Green Space System Research Articles

Research on the Expansion of Maintenance and Management Entities in Green Spaces using the Civic Green Space System

Research on the Expansion of Maintenance and Management Entities in Green Spaces using the Civic Green Space System

Evaluation of Open and Green Space Systems in the Context of Urban Livability

Urban that has overgrown in recent years have affected human lifestyle and ecological balance in a negative way. Open and green spaces decreased. With this, unhealthy urban conditions occur. Therefore, urban is becoming more unlivable. The aim of this study, starting from the problem of insufficient/unqualified open and green areas in urban, is to show that cities are more livable when the open and green spaces system is designed. The “top 10 livable cities” ranking the world cities are listed by 6 different institutions and the same cities included in this list are selected. The open and green areas of 4 different selected cities were examined. In the scope, two basic concepts are based on: open-green space systems and urban livability. As a result of the study, it has been seen that open and green space systems affect cities more livable. Therefore, open and green areas are planned systematically for maximum benefit with a sustainable approach. However, systems also need new approaches at some points. At this point, a hypothetical open green space system is proposed in this study. The concept of urban liveability and open and green spaces, an index of urban liveability, are explained. Then, open and green space systems in the literature are clarified with examples. To show the relationship between urban liveability and open green spaces, the research results done by different institutions, the most overlapping cities have been selected according to the top 10 list of most liveable cities list. The value of this study to make itself original and the literature contribution is that at the end of the research, a new open and green system was suggested based on the open and green systems in the literature.

Development of a system of green spaces in a small city using the example of Chistopol

The development of a system of green spaces in small historical cities is considered on the example of the city of Chistopol. Based on urban planning analysis, the features of the city’s green infrastructure were identified, and the specifics of its functional planning and landscaping were determined. The characteristic techniques employed in arranging the components of the system of green spaces are highlighted. The result of the study is a functional planning model for development of landscaping infrastructure, which was tested in the central part of Chistopol.

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FAMILY SALICACEAE MIRB. IN THE GREEN SPACES OF THE CITY OF KRYVYI RIH (DNIPROPETROVSK REGION)

Introduction. To stabilize and optimize the urban environment, it is possible only by maintaining a high level of plant activity. In the system of green spaces of cities, woody plants play the main role in shaping the environment. Among the deciduous woody plants of the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere, species of the family Salicaceae Mirb. are among the most used in landscaping. Fast growth, phytoncide qualities, resistance to air pollution and unpretentiousness to soils – all this contributed to the use of Salicaceae in garden and park architecture. The study of their ecological and aesthetic role in modern urban complexes is timely and relevant. Aim. The purpose of our work was to investigate representative species of the family Salicaceae Mirb., used in the landscaping of the city of Kryvyi Rih, as well as their vital state and morphometric characteristics. Methods. The study of the real state of green spaces was carried out by the method of route surveys using the methods of landscape taxation. The degree of spread of a species or a cultivar was determined by the occurrence rate of the species, which was calculated by the ratio of the number of parks (squares) with a given species to the total number of them, expressed as a percentage. The viability of trees was determined according to the scale of viability of tree species in protected plantations by L. Savelyeva. Main results. Among the angiosperms, one of the most abundantly represented in the landscaping of parks and squares of Kryvyi Rih is the family Salicaceae Mirb. In the city’s green spaces, species and cultivars from two genera are widely used. The genus Salix L. is represented by 5 species Salix acutifolia Willd., S. alba L., S. babylonica L., S. exelsa S. G. Gmel., S. fragilis L. and 2 decorative forms of S. alba ‘Vitellina pendula’ Rehd., S. matsudana Koidz. ‘Tortuosa’. At the same time, the genus Populus L., in the green spaces of the city, is represented more widely and includes 9 species: Populus alba L., P. balsamifera L., P. bolleana Lauche, P. deltoides Marsh., P. italica (Du Roi) Moench, P. nigra L., P. simonii Carr., P. tremula L., P. trichocarpa Torr. et Gray and 2 hybrids – P. x berolinensis Dipp., P. x wettsteinii. In the course of research, it was ascertained that willows and poplars in the city’s parks are used unevenly, therefore, according to the degree of distribution, they can be divided into three categories: I category – the most common species that occur in 32-50 landscaping objects (degree of distribution – 27.6-43.1%); II category – moderately common species occurring in 7-20 landscaping objects (prevalence rate – 6–17.2%); ІІІ category – rare species growing in 1-4 landscaping objects (degree of distribution – 0.9-3.5%). The first category includes P. italica (Du Roi) Moench, P. deltoides Marsh., P. bolleana Lauche, P. nigra L. and S. alba ‘Vitellina pendula’ Rehd., which grow in almost half of the studied parks and city parks. According to the predominance of types of plantings, the following series can be built: group plantings → individual specimens → plantings in rows → massifs → alley plantings. The second category includes P. simonii Carr., S. alba L., S. babylonica L., S. matsudana Koidz. ‘Tortuosa’, S. fragilis and P. alba L. The third category consists of rare species: S. acutifolia Willd., S. excelsa S. G. Gmel. and P. tremula L., P. trichocarpa Torr. et Gray, P. balsamifera L. and the hybrid P. x wettsteinii. For the first time, information on the distribution of willows and poplars was studied and summarized in the cultivated coenoses of the Right Bank Steppe of the Dnieper region, using the example of a large industrial city, and their main morphometric characteristics were determined. The obtained data make it possible to improve planning for the use of promising species, hybrids and forms of the family Salicaceae Mirb. with the aim of enriching the value of green spaces of parks and squares in the conditions of the Right Bank Steppe of the Dnieper region. Most representatives of the family Salicaceae Mirb. passed the initial test in the conditions of the introduction area, showed satisfactory adaptability and average points of life status. The exceptions are the poplar cultivars P. ‘Hradizhzka’, P. ‘Sacrau-59’ and P. ‘Keliberdynska’, which at the age of 20 years are in excellent condition and have the highest viability rate.

PROBLEMS OF SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT OF SKHIDNYTSIA BALNEOLOGICAL RESORT IN LVIV REGION

Skhidnytsia is a new resort in Lviv region that is developing rapidly due to its unique health and recreational resources and location in the Truskavets sub-region. Skhidnytsia has a number of functional and environmental problems due to the peculiarities of the spatial organization of its resort area. Skhidnytsia's resort area has a dispersed, scattered character. This is a set of unevenly distributed territories of autonomous health resort and recreational facilities with limited access for other vacationers. The entire space of the village functions as a resort due to the lack of a public resort area and turns into a field of conflict between permanent residents and resort guests. The interests of treatment, recreation and other economic activities intersect here. Unorganized movement and recreation have a negative impact on the surrounding natural landscapes and balneological resources.
 Today, Skhidnytsia needs a comprehensive urban planning approach to reforming and developing its resort environment. The actual tasks of the spatial reorganization of the existing resort area of Skhidnytsia are: connecting all resort areas with landscape and walking routes into a single planning system, creating a new resort-wide service center for vacationers, developing a resort-wide system of green spaces for mass recreation, improving and developing transport, engineering and resort infrastructure. The priority should be a comprehensive urban planning approach to the spatial development of the Skhidnytsia resort area, which can combine all local efforts and partial solutions of private developers, eliminating inconsistencies in the development and construction of individual resort areas.

Research on urban three-dimensional greening design from the perspective of climate change—a case study of Beilin District, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China

Climate change is an important issue for cities today and in the future. At present, China has a large population and complex climate conditions, and cities are also vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change (Tian, Environ Sustain Dev 6: 153-155 2020). Three-dimensional greening can not only improve the green space system of a city but also have a far-reaching impact on the ecology, image, and economic benefits of a city. Therefore, the study of urban three-dimensional greening is an effective means to deal with climate change strategies. By exploring the influence of traditional greening and three-dimensional greening on Local Climate in Beilin District of Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, the mechanism of three-dimensional greening on urban ecological environment was discussed, and the ecological theory, urban three-dimensional greening theory, and urban local climate zone (LCZ) were referred to. Based on the methods of national climate monitoring, ENVI-met simulation, and field independent measurement, this paper selected a research sample site in the east section of Jianshe Road, Beilin District, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China, and applied ENVI-met software to simulate the thermal stress relationship among building exterior surfaces, plants, and air in the street; quantified the overall ecology of the area; and used measuring instruments. The influence of different types of greening in the base on the site temperature, humidity, CO2 (carbon dioxide) concentration, wind speed, and other climate factors data was, respectively, measured and analyzed. The grid analysis was used to compare the traditional greening and three-dimensional greening, then the numerical differences of each impact factor were sorted out, and the effect of three-dimensional greening on the improvement of urban ecological environment was discussed by analyzing the climate factors with greater impact. The results show that (1) three-dimensional greening plus traditional greening is the most beneficial mode; (2) in the same environment, according to the parameter of 1.5 m from the ground in the model environment, it can be seen that the temperature of the space treated with three-dimensional greening of buildings is reduced by 3.5–3.6 ℃ compared with the control group, the relative humidity is different by 7–8%, the CO2 concentration is reduced by about 5%, and the spatial wind speed is relatively small. (3) When the urban green coverage rate is more than 40%, the improvement of temperature is more obvious, if it reaches 50%, the cool phenomenon in summer can be fundamentally changed. From the perspective of human perception, the PMV index increased by 0.27 on average. This paper discusses and analyzes the three-dimensional greening of urban streets in Beilin District, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China, and studies its influence on urban ecology to different degrees. The conclusions are as follows: Different types of greening have different degrees of influence on urban climate. Meanwhile, the experimental results of this paper show that in cities like Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China, where summer is hot, adding three-dimensional greening to traditional street greening can significantly improve the environmental microclimate, which is an effective means to cope with climate change, improve the site environment, and stabilize the urban ecosystem.

Demand-Led Optimization of Urban Park Services

As the demand for cultural and recreational services grows, the mismatch between the supply and demand of park services significantly affects residents’ well-being. Optimizing the spatial layout of park services is a focal point of urban park and green space research. Taking Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, as a case study, this research analyzes the spatial patterns and balance of park service supply and demand. Utilizing the Grey Wolf Optimization Model optimized by the K-Nearest Neighbor Model (GWO-KNN), this study proposes construction objectives for optimizing park services. The results indicate the following: (1) significant differences exist in the park service demands of residents in different residential environments; (2) there is a noticeable spatial disparity in park service supply among various residential areas with an overall positive correlation between park service supply levels and resident demands, yet an imbalance exists; (3) this study categorizes spatial types into low-service coordination, high-service coordination, low-service imbalance, and high-service imbalance; (4) the GWO-KNN Model is applied with optimization objectives being the innovative aspect of this study. Strategies for each park category are proposed: emphasizing suburban park construction by utilizing surrounding green resources and adding diverse facilities; introducing facilities friendly to vulnerable groups to meet the needs of diverse populations; enhancing the complementary advantages between “new” and “old” cities by moderately increasing park sizes and improving cultural and facility development levels; optimizing spatial structure with limited land resources to construct an urban park network system. This study aims to provide theoretical and technical support for optimizing urban park and green space systems.

Mapping urban green equity and analysing its impacted mechanisms: A novel approach

Current assessment methods of Urban green equity (UGE) ignore the social differentiation of urban space, which may lead to a misallocation of green space resources, exacerbating differentiation, and potentially giving rise to green gentrification (GG). This study employs a novel evaluation framework and approach for UGE, considering the impact of landscape and greening on Spatial Differentiation of Residential Areas (SDORA), to evaluate the UGE of the west bank core area in Changsha city, Hunan Province, China, and explores its influencing mechanisms. The results show that (1) The study area exhibits significant greening differentiation, and residential areas with high property prices have higher quality landscapes and greening than those with low property prices. (2) The region displays significant green equity disparity (GEI = 0.497) and GG. (3) The cumulative contribution of landscape and greening to SDORA reaches 39.04 %, with the features of water body and mountain proximity as well as accessibility having the most significant impact on urban green space differentiation. This study enhances the understanding of UGE assessment, emphasizing the importance of considering spatial differentiation during UGE evaluation, and provides technical support and scientific guidance for the planning and construction of urban green space systems.

Assessment of Soil Fertility Status in Greenhouses (On the Example of the Enterprise for Municipal Improvement and Amenity Planting of Osh City, Kyrgyz Republic)

This article discusses the environmental problems of the country, which worsen the state of the environment and the health of residents of large cities of Kyrgyzstan. The possibility of improving the environmental situation in cities is being considered. Studies of the state of soils in the territories for planting green spaces have been carried out. The issues of formation of a favorable environment in urban conditions are considered. Types of plant pathology have been identified. Techniques for increasing the stability of artificial plantings have been developed. Recommendations for improving the efficiency of the urban green space system are proposed.

Construction of Multi-Level Ecological Security Pattern for World Natural Heritage Sites from the Perspective of Coupling and Coordination between Humans and Nature: A Case Study of Shilin Yi Autonomous County, China

Building ecological networks (ENs) is an important means to guarantee regional ecological security and achieve sustainable urban development. Development of ENs usually occurs at the county- or urban-area-scale, and there is a lack of linkage between ENs at different levels. Based on the systematic analysis of local environmental characteristics and ecological mechanisms of action in karst areas, the ENs at the county and urban areas levels are combined to build an ecological security pattern (ESP) for Shilin Yi Autonomous County (SYAC), a World Natural Heritage site. The results show that there are 18 Ecological resources in SYAC, with a total area of 326.512 km2 and 29 ecological corridors. In the northern part of the county, an absence of ecological resources and corridors occurred due to the fragmentation of landscape patches and poor ecological service functionality. In this study, three new ecological resources and seven corridors were added in the northern part of the county according to the patch area and landscape connectivity index (PALCI) to balance the layout of ecological resources and corridors in SYAC and improve regional habitat quality. In addition, a total of eight cultural and natural resources were identified in the urban areas of SYAC, and ten cultural and natural landscape corridors were identified. By overlaying the ENs of the county and the urban areas, we identified 3.977 km2 of Material Exchange Conversion Zone, 12.6593 km2 of Priority Restoration Zone, and ten Ecological Stepping Stones. This work helps to establish the interface between the upper and lower levels of the network, and correct for deficiencies of conflicting ecological processes at different levels, and integrate existing green-space system planning research about karst terrains.

ФОРМУВАННЯ ТА ТРАНСФОРМАЦІЯ ЗЕЛЕНОЇ ІНФРАСТРУКТУРИ ЖИТЛОВОГО РАЙОНУ ТАЇРОВА, М. ОДЕСА, УКРАЇНА

The article examines the historical formation of Odesa and the Tairov residential area, as well as architectural and urban planning solutions for green infrastructure of the Soviet period, and demonstrates a project proposal for a functional and planning system of green spaces of Soviet urban planning in the Tairov area. The current state and transformation of green spaces and how they affect the social aspect of residents are revealed. The analysis of the planned master plans and existing buildings allows us to conclude that, unlike the Cheremushky district, many of the plans were not implemented during the construction of the Tairova settlement, namely: green boulevards within microdistricts, courtyard solutions and landscaping, series and configurations of residential buildings on individual plots. The main feature of a high-quality green space system is the creation of comfortable living and recreational conditions for the population. The basis for obtaining a high-quality living environment is compliance with established architectural, planning, sanitary and engineering recommendations and standards that regulate the general functional and compositional solutions, location of green, blue, transport and pedestrian, and social infrastructure. In the process of urban development, green areas have traditionally been aimed at improving sanitary conditions for residents. They helped clean the air from harmful substances and provided places for recreation. Properly planned green areas make an important contribution to the aesthetic appearance of the neighborhood and create psychological comfort for residents. The main problems of the green network, which were identified in the process of transformation of the Tairova district, are outlined.

Visual assessment of historic landmarks based on GIS and survey: a study of view and viewing of Tiger Hill in Suzhou, China

ABSTRACT The protection and balance of visibility and the visual interface of urban historic landmarks has been widely regarded in urban development and expansion. Taking Tiger Hill in Suzhou, China as an example, this study evaluates its visual characteristic from two perspectives: view and viewing. From the “view” perspective, changes in visibility as a viewing object are compared by cumulative viewshed analysis in ArcGIS. Additionally, a visual preference questionnaire is applied to determine the threshold (1.2 km) at which Tiger Hill becomes an object of attention. Based on the urban green space system planning map of Suzhou, the study selects green spaces that offer suitable viewing conditions. From the “viewing” perspective, Tiger Hill is considered a viewpoint for climbing and viewing, and a 3D city model is used to compare the changes in the visual interface of the mountains in the south and west of Suzhou from the top of Tiger Hill. Lastly, based on the “Two-thirds Rule”, the study calculates the maximum allowable building height within the field of vision and compares it with the existing building heights. The research provides a reference for the evaluation and improvement of the visual quality of urban historic landmarks.

Study of Centrality Measures in the Network of Green Spaces in the City of Krakow

Access to and interaction with natural blue or green spaces is a critical factor in quality of life and overall well-being. Studies have shown that exposure to natural areas has health benefits for individuals and society. Incorporating interconnected natural ecosystems into the urban fabric is recognized as a means of building urban resilience and mitigating climate change. It is therefore essential to strengthen and expand existing networks. Mathematical measures of centrality provide a valuable approach to analyzing networks, based on the assumption that certain nodes are more central due to better connectivity. However, due to their complexity, centrality measures are not widely used in urban planning studies, and no research has been conducted in specific Polish conditions. This study aims to fill this gap by testing the usefulness of centrality measures in Krakow’s system of green spaces. The results show that there are few well-connected green areas and that the centrality measures vary. The information provided by this study can contribute to a better understanding of the spatial distribution of green spaces in Krakow and in future to better management and decision-making processes aimed at improving the accessibility of green spaces and the quality of life of residents.

Ecological assessment of acoustic pollution of the city of Lviv and the effec-tiveness of noise measures

Anthropogenic and functional heterogeneities of urban landscapes contribute to the formation of local noise load centers. In cities, the acoustic background is multifactorial, that is, it is covered by different types of noise sources. However, the growth of traffic in cities is the first reason for the increase in noise pollution. Real-time studies of the traffic load of selected areas of the city, their acoustic load and the effectiveness of implemented noise protection devices (installation of noise protection screens) were conducted. The areas where the noise load of urban landscapes of Lviv was determined were selected taking into account the combination of different types of noise (automotive, automotive-railway, industrial-automotive) and the evaluation of the effectiveness of noise protection devices implemented nearby. Environmental assessment of the noise load of urban landscapes of Lviv showed in most cases that the equivalent and maximum noise levels were exceeded. The greatest noise pollution was on the street. The source level at the time of train movement is 88.2 dBA. For sections 1 and 2 (Lypinsky Str.), where automobile noise dominates, the exceedance of acoustic norms was within 7.5–13.4 dBA. For these areas, the average daily traffic load was determined to be 436 and 302 cars/hour, with the share of passenger cars of 73.2 and 79.6 %, respectively, of the total traffic flow. Modern urban planning should take into account noise pollution on a par with other factors of anthropogenic influence and visual aesthetics, because the constant noise background determines the degree of suitability of the urban landscape for living. The most common noise protection measures in residential areas are the use of construction and acoustic means and the formation of a system of green spaces. On the Lypynskyi Str., the efficiency of the installed noise protection screen in the form of a polycarbonate wall was 20 %, while on the Grabovsky St. noise protection screen of the “Green Wall” type – 23 %. The use of green spaces is also effective, which reduced the noise background by 16% on site 2 (Lypinsky Str. – Chornovola Ave.). For the city of Lviv, there is a need to conduct noise monitoring of the city and create a noise map.

Study on the Spatiotemporal Evolution of the “Contraction–Expansion” Change of the Boundary Area between Two Green Belts in Beijing Based on a Multi-Index System

In serving as a pivotal strategy for curbing urban sprawl, large-scale urban green belts, being a significant constituent of the urban green space, have been ubiquitously employed in the scheming and fabrication of green space systems in global megacities. Nevertheless, the disregard for research into the independent alteration mechanism of urban green space, coupled with the reactive approach of planning and construction and the singularity of quantitative indices, has engendered challenges in the creation of urban green belts. This paper presents an investigation into the juncture zone of two green belts in Beijing as a case study, erecting a “contraction–expansion” flux model of its green space and gauging the transformational traits of the green space in light of its spatial–temporal evolution with regards to its quantity, space, and connectivity among others. Findings reveal that between 2005 and 2012, the green space in Beijing underwent an approximately 20% alteration, with the green belt intersection zone’s green space area experiencing a dual trajectory shift of “expansion-contraction”. This shift was primarily characterized by expansion before 2015 and contraction from 2015 onwards. Concerning spatial attributes, patterns of expansion and aggregation were discernible in scattered distribution, whereas contraction and aggregation were evident in mass and spaced distribution. Spatial stability was influenced by the change model, marked by a shift in the center of gravity from a “north-south-east” orientation to a “northwest-southeast” direction. At the connectivity stratum, noticeable variations were witnessed in both the overall and local connectivity levels pre- and post-2015. Regarding individual connectivity, three vital nodes of stable linear connectivity were identified, playing a decisive role in defining the dispersion of crucial corridors within the area of study.

Patch Area Cannot Predict Species Richness of Grassland Birds in Colorado’s Front Range

Birds breeding in grassland have declined steeply over the last 50 years, and green-space systems in Colorado’s urbanizing Front Range have not maintained all grassland bird species the area originally supported. Patch area affects the species richness of urban green spaces, and researchers have suggested that protecting or enlarging green spaces should be effective ways to maximize richness and mitigate species loss. In the Front Range, protection of urban green space is expensive, conservation budgets are limited, and tools are needed to guide strategic protection decisions. Front Range planners use patch area as a criterion to prioritize grassland conservation, but the explanatory and predictive powers of patch area have not been comprehensively assessed. Using eBird community science data, I found that log-transformed grassland patch area was positively associated with the species richness of grassland birds and explained a large portion of its variance. However, 95% simultaneous prediction intervals for species richness were wide, and those of the smallest and largest patches examined overlapped. Thus the model cannot precisely predict a number of species, and it should not be used to quantitatively evaluate the expected return on investment from financial allocations to protect or enlarge grassland patches. Nonetheless, the model’s explanatory power supports the use of grassland patch area as a general principle guiding conservation of grassland birds. Planners should consider it among a suite of other habitat characteristics and prioritize large, regularly shaped grassland patches situated close to other grassland patches and with limited nearby forest cover and urban development.

A Framework for Assessing Trade-Offs and Synergies in Green Space System Services Based on Ecosystem Services Bundles

Urban green and blue spaces (UGBS) take on critical significance in urban development. In this study, the physical characteristics and landscape-ecology-society-space (LESS) system services of 24 urban parks in 2 greenbelts surrounding Foshan City are analyzed. Five service bundles are proposed based on the four systems, comprising landscape-ecological-social-spatial-composite driving bundles. Subsequently, the trade-offs and synergies (TOS) of the four systems are assessed through principal component analysis (PCA), a self-organization neural network model (SOM), and geographically weighted regression (GWR). As indicated by the results, a high trade-off relationship is identified between the landscape and ecology systems, as well as a low synergy relationship between the ecology system and the society system. Furthermore, there are structural differences in the physical characteristics of the parks in the greenbelts surrounding the city, with parks in the inner ring having higher social and spatial effects, while parks in the outer ring have higher landscape and ecological effects. Lastly, recommendations are presented for planning UGBS around the city. In this study, a feasible framework is developed to achieve high-quality urban living environments based on the multi-objective balanced strategies for UGBS.

Refuge Green Space Equity: A Case Study of Third Ring Road on Chengdu

As part of urban green space and emergency shelters, refuge green spaces (RGS) contribute significantly to the resilience of cities to natural disasters. In contrast, few studies have been conducted to assess the equity of RGS in relation to their planning layout. The presented research aims to quantitatively evaluate the equity of RGS within Chengdu’s Third Ring Road, and to propose corresponding optimization measures in conjunction with future green space planning. The rapid evacuation capacity of the RGS was evaluated by calculating the equity of the RGS in walking modes of 5, 10 and 15 min using an improved three-step floating catchment area method (3SFCA). Based on the results, RGS had an average equity in the study area. The total number of RGS within the Third Ring Road of Chengdu was insufficient, with an uneven spatial distribution and a structure to be optimized. The rapid evacuation capacity of RGS in 5 and 10 min needs to be further improved. The short-term resettlement capacity of RGS after 15 min was relatively good. Using Moran’s I index, the RGS equity and house price results were analyzed and no significant aggregation and polarization were observed. Following the evaluation, recommendations are made for optimizing and adding future RGS in accordance with Chengdu Green Space System Planning. The equity of RGS has been significantly improved after optimization, which can meet the needs of over 90% of residents for 15 min. This study provided feasible suggestions for the layout and structural optimization of the future RGS within the Third Ring Road of Chengdu, which aimed to create a RGS network with complex functions, to meet the multiple needs of citizens.

Promoting ecological restoration of deeply urbanized hilly areas: A multi-scale ecological networks approach

With the deep expansion of urbanization, contradictions between human beings and the natural environment in hilly areas have shown the characteristics of multi-scale and complexity. The traditional construction of ecological network rarely focused on the relationship between ecological elements at different scales, which made it difficult to systematically solve the ecological problems. To address the gap, this paper proposed a novel framework to construct multi-scale ecological networks based on the discussion of the ecological environment problems at different space scales. Firstly, one of the most deeply urbanized hilly area in China (Changsha- Zhuzhou- Xiangtan urban agglomeration, CZXUA) was chosen as the study area. By constructing the multi-scale evaluation system of ecological patches importance (EPI) after conducting the Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA), the identification method of ecological sources was optimized at different scales. Then, spatial principal component analysis (SPCA) was used to sort out the resistance factors at different scales, and the multi-scale resistance surfaces was constructed accordingly. Furthermore, the multi-scale ecological networks from the CZXUA to the central urban area were cooperatively constructed through the Least-cost path (LCP), circuit theory, hierarchical transmission and scale nesting. Finally, based on characteristics of the ecological networks at different scales, the study constructed the overall ecological security pattern in urban agglomeration, the ecological space development framework in metropolitan area and the green open space system in central urban area, which was well applied to the territorial space planning at different spacial scales. The results made up for the deficiency of single-scale ecological network in neglecting the important details of local areas, and provided a feasible ecological restoration plan for the decision makers and practitioners. This study can contribute to cross-scale ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation in hills.

Influence of landscape elements in the park on thermal environment – using a metropolitan park in Taichung city as an example

Population growth and rapid urban development have led to urbanization, caused environmental problems such as: heat islands and air pollution. The installation of park green space system is widely regarded as effective in alleviating the thermal environment and improving the surrounding air quality. Therefore, this study focuses on parks in highly developed cities, The measurements of terrain and topography were conducted using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to establish a terrain model. This model was combined with environmental factors such as wind speed, direction, solar radiation, temperature, and soil infiltration were measured to assess the correlation between different landscape elements and the environment in various parks. In addition, an air particulate monitor (Arduino Uno) was developed to measure the contribution of green space systems to urban air pollution. Furthermore, by integrating measurements of multiple factors and employing the Pearson's correlation method and three-dimensional scatter plots, this study explored the relationships between many variables of park. Test results show that 1. The materials of the landscape elements should have moderate thermal conductivity; 2. The moisture content of the soil of grassland should be monitored; 3. To improve the air quality, the correlation between wind speed and wind direction should be considered in the placement of landscape elements.