Green Infrastructure Planning Research Articles

Predicting context-sensitive urban green space quality to support urban green infrastructure planning

Urban green spaces (UGSs) support human health and well-being in diverse ways. In addition to their availability and accessibility, also the quality of UGSs is relevant for understanding human-environment interactions between urban populations and their local UGS. However, data on UGS quality are rarely available with the geographic coverage required for spatial decision making and urban green infrastructure (UGI) planning and management.This study uses data from a large-scale public participation GIS (PPGIS) survey to predict perceived UGS quality across the city of Espoo, Finland. The respondents (n 3,132) mapped over 8,500 frequently visited sites situated in UGSs. Generalized linear mixed models were used to study associations between the perceived place quality of the respondent-mapped sites and diverse objectively measured UGS characteristics. The presence of blue elements, high forest biodiversity, level of UGS maintenance, and low daytime noise exposure contributed to positive perceptions of UGS quality, while daytime noise exposure and decreasing UGS size were associated with negative perceptions.The model was extrapolated spatially to predict perceived UGS quality across the entire city, revealing local differences in the accessibility of high-quality UGS. The results exemplify how both UGS quantity and quality are relevant for understanding the mechanisms leading to UGS visitation and the health and well-being benefits gained from UGS use and exposure. Moreover, the study demonstrates how UGS characteristics valued by the local population may be identified to support local UGI planning and management.

Reorienting urban green infrastructure planning towards biodiversity – Perspectives and ongoing debates from Germany

The concept of green infrastructure has the potential to promote planning and implementation of multifunctional green and blue spaces that tackle several urban sustainability issues. Around 2016, German governmental institutions initiated a discourse on green infrastructure as a planning approach at the federal level. This initiative resulted, amongst other, in an urban green infrastructure planning concept tailored for the German planning context. This initial framing of the concept was broad and relatively open. It was supposed to address a wide range of disciplines in field of urban green and blue spaces and integrate their perspectives. In this short communication, we use the example from Germany to discuss how concepts such urban green infrastructure could, or should, evolve in the light of changing socio-political priorities. In response to calls for action on ecosystem and biodiversity loss, we propose shifting the focus of green infrastructure planning explicitly to biodiversity. However, reframing around a specific topic might exclude actors with other priorities and reduce the integrative potential of the concept. Therefore, we suggest how biodiversity can be defined as a cross-cutting issue that creates synergies with other urban sustainability goals such as climate adaptation or social cohesion and avoids narrowing the integrative idea. We use eight best practice cases to illustrate that biodiversity goals can go hand in hand with other urban sustainability goals. Based on these cases, we conclude that urban green infrastructure provides a solid framework that allows a shift in priorities towards biodiversity, while the integrated approach is maintained. These considerations are derived from an on-going research and development project that aims to make the green infrastructure concept actionable for German cities.

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

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

Evolution Pattern and Spatial Mismatch of Urban Greenspace and Its Impact Mechanism: Evidence from Parkland of Hunan Province

Planners need to fully understand the quantity of land supply and its matching relationship with population demand, as these are prerequisites for urban greenspace planning. Most papers have focused on single cities and parks, with little attention paid to comparative analysis between multiple cities on a macro scale, ignoring the influence of spatial effects and leading to a lack of basis for regional green infrastructure planning. This paper selected 102 cities in Hunan province as case studies to comprehensively conduct empirical research using the spatial mismatch model and the geographically weighted regression method. The urban parkland in Hunan province are characterized by significant spatial heterogeneity and correlation, and the mismatch between land supply and population demand should not be ignored, with oversupply and undersupply co-existing. The urban parkland and its mismatch with population are influenced by a number of factors, and each factor has a stronger influence on the latter than the former. Different factors vary widely in the nature and intensity of their effects, and the dynamics are more complex. Economic development, financial capacity, and air quality are key factors, with the former having a negative impact and the latter having opposite (positive) effects. We suggest that when the government allocates land resources and targets for urban parks, it should formulate a differentiated allocation plan based on the supply and demand conditions of each city; besides, it should also place emphasis on regional integration and coordination and support mutual cooperation.

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

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

From a Grassland to a Bush Capital: A Historic Review of Canberra’s Green Infrastructure Development

Canberra was built in harmony with its landscape setting, creating a legacy of urban form well-connected to the natural environment. Its urban design and planning not only amplified the surrounding natural landscape such as forested hills and mountains but also created a human-made green urban character. However, plans for future development as a compact city pose a challenge to conserving the city’s green spaces. A green infrastructure plan is necessary to consider the city’s green space design heritage and the linked socio-ecological values while minimising the urban footprint. The paper employs a historical literature review to understand the factors and characteristics that shaped Canberra’s green character and the socio-ecological values of its green spaces. The research found the influence of historical and modern design and planning concepts in consolidating green infrastructure and creating ecological corridors and social infrastructure. One of the essential conditions for maintaining the unique character of Canberra is the preservation of the socio-ecological values of its existing green spaces. A trade-off study must be conducted to balance green infrastructure planning while considering these values, in light of development changes.

As green infrastructure, linear semi-natural habitats boost regulating ecosystem services supply in agriculturally-dominated landscapes

Semi-natural linear landscape elements, such as hedgerows, are vital structures within agricultural landscapes that have an impact on ecosystem processes and support biodiversity. However, they are typically omitted from green infrastructure planning, which could lead to significant undervaluing of landscapes and their multifunctionality in terms of ecosystem service supply. Using the InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs) model suite, we tested the effects of additionally including semi-natural linear landscape elements on the model outcomes for crop pollination, nutrient regulation, erosion regulation and water flow regulation ecosystem services supply. The results showed that linear semi-natural landscape elements contribute positively to the landscape’s multifunctionality. Small changes have been identified for water flow regulation, whereas, considering both spatial extent and magnitude of the changes, the greatest changes have been found with respect to the supply of pollination and nutrient regulation. Direct proximity of the linear elements had the greatest effect on ecosystem service supply, in particular with regard to pollination. Based on our results, a more pronounced consideration of semi-natural linear landscape elements as an important element of green infrastructure is advisable.

Research on Accessibility of Green Infrastructure Based on GIS: A Case Study of Kunhou Neighborhood Planning

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 has made necessary a re-examination of public health issues and the adoption of life-changing design strategies. By combining quantitative and qualitative methods, the structure and function of community green space can be better evaluated. This study selects the Kunhou neighborhood in Wuhan as the site and proposes to analyze the daily health service function of the community’s green infrastructure. Through GIS spatial analysis, this study evaluates the accessibility of green infrastructure and medical facilities and discusses the ideal green space form based on health indicators. Statistical analyzes were used to visualize the relevance of accessible green infrastructures and medical facilities within walking distance. The findings show that the Kunhou neighborhood is lacking access to green infrastructure for daily activities. The research findings provide a bridge between public health indicators and community space planning and offer design suggestions for green infrastructure planning.

Moving green infrastructure planning from theory to practice in sub-Saharan African cities requires collaborative operationalization

Researchers increasingly consider the systematic integration of green infrastructure (GI) concepts in urban planning as an essential approach to tackle significant current and future challenges. Cities in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) face rapid urbanization, unregulated land-use practices, and poor enforcement of policies. These cities struggle to address the depletion and degradation of existing GI that increases their vulnerability to climatic hazards that threaten ecosystem integrity, and compromise human health. This paper draws on a review of policy documents, semi-structured interviews with metro officials, and cross-sector focus group discussions to explore ways to operationalize GI spatial planning and design on the ground. Through a case study of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa, which takes a public-private co-development approach, we investigate the uptake of GI planning principles, the challenges, and local proposals for GI applications. In conjunction with the literature, we discuss the alternatives at hand. The local policy documents reflected many planning principles anchored in the Global North literature. Together with public and private partners, we co-developed four locally informed GI objectives: environmental protection, safety, joint ownership, and collaborative governance. We co-identified local planning principles and three strategies for operationalizing GI planning, including working with conventional planning, greater flexibility and creativity, and cross-sectoral collaboration. The findings suggest that collaborative strategies that allow greater access and the active, diverse use of GI could provide much-required cross-sectoral care and management. The real challenge is the establishment of such participatory partnerships as mechanisms to consolidate diverse priorities and co-develop technical and financial alternatives.

Using Remote Sensing to Address Green Heritage of the City of Marrakech, Morocco

Climate change and rapid urbanization have significant impact on green spaces and natural resources in African countries. To investigate this impact in the city of Marrakech, this study develops remote-sensing data to monitor changes in land cover and land use from 1990 to 2020. Results show almost 35% diminution of vegetation cover over the investigation period. In 1990, the city of Marrakech had a vegetation cover of 4.2 km2, which fell to 2.7 km2 in 2020. The main change occurred between 1990 and 2000 with a decrease of 13.7%, which is essentially due to the increase in build-up areas, related to the rapid growth of the city’s population. This evolution in land cover affects the urban environment negatively including air quality and temperature regulation. This research provides a better understanding of changing trends, confirms the importance of using satellite imagery to monitor vegetation cover in urban settings, helps determine efficient environmental management, and affects successful green infrastructure policy and planning, thereby allowing for improved adaptation and mitigation to climate change.

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

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

Green infrastructure planning based on ecosystem services multicriteria evaluation: the case of the metropolitan wine landscapes of Bordeaux

Excessive anthropogenic activities affect landscape patterns and trigger a decrease of natural capital and the level of quality of life. Green infrastructures (GIs) are commonly accepted by scholars as solutions for restoring degraded areas and providing a variety of ecosystem services (ESs). The other way around, the capacity to deliver ESs can be assumed as a relevant starting point for GIs analysis and planning. The assessment of ESs needs extensive investigation and applications, to provide planners, policy makers, and institutional stakeholders with an adequate evaluation tool. The multi-facet nature of ESs assessment implies the use of complex tools able to consider many concerns. In this regard, multicriteria analysis (MCA) is a very popular tool due to its capacity to intertwine a variety of issues in a rigorous way and to support participatory and transparent decision making in the public domain. In this study, we aim at contributing to the integration of GI design into spatial planning starting from the assessment of the net benefit delivered to local society by a GI in the metropolitan area of Bordeaux (France). We assessed the net benefit by confronting the ESs deliverable by the GI and the cost sustained for its construction and maintenance. We applied an MCA-based method to the selection of the most efficient alternative out of three GI paths. We demonstrate that our method is useful for the assessment of cultural and regulating ESs, comparing the GI design alternatives, and considering the preference model of the stakeholders within GI planning and design.

Green infrastructure sustains the food-energy-water-habitat nexus

The ecosystem service potential of urban green infrastructure (GI) is increasingly appreciated, yet its underpinning role in the food-energy-water-habitat (FEWH) nexus is unclear. In order to explore the positive and negative impacts of GI on the FEWH nexus, this study asked three questions: 1) What are the research hotspots in FEWH for GI and what are the trends over time? 2) What ecosystem services can GI provide in terms of FEWH? 3) Can we quantify the ecosystem service potential of GI, and what are the synergies and trade-offs among the service types? By collating the research evidence which supports the ecosystem service potential of GI to contribute to FEWH, we developed a matrix to score the potential and to assess the synergies and trade-offs among ecosystem services. From this, a conceptual framework of the role of GI in supporting the FEWH nexus was developed. The results show that the potential of GI to sustain the FEWH nexus is significant and that multi-functional GI planning is necessary to minimize the trade-offs between them. This requires the application of new methods, theories, adaptation to new circumstances, and the development of appropriate business models within the planning domain, as well as compliance with policy directions and funding externally.

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

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

Sustainable Design and Operations Management of Metro-Based Underground Logistics Systems: A Thematic Literature Review

Sustainable urban development relies on forward-looking infrastructure development. As an emerging infrastructure system that incorporates green technologies, the Metro-based Underground Logistics System (M-ULS) enables sustainable transportation of passengers and freight within cities collaboratively by sharing rail transit network facilities. M-ULS can effectively save non-renewable energy and reduce pollution to the ecological environment, and the comprehensive benefits of the system make an outstanding contribution to sustainable urban development. The purpose of this study is to provide a systematic review of M-ULS based on different perspectives and to present the development of the M-ULS network integration concept. By employing bibliometric analysis, the four dimensions of M-ULS related literature are statistically analyzed to discover the knowledge structure and research trends. Through thematic discussions, a development path for developing the concept of M-ULS network integration was established. The main findings of this study are summarized as follows: (i) A comparative analysis shows that the metro system has a high potential for freight use; (ii) Improvements in metro freight technologies are conducive to urban economy, environment, and social sustainability; (iii) Network expansion is an inevitable trend for implementing underground logistics based on the metro; (iv) The interaction among public sectors, metro operators, logistics corporations, and users plays a critical role in promoting the development of M-ULS. (v) It is worth mentioning that the planning of green infrastructure should fully consider its comprehensive contribution to the sustainable development of the city. This study visualizes the current status and hotspots of M-ULS research. It also discloses frontier knowledge and novel insights for the integrated planning and operations management of metro and urban underground freight transportation.

Proactive intervention of green infrastructure on flood regulation and mitigation service based on landscape pattern

Green infrastructure (GI) could reduce surface runoff and provide essential ecosystem service (ES) in flood management. More frequent flooding necessitated GI intervention to promote flood regulation and mitigation service. This study presented the Supply-Demand-Intervention framework of ES for flood mitigation in Nanjing, and aimed to explore flood interventions of GI that improve ES supply and satisfy ES demand from the perspective of landscape pattern. This study quantified ES supply by runoff reduction capacity and assessed ES demand by flood risk index, respectively. Stepwise regression analysis revealed the association between landscape pattern and ES supply and demand. We found the mismatch between ES supply and demand in Nanjing, as well as the spatial heterogeneity between ES supply and demand during various design storms. Urban central areas showed the low ES supply, high ES demand and high priority rank of intervention. Current GI conditions had the difficulty in dealing with more severe floods in Nanjing. And landscape elongation, shape, fragmentation, and segmentation were found to have significant effect on ES supply and demand. More elongated and segmented landscape, with less continuity and connectedness, could promote ES supply, while less fragmentated landscape, with complex shape, could reduce ES demand. Different intervention strategies were proposed to adapt to different areas for promoting ES delivered by GI. In Gulou and Qinhuai district, it was suggested to apply well-shaped elongated cropland and water areas to segment and disperse the built-up land. These findings could provide critical implications for reasonable GI planning and management in flood mitigation and adaption.

Identifying the optimization potential for urban GI by linking supply and demand of ecosystem services under multi-scenarios : a case study of Tianjin, China

Quantitative research on the supply and demand of urban green infrastructure (GI) ecosystem services (ES) can play a crucial role in supporting ecological governance, which is vital for enhancing the health and well-being of residents and promoting sustainable development. However, current supply and demand studies often fail to consider the complexity and diversity of local climates and economic status, leading to suboptimal outcomes in urban greening programs. Therefore, there is an urgent need to incorporate the diversity and variability of demand for ES in decision-making processes for urban GI planning. To address this issue, this study proposes a multi-development scenario-based supply and demand modelling framework that measures the supply and demand of ES. By using the central city of Tianjin, China, as a case study, the resulting GI construction potential zoning and optimization strategies are determined to achieve the multiple environmental-social-economic benefits of GI. The results show that the supply and demand levels of GI in the study area are significantly spatially heterogeneous, with the demand levels of GI varying considerably under different development scenarios. Furthermore, the demand for GI is highest under the ecological priority scenario. Based on the relationship between the supply and demand of ES, the study area is classified into four zones, including a GI supply deficit zone, a supply surplus zone, a low-level balance zone, and a high-level balance zone. The area of each zone decreases in turn, indicating that the study area as a whole is in a state of mismatch between the supply and demand of ES. Finally, the study area is divided into seven GI construction potential zones based on the degree of scarcity and development orientation. The proposed planning scheme helps to achieve dynamic matching goals of ES supply and demand and provides valuable insights for policymakers to coordinate urban resources and promote sustainable development.

Epistemic justice in flood-adaptive green infrastructure planning: The recognition of local experiential knowledge in Thorncliffe Park, Toronto

Evidence shows that green infrastructure planning relies on technocratic and economic valuation approaches to protect lands of high monetary value against flooding without considering climate justice. Contrasting epistemic justice against recognition and socio-cultural valuation of ecosystem services, this study explores how flood-adaptive green infrastructure planning may recognize and include the local experiential knowledge of under-represented groups. We focus on Thorncliffe Park, a dense tower neighborhood with a low-income immigrant population in Toronto, Canada, to explore: (1) the local experiential knowledge of residents about floods, climate-adaptive green infrastructure, and structural vulnerabilities; (2) the root causes of epistemic injustice in previous adaptive green infrastructure interventions; (3) siting options for future adaptive green infrastructure. The methodology includes 199 online surveys -among Thorncliffe Park's residents and 20 in-depth interviews with local community leaders and Toronto-based planning experts, policy reviews. Additionally, a spatial component consists of 120 online participatory mapping activities and spatial analysis of surface run-offs. Our findings -reveal that Thorncliffe Park residents are excluded from adaptive green infrastructure planning because flood management -remains a technocratic process -grounded in economic valuation approaches and technical justifications. Our findings -indicate that decision-makers have not credited residents’ needs and testimonies over decades due to -historical racial and socio-economic prejudice toward Thorncliffe Park's residents. We also -identify four hermeneutical barriers that prevent residents from impacting decisions, namely a lack of: social networks, citizenship rights, climate awareness opportunities, and communicational tools.

Green infrastructure optimization considering spatial functional zoning in urban stormwater management

Green infrastructure (GI) is used as an alternative and complement to traditional urban drainage system for mitigating urban stormwater issues mainly caused by climate change and urbanization. The combination of hydrological model and optimization algorithm can automatically find the optimal solution under multiple objectives. Given the multi-functional characteristics of GI, choosing the optimization objectives of GI are critical for multiple stakeholders. This study proposes a GI optimization method considering spatial functional zoning. Based on the basic conditions, the study area is divided into the flood risk control zone (FRCZ) and the total runoff control zone (TRCZ). The integrated model coupling hydrological model and optimization algorithm is applied to obtain the Pareto fronts and corresponding non-dominated solutions. The Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method is used to support the decision-making process. The optimal solution obtained for the FRCZ achieves a flood risk reduction rate of 60.49% with an average life cycle cost per year of 0.20 × 108 Chinese Yuan (CNY); The optimal solution obtained for the TRCZ achieves a total runoff reduction rate of 22.83% with an average life cycle cost per year of 0.17 × 108 CNY. This study provides a reference for stakeholders in GI planning and design.

Evaluating the Capability of Woody Plants to Capture Atmospheric Heavy Metals in Budapest

Urban green infrastructure planning plays an important role in aspects of pollution reduction, such as heavy metal trapping. However, the reduction effects are both influenced by the different pollution conditions in each city and the species-specific interaction of trees and pollution. Herein, we investigated three common urban woody plants (Acer platanoides L., Fraxinus excelsior L. Westhof’s Glorie, and Tilia tomentosa Moench) in Budapest to compare their heavy metal trapping abilities from the airborne in leaf dust deposits and leaves. All samples were deconstructed by a wet digestion method. Four high traffic-related heavy metal elements (Zn, Cu, Pb, and Ni) were determined by using an atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS). The investigated results showed that the relevant concentration of all measured elements was constant in all species, namely Zn < Cu < Pb < Ni. Although the total heavy metal content in the dust deposit increased towards the end of one vegetation period, the highest percentage of total metal concentration was in the summer season as the particulate matter sources varied in each season. These indicate that woody plants are ideal candidates for pollution monitoring. All of the evaluated elements were loaded highest in the dust deposit of T. tomentosa during all sampling times, followed by A. platanoides, and the least in F. excelsior. A significant correlation between metal contents in the dust deposit and leaf was found in T. tomentosa (0.926 at a p<0.01 level). Therefore, we suggest T. tomentosa, which has better atmospheric trace element capturing capacity than A. platanoides and F. excelsior and thus it is a better option for pollution reduction in the urban area.