for urban forests were the sum of basic exchangeable cations, cation exchange capacity, soil organic matter, and silt and clay contents. This study is more relevant in light of the EU Soil Strategy, which sets out a framework and concrete measures to protect and restore soils.