Small Urban Parks Research Articles

Microhabitat coverage influences avian species composition more than habitat heterogeneity in Hong Kong urban parks

The relationship between habitat heterogeneity and diversity can underpin design of urban spaces for biodiversity conservation. The area-heterogeneity trade-off hypothesis predicts that higher habitat heterogeneity should result in an increase in species richness but only up to a point, beyond which habitat micro-fragmentation leads to decreases in species diversity. However, the strength of area-heterogeneity trade-offs at small spatial scales is not well studied. We studied the relationship between avian diversity and habitat heterogeneity in 16 small urban parks across Hong Kong during the winter dry season across 2016 and 2017 (ten repeated surveys in total for each park). Habitat heterogeneity was assessed by measuring the evenness of microhabitat coverage of seven habitats as well as vertical canopy cover. In total, 12,973 individuals of 73 bird species were recorded in the study. Habitat heterogeneity had a small but negligible effect on total bird species richness or abundance. However, water coverage was positively related to total, intermediately rare and habitat specialist bird species richness, and shrub coverage was positively related to total and common bird species richness. These results demonstrate that environmental heterogeneity had little effect on avian species richness in urban green spaces at small spatial scales. We also found that microhabitat coverage can affect avian diversity and abundance, and these effects are specific to certain groups of bird species. When managing urban green spaces for biodiversity conservation in densely urbanized cities, a decrease in management disturbance (e.g. tree topping or pesticide application) will likely benefit avian species. Together with the fact that some locally uncommon species were observed throughout the study, capacity exists for environmental enhancement of these small urban parks to contribute to local avian conservation.

Explorations on cooling effect of small urban linear park design in low-rise, high-density district: The case of Gyeongui line forest park in Seoul

Various types of urban parks provide a nature-based solution for mitigating urban heat islands and the cooling effect of urban parks has been extensively studied. However, there is a scarcity of cases involving small linear parks based on quantifiable unit, despite the expectation of their high cooling efficiency due to their unique form and characteristics. This study examined the cooling effect of urban linear park (LP) in low-rise and high-density districts with the longest urban park case in Seoul, South Korea, Gyeongui Line Forest Park, focusing on the influential factors related to park design. Thermal condition simulations and field measurements, including evaluations of thermal comfort, were conducted both inside and outside the LP. Park extensions with increased tree coverage ratio exhibit a consistent decline in thermal variables, with reductions of up to 11.25°C for mean radiant temperature (MRT), and 5.84°C for physiological equivalent temperature (PET). Peak cooling intensities are observed during the hottest time of day at 12 °C for MRT, with parallel wind further enhancing the cooling effect. In addition, LP cooling effect related to adjacent street types was investigated and appeared to be more pronounced in narrower streets. Strategies such as adding tall trees along adjacent streets and connecting cold airflows from the park to a street tree corridor may help to strengthen LP’s cooling effect. While direct comparisons are limited, initial findings suggest that small urban linear parks under specific conditions have significant cooling potential, possibly comparable to or exceeding that of other similar-sized small urban parks, needing further investigation.

Sustaining tranquility in small urban green parks: A modeling approach to identify noise pollution contributors

Noise pollution poses a significant environmental challenge in Iranian urban areas, particularly within Small Urban Green Parks (SUGPs). This study investigates the extent of noise pollution in SUGPs and identifies key contributors to elevated noise levels. A total of 94 SUGPs, with a mean area of 1.86 ± 0.99 hectares, were selected in Isfahan City, Central Iran, and subjected to 30-m Equivalent Sound Level (Lq30) measurements at their central locations. Explanatory variables were classified into two categories based on road density, traffic volume, proximity to roads, park vegetation, and physical characteristics. The relationship between noise levels and each explanatory variable was observed to be non-linear and polynomial (R2 < 0.334) in certain instances. Our modeling results using the Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP)-Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model (R2 = 0.936) indicate that average noise levels in these parks surpass international guidelines, averaging 65.97 ± 17.76 dB. Traffic volume and proximity to limited access roads were identified as primary factors influencing noise levels in SUGPs. It was observed that the design and layout of small urban parks may not effectively mitigate surrounding traffic noise, even with sufficient green barriers to absorb or block sound. Consequently, future efforts should prioritize strategic site selection for SUGPs to minimize exposure to major noise sources.

GREENING THE CITY: CRITERIA AND INDICATORS FOR EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SMALL URBAN PARKS IN PROMOTING URBAN RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE

As cities face the challenges of climate change, small urban parks offer a promising solution for promoting urban resilience. These parks can mitigate the impacts of climate change by providing carbon sequestration, reducing the urban heat island effect, and improving stormwater management. They can also serve as a key adaptation strategy by providing shade and cooling, reducing air pollution, and enhancing social cohesion and community engagement. However, there is a need for criteria and indicators that can guide the design, implementation, and management of small urban parks for climate change mitigation and adaptation. This paper proposes a set of criteria and indicators that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of small urban parks in promoting urban resilience. The criteria include ecological, social, economic, governance dimensions, and the indicators are measurable, relevant, and practical. The proposed framework can support decision-making processes for planners, policymakers, and practitioners to prioritise and allocate resources for small urban parks that can contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation in cities.

Research on the process of realizing the Small Urban Parks in Tokyo Reconstruction Project

Research on the process of realizing the Small Urban Parks in Tokyo Reconstruction Project

Importance of small urban parks towards becoming low-carbon cities: Analyzing Malaysian policies and strategies for climate change mitigation

With urban expansion and densification escalating, Small Urban Parks (SUPs) have emerged as crucial components in urban landscapes, offering diverse ecosystem benefits. This paper aims to achieve two primary objectives: (i) conduct an extensive analysis of Malaysia's national climate and planning policies, evaluating their incorporation of preservation open spaces and interconnected climate change considerations, and (ii) explore sustainable strategies for SUP management, underlining their contribution to cultivating green, low-carbon urban environments. The study employs a content analysis approach to examine Malaysia's environmental policy documents, gauging their alignment with the objective of utilizing open spaces for climate change mitigation. The findings emphasize the importance of embedding SUPs in urban planning as a strategic approach to carbon sequestration and highlight the pivotal role of local authorities in realizing a carbon-neutral urban vision by 2050. Supported by robust policy frameworks and grassroots endeavors, urban green spaces, regardless of their size, can make significant strides towards a sustainable urban future.

Seasonal variations in urban park characteristics and visitation patterns in Atlanta: A big data study using smartphone user mobility

Urban parks are essential for physical activity and health enhancement of local residents. Although previous research has explored the utilization of the urban parks, seasonal oscillations in visitation to small and medium-size urban parks have received scant attention. Utilizing long-time smartphone mobile data, this study investigated park visitation patterns in 84 Atlanta parks. In this article, seasonal variations in park visitation and the correlation between park visiting patterns and park attributes were evaluated. Using fixed-effect regression, we modeled the effects of socioeconomic, climatic, and park attributes on park visiting patterns. The results indicated that park visitor volume and park service areas were significantly influenced by seasonal variations. Facilities, pavements, and scale facilitated visitor volume, while water bodies and landscapes enhanced the park's accessibility from a distance. The landscape design of the park was a significant factor during the summer season, rather than autumn and winter, which were mostly influenced by the availability of playgrounds and recreational facilities. Seasonal patterns of resident visitation varied among parks and interacted with park qualities. This study is expected to inform future design and research of urban parks by addressing specific characteristics of parks and to provide resources in response to dynamic patterns of park access that surpass generic norms.

Tactical urban pocket parks (TUPPs) for subjective and objective multi-domain comfort enhancement

Cities face growing anthropogenic overheating phenomena, such as Urban Heat Island Effect and more intense and frequent heatwaves, impacting livability and wellbeing of local citizens and tourists. To mitigate such effects, passive mitigation strategies have been widely studied in the past decades, to be integrated within the built environment. The insertion of green areas, i.e. parks, in urban areas is among the most common passive strategies, however it presents numerous challenges, as traditional parks are difficult to insert in an existing packed urban texture. Hence, in this study, we examine the significance of strategic small urban parks related to various construction types. These parks can be seamlessly integrated through tactical urbanism interventions to enhance both the objective and subjective perception of overall comfort. By coupling human-centric microclimate monitoring campaigns in the small parks and surrounding blocks (objective analysis) with questionnaire surveys to parks’ users (subjective multidomain analysis) we aim at assessing their effectiveness. Results show that Tactical Urban Pocket Parks (TUPP) can slightly improve objective whole comfort and significantly enhance the improvement of subjective comfort (from neutral/bad to good/very good).

Collections of small urban parks consistently support higher species richness but not higher phylogenetic or functional diversity.

When prioritizing regions for conservation protection, decisions are often based on the principle that a single large reserve should support more species than several small reserves of the same total area (SLOSS). This principle remains a central paradigm in conservation planning despite conflicting empirical evidence and methodological concerns. In urban areas where small parks tend to dominate and policies to promote biodiversity are becoming increasingly popular, determining the most appropriate prioritization method is critical. Here, we document the role of SLOSS in defining the seasonal diversity of birds in 475 parks in 21 US cities. Collections of small parks were consistently associated with higher species richness, spatial turnover and rarity. Collections of both small and large parks were associated with higher phylogenetic and functional diversity whose patterns varied across seasons and cities. Thus, collections of small parks are a reliable source of species richness driven by higher spatial turnover and rarity, whereas collections of both small and large parks contain the potential to support higher phylogenetic and functional diversity. The presence of strong intra-annual and geographical variation emphasizes the need for regional prioritization strategies, where multiple diversity metrics are examined across parks and seasons.

Investigating the spatial distribution of urban parks from the perspective of equity-efficiency: Evidence from Chengdu, China

Urban parks play a crucial role in urban public green infrastructure, providing recreational places for urban residents while carrying values of aesthetics, ecology, humanities, economy, life, and society. However, achieving an equitable and efficient spatial layout of urban parks is a challenging task due to limited urban space resources, which requires further exploration. This study employed multisource big data and GIS technology to constructed an indicator system for evaluating the equity-efficiency of urban park spatial distribution. We examined the spatial distribution of 85 parks across 62 sub-districts in the main urban area of Chengdu, the largest city in western China and the first Park City of China. The results demonstrated that equity was polarized, with an indicator value ranging from 0 to 0.77 and an average value of 0.32. The sub-district of Sansheng had the highest equity, while Wenjia and Kanghe had the lowest equity. Twenty-one sub-districts had no parks, and the equity of park spatial distribution in these areas was low. The efficiency indicator ranged from 0.20 to 0.62, with an average value of 0.40. The efficiency of the main urban area was high in the southwest and low in the northeast. The sub-district of Huangtianba had the highest efficiency, while Jinguanyi had the lowest efficiency. In the two-dimensional quadrant of equity-efficiency, 24 sub-districts had high equity and high efficiency, 13 sub-districts had high equity and low efficiency, 4 sub-districts had low equity and high efficiency, and 21 sub-districts had low equity and low efficiency. At the district level, only Chenghua District’s park was spatial equitable and efficient, surpassing the average level of the main urban area. Finally, we discussed the findings in the context of planning policies for Chengdu in recent years. We proposed that strengthening the construction of small urban parks and green spaces, improving park facilities to meet the diverse social needs of people, and enhancing the quality and attractiveness of the parks are crucial for the future development of park green spaces in the main urban areas of Chengdu.

Exploring the use and perceptions of inner-city small urban parks: A case study of Budapest, Hungary

Globally, accelerating urbanization has led to a severe shortage of urban green spaces. This scarcity is particularly acute in inner cities with high population densities and ratios of built-up areas. To explore park visitors’ usage and perceptions, we present the results of a survey of 681 individuals from different socioeconomic groups conducted in four small urban parks in Budapest, Hungary’s capital. The survey results found that people living near the block parks were their primary users, but many people from distant areas also visited the parks due to their good accessibility. In addition, findings show that the green components of the parks were generally more satisfactory to users than other amenities, indicating higher quality expectations for cultural ecosystem services in small urban green spaces. However, perceptions of park safety varied across socioeconomic groups, suggesting that views of safety did not necessarily reflect actual park security. Finally, while most respondents stated they would not want to contribute to park maintenance, young people, particularly neighborhood newcomers, showed greater willingness to volunteer for such work.

Temporal patterns of breeding bird assemblages in small urban parks reveal relatively low stability and asynchrony

Temporal patterns of breeding bird assemblages in small urban parks reveal relatively low stability and asynchrony

Bird community responses to urbanization in a medium-sized Argentine city: Santo Tomé (Santa Fe Province) as a case study

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Urbanization transforms the landscape and consequently affects biodiversity. Cities are heterogeneous landscapes due to a differential distribution of human activities, infrastructure, and vegetation composition. Bird assemblages vary according to such variations. In Argentina, assessments of the effect of urbanization on bird assemblages come from large capital cities, whereas in intermediate-size cities studies are scarce. Intermediate-size cities present higher growth rates than capital cities. Studies on the effect of Urban Land Uses (ULU) can contribute to the planning of urban growth. We evaluated the variation in taxonomic diversity of bird assemblages at different ULUs in Santo Tomé, an Argentine city of 66 133 inhabitants. We performed bird counts in seven ULUs (the centre, the suburban sector, the peri-urban sector, small urban parks, the military base, the riverside walkway, and the urban reserve). In each ULU, we located 10 transects of 100 m long x 50 m wide. In each transect we recorded bird species and their abundance and the number of pedestrians and vehicles. Taxonomic diversity varied among the different ULUs. The centre presented the lowest richness and diversity, in contrast to the highest values for these variables found in the riverside walkway and the urban reserve. The rest of the ULU presented intermediate levels of richness and diversity. The structure and composition of bird assemblages varied among ULUs. Our study reinforces the importance of ULU characterized by high vegetation cover, low levels of human activity, and with vegetation management for conservation purposes.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Understanding the relationship between small urban parks and mental health: A case study in Shanghai, China

The literature to date has mainly explored the impact on public mental health of green spaces around residential areas, large urban parks, family gardens, blue spaces, national parks, etc., while few studies have examined the association of Small Urban Green Spaces (SUGS) with public mental health. The role, function, and service radius of SUGS in urban people’s lives are quite different from those of general green spaces, and the relationship and mechanism linking general green spaces to mental health cannot be fully applied to small parks. This work was conducted to: 1) investigate the relationship between SUGS and mental health; 2) understand what factors affect mental health; 3) determine what kind of SUGS is more conducive to improving mental health. SUGS’ designs and physical characteristics were evaluated with the Natural Environment Scoring Tool (NEST) and user information for 10 SUGS (1–5 ha) in Shanghai in 2021 was collected via a questionnaire. We developed a multilevel model for exploring the factors affecting mental health from two aspects: the individual level and the park level. This study found that SUGS and mental health were positively associated. In addition to individual–level variables like income, marital status, social cohesion, and use frequency, park–level variables such as usability, aesthetics–natural features, and civilized environment are also conducive to improving mental health, while entertainment facilities in SUGS have a negative association with mental health. There was no evidence that visit frequency, stay time, social cohesion, or physical exercise act as a mediator between park features and mental health. This study provides empirical evidence for the positive correlation between SUGS and mental health and presents a means of promoting public mental health with efficient SUGS planning and management.

Monetary evaluation of supporting ecosystem services as a habitat provider for birds in Thailand urban park

Abstract. Yarnvudhi A, Leksungnoen N, Siri S, Ponpithuk Y, Sukmasuang R, Duengkae P, Pongcharoen C, Sutummawong N, Marod D, Wachrinrat C, Premashthira A, Tor-ngern P, Poungcharean S, Hermuk S, Kachina P. 2022. Monetary evaluation of supporting ecosystem services as a habitat provider for birds in Thailand urban park. Biodiversitas 23: 4747-4758. Supporting services are important services to maintain ecosystems by providing habitats for organisms and genetic diversity. In this study, the monetary value of supporting services for bird habitats in urban parks was evaluated based on the price for nursing each bird species and market value. Bird diversity was conducted using point count observation. We found total of 53 bird species, 27 families and 8 orders in the park. Total monetary benefit for bird habitats in this park was estimated to be around USD60,354.12 per individual bird with an average value of USD1,138.76 per bird per species. The top three species with the highest monetary value were the Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala), Asian Openbill (Anastomus oscitans), and Chinese Pond Heron (Ardeola bacchus). The species diversity index of the bird community (H') was 2.73 and the most abundant bird species were Eastern Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis), Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus), Eastern jungle crow (Corvus levaillantii), Oriental magpie robin (Copsychus saularis), and Coppersmith Barbet (Psilopogon haemacephalus). Among 4 microhabitats, birds were found the most in the trees, followed by lawn, grassland, and wetland areas. The small urban parks should be designed with diverse microhabitats to provide various ecological functions to attract and ensure adequate resources for organisms.

Learning from Older Adults’ Use of Urban Parks in Hong Kong’s Low-income Areas

Spatial justice, specifically accessibility, Universal Design and the fulfilment of human rights for vulnerable groups are increasingly important issues in urban research and city-level agendas concerning public spaces. Although the development of older adult–friendly urban environments is part of the agenda to promote healthy ageing societies, public spaces (e.g., urban parks) often exclude those in the advanced age group in the community. This article aims to clarify the everyday activities of older adults in urban parks by focusing on the extreme case of Sham Shui Po. Sham Shui Po is a low-income, high-density and public space–scarce neighbourhood in Hong Kong, a city characterised by a rapidly ageing population and high socio-spatial inequality. Through on-site observations and notetaking, two small urban parks, namely the Nam Cheong Street Park (NCSA) and Tai Hung Tang Park (THTP), were studied. NCSA, located in a congested vehicular street median, is predominantly for social activities. It forms a part of the daily route of residents and inhabitants from different ethnicities. Unaccompanied older adults, with limited mobilities, regularly use NCSA to navigate the neighbourhood. THTP is a site for older adults to engage in physical activities and also accommodates large groups and caregivers. Defensive architecture and design layout may affect the group size in the parks, while sittable edges may directly contribute to the park use by older adults with physical impairment, particularly near street crossings. The findings from this extreme neighbourhood highlight the critical role of landscape infrastructure for healthy ageing societies.&#x0D; &#x0D; Read the full article in accessible html-format here.

Urban bird diversity: does abundance and richness vary unexpectedly with green space attributes?

Abstract Urban bird diversity has been shown to be a useful indicator of overall biodiversity in urban green spaces. Attributes of green spaces (size, location and age) vary within a city and can influence bird diversity. To understand the relationship between bird diversity and green space attributes, we assessed bird abundance and richness in several green spaces in Reykjavik, Iceland. Fifteen green spaces were selected, representing different size categories (small: &amp;lt;5 ha and large: 7–41 ha) and different locations within the urban sprawl (central and suburban). Thirteen transect surveys were conducted at each park from March to September 2020. Abundance, species richness, the Shannon diversity index and evenness were compared across parks. Abundance, Shannon index and evenness were significantly higher in large, intermediate-aged parks with residential urban contexts (P &amp;lt; 0.05). Richness did not vary significantly with park size but was significantly higher in old- and intermediate-age parks that were centrally located (P &amp;lt; 0.005). Bird diversity did not vary significantly over the survey season. For abundance, our results were expected: the larger the park, the greater the abundance. However, contrary to most studies, the suburbs of Reykjavik had less richness than the city center. Furthermore, park size was not relevant for richness, which is the main factor in other cities (e.g. London, Boston). These differences in response indicate that abundance and richness should be considered simultaneously when monitoring urban bird diversity. Lastly, small urban parks (&amp;lt;5 ha) should not be disregarded in urban planning, especially in high latitude cities.

Wearable sensing techniques to understand pedestrian-level outdoor microclimate affecting heat related risk in urban parks

Around the world people are rapidly moving to cities. The rapid urbanization has led to changes in land use and land cover, which (i) modify the urban surface energy balance making the cities hotter than the surrounding rural area, (ii) exacerbate the impact of extreme weather events like heatwaves and (iii) lead to poor quality of life. City administrations around the world are undertaking drastic measures to mitigate extreme heat. Here, in this study we test a wearable sensing platform to both study pedestrian-level microclimate boundary conditions as well as the impact of urban greening on moderating excess heat in dense urban areas. The experiment presented here was conducted in New York City. Typically, the urban thermal state is estimated by means of direct observations from ground-based sensors, satellite based remote sensing techniques, and high-resolution urban climate modeling, all of which are too coarse to resolve pedestrian-level impacts, a key parameter in determining heat stress for citizens occupying the outdoors. Here a wearable and a portable sensing apparata were used to monitor key environmental parameters - air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, mean radiant temperature and solar radiation. The coupled monitoring platform included multiple sensors and a wireless data logging system which were all prototyped by the authors on open source technologies. The sensor platform was able to accurately map the thermal environment of multiple dense urban spaces, being to reproduce the spatial variability in key microclimate parameters, and the performance was comparable to traditional stationary ground-based weather stations. The results, which may be of key help also for validating microclimate forecasting models, indicate high spatial variability in temperature, humidity and solar radiation within the same urban parks. Our findings also indicate that on average small urban parks in a dense urban setting were able to reduce the air temperature by 3–7 °C in New York City with major gains during the mid-afternoon periods.

The motivation and factors influencing visits to small urban parks in Shanghai, China

In densely populated cities with high-rise buildings, large green spaces are a limited resource, and it is hard to visit large green spaces frequently due to long distance from places of residence. Small Urban Green Space (SUGS) in dense city areas might contribute to satisfy the need for everyday experiences of outdoor areas, but the study on SUGS use is limited, in particular in Asian contexts.The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of socio-demographic factors, personal factors, spatial attributes of residence, and satisfaction with park features on the use of SUGS and sources of motivation for visiting SUGS. Data were collected through face-to-face survey, and were analyzed using a hierarchical regression model. Results showed that relaxation and rest (36 %), physical exercise (23 %), and meeting friends (21 %) were the three most widespread reasons for SUGS use. The results indicated that socio-demographic factors, personal factors, spatial attributes of residence and park features factors explained 23 %, 2%, 25.6 % and 3% of the total variance in frequency of park visitation, respectively. Age, being willing to spend time in nature, with child under 7 years, noise and facility were positively correlated with SUGS use. Income,distance from home to the park, and residential green spaces were negatively correlated with SUGS use.Our findings are expected to assist urban planners in creating guidelines to better utilize SUGS.

Factors contributing to the usage of pocket parks―A review of the evidence

This paper presents a summary of empirical evidence drawn from a literature review on the factors contributing to people using the pocket parks. Initial findings indicate that pocket parks play a significant role by providing access to nature for individuals living in urban areas. This paper provides an evidence-based approach to the usage and benefits of pocket parks by applying the SE-Model approach. This review includes 15 papers on pocket parks, obtained from electronic journal databases such as Scopus, Science Direct, Springer Link, SAGE Journals and Google Scholar sort by relevance containing key words such as pocket parks, vest-pocket parks, small public urban green space, small urban parks, use as well as usage of pocket parks. Selection was restricted to peer-reviewed publications related to pocket parks usage. The authors analysed these literatures for its sample characteristics, data collection, sampling method, data analysis and the main study finding. This review reveals an increase in research on the usage of pocket parks published in peer-reviewed journals in the recent years and a strong geographic bias. The selected studies have consistently reported on the importance of pocket parks for mental well-being, predominantly, followed by social benefits, however limited study approached the potential of pocket parks for physical activities. Physical components (green ground cover, bushes, trees, flower beds, water features) and Perceived Environment (preference for greener view; calm atmosphere; safety) are mostly reported to be highly associated with human health.