Urban Green Space In Cities Research Articles

Quantifying Regulating Ecosystem Services of Urban Trees: A Case Study of a Green Space at Chungnam National University Using i-Tree Eco

Urban green spaces (UGSs) provide numerous ecosystem services (ESs) that are essential to the well-being of the residents. However, these services are often neglected in regional urban development and spatial planning. This study quantified the ESs of a 10.25 ha UGS at Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea, comprising 27 species with 287 tree individuals, using i-Tree Eco. Key regulating ESs investigated included air pollution removal, carbon storage and sequestration, oxygen production, energy use reduction, avoidance of surface runoff, and replacement and functional values. Results revealed significant annual environmental benefits: 131 kg air pollutants removed (USD 3739.01 or ₩5.16 M), 1.76 Mg carbon sequestered, which is equivalent to 0.18 Mg CO2 ha−1 yr−1 (USD 289.85 or ₩0.40 M), 2.42 Mg oxygen produced, energy savings (including carbon offset) valued at USD 391.29 (₩0.54 M), and 203 m3 reduction in surface runoff (USD 413.09 or ₩0.57 M). The annual total benefits of these urban trees amounted to USD 4833.86 (₩6.67 M), USD 16.83/tree, or USD 0.089/capita. Additionally, these trees had replacement and functional values estimated at USD 311,115.17 (₩429.3 M). The study underscores that species selection and abundance of urban trees are fundamental for maximizing the ES delivery in urban areas, highlighting the role of UGSs in ecological and economical sustainability in cities. These insights are valuable for urban planners and policymakers to optimize benefits of UGSs in cities.

The Influence of Spatial Heterogeneity of Urban Green Space on Surface Temperature

Urban green space (UGS) has been recognized as a key factor in enhancing the urban ecosystem balance, particularly in arid areas. It is often considered an effective means to mitigate the urban heat island (UHI) effect. In this study, the reference comparison method was utilized to optimize the process of nighttime lighting data; the random forest classification method was employed to extract UGS data; and the radiative transfer method was applied in land surface temperature (LST) inversion. Additionally, moving window analysis was conducted to assess the robustness of the results. The objective of this research was to analyze the spatial distribution characteristics of UGS and LST and to explore their bivariate local spatial autocorrelations by calculating four landscape metrics, including the aggregation index (AI), edge density (ED), patch density (PD), and area-weighted mean shape index (Shape_am). It was found that the distribution of UGS in the study area was uneven, with higher temperatures in the eastern and western regions and lower temperatures in the central and southern regions. The results also revealed that ED, PD, and Shape_am were negatively correlated with LST, with correlation coefficients being −0.469, −0.388, and −0.411, respectively, indicating that UGS in these regions were more effective in terms of cooling effect. Conversely, AI was found to be positively correlated with LST (Moran’ I index of 0.449), indicating that surface temperatures were relatively higher in regions of high aggregation. In essence, the fragmented, complex, and evenly distributed green patches in the study area provided a better cooling effect. These findings should persuade decision makers and municipal planners to allocate more UGS in cities for UHI alleviation to improve quality of life and enhance recreational opportunities.

Inclusive green environment for all? An investigation of spatial access equity of urban green space and associated socioeconomic drivers in China

The inequitable distribution of urban green spaces (UGS) has attracted increasing attention given the important role of green environments for sustainable development. However, many recent studies have yielded different results between cities in different geographic regions and development stages and even within the same city. Hence, this study addresses two research gaps in the green justice literature: (1) What are the spatial equity levels of different types of UGS, and what are their differences as well as spatial distribution characteristics? (2) What differences exist in the spatial equity levels of UGS in cities at various socioeconomic stages? On the basis of these gaps, we explain why contradictory findings have been found in the existing literature. This study focuses on three types of UGS in China, namely, community green spaces, street greenery, and public parks, and explores the driving effects of socioeconomic factors on the spatial equity of UGS in 263 Chinese cities. The results show that GDP and the population growth rate increase the spatial equity of community green spaces and street greenery. By contrast, economic development and increased in-migration can worsen the equity level of public green space accessibility. Our study provides evidence and insights for Chinese central and local governments to implement highly effective and sustainable greening programs to promote inclusive urban greening in Chinese cities.

Socio-demographic and neighbourhood factors influencing urban green space use and development at home: A population-based survey in Accra, Ghana.

In Sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions, there has been very little systematic attempt to document the uses and perceived health benefits of urban green spaces in cities and the factors influencing usage. We therefore sought to establish the availability, accessibility and use of urban green spaces, and the perceived health benefits in an African population. We also ascertained the factors influencing use and development of green spaces at home. A population-based survey was conducted in Accra, the capital city of Ghana, spanning 11 Municipal and 3 Sub-Metropolitan areas. Multivariable binary logistic regression adjusting for potential confounders was used to establish the association between green space use and development at home, and socio-demographic, neighbourhood and health factors. Odds ratios and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals were estimated from the models. Several socio-demographic (gender, age, marital status, occupation, ethnicity, religion) and district-level (population density, income level, neighbourhood greenness) factors were associated with use of green spaces and development of green spaces at home in Accra. Residents who were worried about depletion of green spaces in their community were more likely to develop green spaces at home. In neighbourhoods with moderate and high level of greenness, residents were less likely to develop green spaces at home. Five-percent and 47% of green space users in Accra reported witnessing an improvement in their physical and mental health, respectively, from use of green spaces. The study findings can inform policy action for promoting use and development of green spaces in African cities and for mitigating depletion and degradation of the limited urban greenery.

A Survey of User’s Perception of Urban Parks in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State

Urban green spaces in cities have been attributed to both an ecologically sustainable environment and the well-being of urban residents, thereby improving their quality of life. The positive effects of urban green spaces on individuals, on the other hand, is usually dependent on the extent of these green spaces and their uses. The level of satisfaction with existing urban parks can be assessed based on parameters such as accessibility, safety, and relevant available facilities. The aim of this study is to examine user’s perception of urban parks in ibeju-lekki, Lagos state. The key objective of the study is to determine the design strategies implemented in the design of an urban park; access users’ perception based on the determined design strategies implemented in the selected urban parks. In this research, users of selected urban parks within ibeju-lekki were surveyed to properly investigate their perception of these urban parks in respect to already established survey criteria. Data was gathered through questionnaires, and users were randomly selected across the selected urban parks. The data gathered was analyzed using SPSS and content analysis, and the analyzed data was presented using tables and charts. From the study, it was found that users’ perception of urban parks usually affects their continual use, this is referring to the urban resident rate of patronage of the urban parks. Therefore, to improve resident rate of usage of urban parks, it is important to improve on the design strategies adopted in urban parks.

Urban Green Spaces For Promoting Healthy Living And Wellbeing: Prospects For Housing

Urban Green spaces in cities protect the environment by reducing urban heat stress, reducing global warming potential gases, and reducing storm water runoff. The high rate of urbanisation, which has resulted in encroachment, use change, and other factors that have a negative impact on healthy living and wellbeing. The main objectives of this research are to study and select different typology for the study of urban green spaces and also analyse the major link between the urban green spaces which are impacting the healthy living of housing typology. We used peer-reviewed approaches, which included searching the Web of Science, Scopus Index, and PubMed databases for literature research, and then reviewing peer-reviewed publications. The findings imply that urban green spaces are important for city dwellers. Because it ties greater and more regular usage of green space to healthy living, good quality green space, and well-being, the study has social consequences.

Where to construct new urban green spaces to be at the recommended distance from users and to complement existing ones? A study in five cities of northern Portugal

The proximity to urban green spaces (UGS) is important to facilitate their use by citizens, mainly by the most vulnerable groups in society who are usually unable to walk long distances. Furthermore, there are several ecosystem services from which the population can only benefit if UGS are close. In addition to being important to identify areas without a UGS nearby, it is also important to indicate possible locations for a new UGS, thus avoiding wasting resources by overlapping coverage areas or leaving gaps in coverage. It is also important to understand among all possible locations where the construction of a UGS is most needed. The present study aims (i) to identify possible locations for future UGS and order them by construction priority, (ii) to develop and test a methodology for decision-makers and urban planners and (iii) to contribute to increasing and developing UGS in cities. Considering residential areas, the results reveal a deficiency in UGS coverage in all the cities studied, as only 43.86–57.09% of residential areas have a UGS within 300 m. Construction of proposed UGS will lead to a 12.30–26.15% increase in coverage. The proposed methodology needs further improvement, but it can be a valuable tool for urban planners and decision-makers, and can encourage the construction of more UGS.

Impervious surface and local abiotic conditions influence arthropod communities within urban greenspaces.

The abundance of arthropods is declining globally, and human-modification of natural habitat is a primary driver of these declines. Arthropod declines are concerning because arthropods mediate critical ecosystem functions, and sustained declines may lead to cascading trophic effects. There is growing evidence that properly managed urban environments can provide refugium to arthropods, but few cities have examined arthropods within urban greenspaces to evaluate their management efforts. In this study, we surveyed arthropod communities within a medium-sized, growing city. We investigated arthropod communities (abundance, richness, diversity, community composition) within 16 urban greenspaces across metropolitan Grand Rapids, Michigan (USA). We focused our efforts on urban gardens and pocket prairies, and measured environmental variables at each site. We collected 5,468 individual arthropods that spanned 14 taxonomic orders and 66 morphospecies. The results showed that community composition was influenced by impervious surface, white flower abundance, and humidity. Total arthropod abundance and diversity were positively associated with humidity. For specific orders, Hymenoptera (bees, ants, wasps) abundance was negatively associated with temperature, and positively associated with site perimeter-area ratio. Hemiptera (true bugs) were negatively associated with impervious surface and positively associated with humidity. These findings show that impervious surfaces impact arthropod communities, but many of the observed changes were driven by local abiotic conditions like temperature and humidity. This suggests that management decisions within urban greenspaces are important in determining the structure of arthropod communities. Future studies on arthropods in cities should determine whether manipulating the abiotic conditions of urban greenspaces influences the composition of arthropod communities. These results should inform city planners and homeowners of the need to properly manage urban greenspaces in cities to maintain diverse arthropod assemblages.

Quantifying the Spatial Distribution and Social Equity of Urban Green Spaces in Cities: A Proposed Methodology

Quantifying the Spatial Distribution and Social Equity of Urban Green Spaces in Cities: A Proposed Methodology

Assessing soil sealing and ecosystem services of urban front yards using Google Street View: A case study in Bloemhof district Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Private gardens play an important role as urban green space in cities and can improve the microclimate and address the impacts of climate change. Paving over front yards, soil sealing, reduces the environmental benefit of front yards. Residential private front yards comprise a considerable portion of land and green space in the suburbs of cities. Currently there is no method available to determine sealed soil percentages of private front yards. This study took place in the Bloemhof suburban district in Rotterdam. Four streets were selected and a total of 123 houses with 105 private front yards were assessed. Five sealed soil reference categories were defined and Google Street View (GSV) images were used to assess the front yards. This study found that the aggregated sealed soil percentages of the private front yards in the four selected streets are very high: 69%, 78%, 96%, and 97%. These front yards have a significant greening potential. The new insight in this study is that the use of Google Street View images for categorisation of front yards leads to values for individual front yard that can be used for comparison and for establishing sealed soil values per street.

Quantitative Analysis of Eco-economic Benefits of Urban Reclaimed Water Greening Based on Emergy Theory

With an increased rate of urbanization and people’s interest in high-quality natural environments, urban green spaces are receiving increased attention. However, urban green spaces irrigation increases tap water consumption, wasting high-quality water. Using reclaimed water for irrigation can not only maintain the normal ecological and landscape functions of green spaces but also save water resources. The eco-economic benefits of using reclaimed water as irrigation water were evaluated in this paper. The composition of benefits was analysed, and a new quantitative method was proposed based on the emergy theory. This proposed method was used to calculate the costs of different irrigation water, the other use benefits of the saved tap water, and the benefits of scientific research, leisure and entertainment, carbon fixation and oxygen release, biodiversity protection, soil conservation and air purification. Taking Zhengzhou in 2018 as an example, the results showed that the cost of using reclaimed water to irrigate urban green spaces was 46% of the cost of using tap water. The total benefit of using reclaimed water to irrigate green spaces was $4.05 billion, which was three times the benefit of using tap water. The net benefit of using reclaimed water was $2.00 billion, while that of tap water was negative. Therefore, the advantages of using reclaimed water to irrigate urban green spaces are the low costs and high eco-economic benefits. The method proposed in this paper provides a quantitative basis for using reclaimed water to irrigate urban green spaces in cities with water shortages.

Mapping the maximum extents of urban green spaces in 1039 cities using dense satellite images

Spatial data of urban green spaces (UGS) are critical for cities worldwide to evaluate their progress towards achieving the urban sustainable development goals on UGS. However, UGS maps at the global scale with acceptable accuracies are not readily available. In this study, we mapped UGS of all 1039 mid- and large-sized cities across the globe in 2015 with dense remote sensing data (i.e. 51 494 Landsat images) and Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. Also, we quantified the spatial distribution and accessibility of UGS within the cities. By combining the greenest pixel compositing method and the percentile-based image compositing method, we were able to obtain the maximum extent of UGS in cities while better differentiating UGS from other vegetation such as croplands. The mean overall classification accuracy reached 89.26% (SD = 3.26%), which was higher than existing global land cover products. Our maps showed that the mean UGS coverage in 1039 cities was 38.46% (SD = 20.27%), while the mean UGS accessibility was 82.67% (SD = 22.89%). However, there was a distinctive spatial equity issue as cities in high-income countries had higher coverage and better accessibility than cities in low-income countries. Besides developing a protocol for large-scale UGS mapping, our study results provide key baseline information to support international endeavors to fulfill the relevant urban sustainable development goals.

Distribution of urban green spaces: Comparative analysis between cities in different countries

Abstract The presence of urban green spaces (UGS) increases the human’s contact with nature and provides numerous benefits to the society and the local environment. In this way, analyzing, planning and stimulating the implementation of UGS in cities is a fundamental action to improve the life quality of urban society. In this context, the aim was to analyze the situation and distribution of the green spaces of the universities cities of Lavras, Minas Gerais State (Brazil) and Newark, Delaware (USA). For data collection, researches performed field visits and used aerial photography to survey and analysis before calculating indicators including green area index (GAI) and green space ratio (GSR). The city of Lavras has a GAI of 0.54 m2 inh-1. The GSR value was 0.29%, not meeting the minimum of 5% required by local municipal law. Furthermore, there is a bad distribution of UGSs in the urban framework. However, in Newark, the distribution of UGSs is homogeneous and covers all regions of the city. The calculated GAI was 50.2 m² inh-1 and the GSR has met the 7% minimum required by its Newark Municipal Law. When comparing the two cities, in different countries and conditions it is concluded that Newark (DE) presents UGS indicators, GAI (m² inh-1) and GSR (%), higher than the values obtained in Lavras (MG), indicating the need for Government actions to increase these values.

Designating National Forest Cities in China: Does the policy improve the urban living environment?

Urban green space improves people's living environment in cities. The Chinese government has been designating National Forest Cities (NFC) for almost two decades. By taking advantage of a large panel dataset of 265 cities from 2013 to 2017 and appropriate econometric methods, we evaluate the impacts of the NFC designation. It is found that after controlling the confounding effects of other factors, the designation increases total green space by 7.5%, per-capita green areas by 10.9%, and green coverage rate by 1.0%, and it reduces PM2.5 by 3%, compared to the matched cities that have not been designated. Also, the designation's effects are heterogeneous. The designation improves the urban green space in cities with a high level of economic activity or population density, but it enhances air quality only in cities with a low level of economic activity or population density; likewise, it has a more pronounced effect on urban green space in cities where its base level is low, and in the southeastern region. These empirical results are of broad academic and policy relevance.

Investigating the Patterns and Dynamics of Urban Green Space in China’s 70 Major Cities Using Satellite Remote Sensing

Urban green space (UGS) plays a pivotal role in improving urban ecosystem services and building a livable environment for urban dwellers. However, remotely sensed investigation of UGS at city scale is facing a challenge due to the pixels’ mosaics of buildings, squares, roads and green spaces in cities. Here we developed a new algorithm to unmix the fraction of UGS derived from Landsat TM/ETM/8 OLI using a big-data platform. The spatiotemporal patterns and dynamics of UGSs were examined for 70 major cities in China between 2000 and 2018. The results showed that the total area of UGS in these cities grew from 2780.66 km2 in 2000 to 6764.75 km2 in 2018, which more than doubled its area. As a result, the UGS area per inhabitant rose from 15.01 m2 in 2000 to 18.09 m2 in 2018. However, an uneven layout of UGS occurred among the coastal, western, northeastern and central zones. For example, the UGS percentage in newly expanded urban areas in the coastal zone rose significantly in 2000–2018, with an increase of 2.51%, compared to the decline in UGS in cities in the western zone. Therefore, the effective strategies we have developed should be adopted to show disparities and promote green infrastructure capacity building in those cities with less green space, especially in western China.

Greening Blocks: A Conceptual Typology of Practical Design Interventions to Integrate Health and Climate Resilience Co-Benefits.

It is increasingly evident that exposure to green landscape elements benefits human health. Urban green space in cities is also recognized as a crucial adaptation response to changes in climate and its subsequent effects. The exploration of conceptual and practical intersections between human health, green spaces, and climate action is needed. Evidence-based guidance is needed for stakeholders, practitioners, designers, and citizens in order to assess and manage urban green spaces that maximize co-benefits for both human health and climate resilience. This paper proposes interventions that provide strategic green space enhancement at the neighborhood and block scale. We propose eight tangible green space interventions and associated metrics to integrate climate resilience and population health co-benefits into urban green space design and planning: View from within, Plant entrances, Bring nature nearby, Retain the mature, Generate diversity, Create refuge, Connect experiences, and Optimize green infrastructure. These interventions represent a hierarchy of functional design concepts that respond to experiential qualities and physical/psychological dimensions of health, and which enhance resilience at a range of social scales from the individual to the neighborhood. The interventions also reveal additional research needs in green space design, particularly in neighborhood-level contexts.

Urban Green Spaces and Their Need in Cities of Rapidly Urbanizing India: A Review

Urbanization offers several opportunities for the growth of economic, social, and technology sectors, offering benefits to society in terms of better living and healthcare facilities, as well as employment opportunities. However, some major downsides of urbanization are overcrowding and environmental degradation. In order to realize sustainable and environmentally friendly urbanization, there is an urgent need for comprehensive land use planning and of urban settlements by giving due consideration to create and sustain urban green spaces (UGS) such as parks, gardens, roadside vegetation, etc. UGS play a vital role in reducing air pollution, mitigating climate change, and providing various ecosystem services. UGS are being deteriorated substantially due to booming urbanization in developing countries such as India. This review is focused on highlighting the many challenges in creating and maintaining UGS in the Indian context. It is a compilation of available reports on problems linked with poor land use and/or planning of urban settlements. The challenges associated with the management and maintenance of UGS are described. The poor and irregular watering of many existing UGS is one of the major issues among several others requiring immediate attention to resolve the problem of deteriorating UGS in some cities of India. As the groundwater resources are rapidly depleting because of ever increasing water demand, UGS are being dispensed with poor and irregular watering resulting in their deterioration. A list of possible solutions and prospects of UGS in cities aiming to become smart cities soon are discussed in this review. Efficient wastewater treatment and a non-potable reuse system are possible solutions for better prospects of UGS, and therefore, optimism of better cities with low to null urban heat island effect.

Changes in the area of urban green space in cities of western Poland

Abstract Extensive and continuous areas of urban greenery are essential for the proper functioning of cities and for achieving optimal natural conditions. The aim of our study was to investigate the changes in the areas of public green space of Szczecin, Poznań and Wrocław in the years 1996–2013, and compare data on public greenery with demographic data and changes in the spatial development of the described cities. We used a linear regression and exponential regression to explain the results. In our opinion, it is necessary to establish the appropriate proportion of public greenery to the built-up areas in cities. Otherwise, we will be observing an adverse reduction of green areas in relation to residential areas. Surveys also indicate the need for action to prevent the outflow of population to the suburban areas.

The rapid but “invisible” changes in urban greenspace: A comparative study of nine Chinese cities

Quantifying the spatial pattern and change of urban greenspace is a prerequisite to understanding the myriad ecosystem services provided by urban greenspace. Previous studies have largely focused on loss of greenspace due to urban expansion, using medium resolution imagery. This paper presents a comparison study on the spatiotemporal patterns of urban greenspace in nine major cities in China, using 2.5m resolution ALOS and SPOT image data collected in 2005 and 2010, respectively. The changes in urban greenspace were further compared with those based on the commonly used 30m Landsat TM data. The results show: 1) Urban greenspace was highly fragmented and heterogeneous, characterized by a mix of a large number of small-sized patches (smaller than 0.1ha) with relatively few dispersed large patches in nine cities. 2) In contrast to findings from previous research that greenspace in inner cities tends to remain largely unchanged, urban greenspace in all nine cities was highly dynamic, experiencing both gain and loss, with net change ranging from 0.51% to 11.26% over five years. Most of the changes in urban greenspace, however, tended to occur as small patches, and could only be revealed by high spatial resolution imagery. 3) Spatial patterns of greenspace varied greatly across cities in terms of patch size, patch and edge density, and shape. Urban greenspace became increasingly fragmented and complex in the southern cities, but the opposite in the northern cities. The high turnover dynamics of urban greenspace in cities proper provide opportunities for better design and planning to achieve urban sustainability, but also call for better protection of small-sized urban greenspaces in Chinese cities.

The “Sustainable” in smart cities: ignoring the importance of urban ecosystems

This article argues that the smart city model proposed for an urbanising India ignores key elements of environmental sustainability. Urban green spaces in cities are common pool resources (CPRs) or urban commons that provide provisioning, supporting, regulating and cultural ecosystem services. However, the smart cities model disregards the provisioning services of urban CPRs that are critical for livelihoods and subsistence of urban marginalised groups. By prioritising certain uses, such as recreational, over others the model results in exclusion of urban poor from the commons. The paper highlights the multiple uses of urban commons, with emphasis on the provisioning services that support lives and livelihoods of urban residents. Alienation from CPRs, both by denying physical access and by erosion of cultural links, is also highlighted as a major concern. We urge a systematic reconceptualisation of urban sustainability, and towards a multi-faceted use-value of urban ecosystems, to develop both ecologically and socio-culturally smart cities.