Urban Green Spaces Research Articles

Factors impacting urban greenspace usage: new evidence from South Africa

This paper examines the factors that impact urban greenspace (UGS) usage in three urban parks in the city of Tshwane, South Africa. Guided by systems theory, we aim to determine how various cultural ecosystem services afforded by these parks influence usage with a particular focus on social relations, recreation, aesthetics, and spiritual value. Data for the study was collected using an online survey as well as online reviews of the UGSs from three different sources. Site visits were also conducted to verify the presence (or absence) of various tangible factors that could impact usage. Using correlation analysis, we determined that recreation was the primary cultural ecosystem service offered by these spaces that individuals consider when deciding whether to use an UGS. Moreover, UGSs that are accessible, perceptibly safe, and well-maintained generally attract park usage while UGSs that are perceived as being unsafe, neglected, and/or polluted generally deter park use. We conclude the study by making a series of recommendations that could encourage UGS usage in this unique context in South Africa.

Leverage Effect of New-Built Green Spaces on Housing Prices in a Rapidly Urbanizing Chinese City: Regional Disparities, Impact Periodicity, and Park Size

While newly built urban green spaces aim to address environmental concerns, the resulting green gentrification and social inequality caused by escalating property values have become critical topics of urban socio-spatial research. To prevent green initiatives from becoming unaffordable for their intended beneficiaries in rapidly urbanizing cities, it is essential to examine the spatial and temporal relationships between the construction of new green spaces and rising housing prices. This study employs a difference-in-differences methodology to analyze regional disparities, impact periodicity, and the influence of park size on housing prices, using Nanjing, China as a case study. This result reveals that the introduction of new-built parks in Nanjing significantly impacts housing prices within an 800 m radius. The premium effect of these parks is substantially higher in urban core areas compared to suburban locales, demonstrating spatial differentials. Suburban parks temporally exhibit a prolonged lag and a shorter premium impact duration. Moreover, among various park areas, medium-sized parks demonstrate the most pronounced leverage effect, approximately double that of large parks, while small parks do not significantly affect housing prices. To mitigate the exacerbation of premium effects and enhance social justice in green strategies, we advocate prioritizing the development of small parks, particularly in urban core areas, and leveraging the temporal delay in new-built park impacts for urban policy interventions.

Urban green spaces in early childhood education and care: insights from teachers in Stavanger, Norway

ABSTRACT This study explores the role of urban green spaces (UGSs) in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) teachers’ pedagogical practices and their impact on young children's environmental and sustainability learning. Utilizing observations, teacher interviews, conversations, and a comprehensive survey conducted in Stavanger, Norway, the study reveals the crucial role of UGSs in shaping both teachers’ pedagogical practices and children’s learning across various subject areas. The research highlights the educational significance of diverse UGSs in providing varied and tailored learning experiences that are crucial for children's education and development. In line with this, the study provides findings supporting the application of experiential learning theory within UGSs and ECEC settings. Additionally, the findings reveal a growing concern among teachers about the reduction of UGSs due to increasing urbanization. These results underscore the need for both teachers’ advocacy and strategic policy to preserve UGSs, ensuring their availability for future generations.

Urban green space, perceived everyday discrimination and mental health among rural-to-urban migrants: a multilevel analysis in Wuhan, China

BackgroundWhile the mental health benefits of urban green spaces (UGS) are increasingly recognized, less is known about how these relationships vary for socially marginalized groups. This study investigates the association between UGS and mental health among rural-to-urban migrants in Wuhan, China, examining the roles of the quality and quantity of UGS and the intermediary function of perceived everyday discrimination.MethodsWe used Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling to analyze data from a social survey, integrating with park-related social media ratings, street view imagery, and geospatial datasets to characterize UGS features and contextual factors, therefore verifying our hypotheses.ResultsBoth the quality and quantity of UGS significantly influence migrants’ mental health, with quantity demonstrating a stronger overall correlation, challenging common assumptions. Notably, social media scores of parks, reflecting positive user experiences, were found to improve mental health. However, the relationship with UGS quantity was nuanced: higher park density and green view index were positively associated with mental health, while increased park area proportion demonstrated the opposite effect. Furthermore, perceived discrimination emerged as a critical socio-psychological factor and operated spatial heterogeneity. In inner-city areas, neighborhoods characterized by plaza-type parks and high park density were associated with reduced perceived discrimination among migrants, showing active social functions of UGS. However, larger park areas are paradoxically correlated with increased discrimination experiences and poorer mental health. Interestingly, this mediatory effect of perceived discrimination was less pronounced in inner-suburban areas. These findings suggest a nuanced role of UGS in the lives of migrants. While certain aspects of UGS quantity, such as plentiful smaller parks, can facilitate social inclusion and improve mental health, others, like overlarge parks, may unintentionally contribute to feelings of marginalization and negatively impact mental health.ConclusionOur findings highlight the crucial need for context-sensitive green space planning that balances quality and quantity while mitigating discriminatory experiences to improve the mental health of rural-to-urban migrants.

Exploring the negative perceptions of tree-based urban green space. People's behaviour and management are crucial

Studies dealing with services and benefits of urban green space are overrepresented compared to those addressing disservices, perceived constraints and other negative perceptions. Even when focusing on disservices and perceived constraints, the studies often take into account only a limited number of reasons for the negative perception. In this study we conducted a series of focus group interviews with the members of the public in the city of Zagreb (Croatia) with the goal of grasping the variety of reasons for negative perception, providing classification of those perceptions and exploring whether and how the perception is related to sociodemographic characteristics. Participants mostly discussed negative perceptions due to the behaviour of other users and perceived inadequate management of urban green space, while the least about the perception of safety. Tree disservices accounted only for a small portion of overall reasons for the negative perception. Age, gender, household income, employment status, number of preschool children and the length of living in Zagreb proved statistically significant for the perception, while education was not. Focus groups as a method enabled cataloguing the variety of reasons for negative perception. Understanding the range of reasons leading to the negative public perception of urban green space contributes to better planning, management and meeting public needs and expectations.

Spatial patterns and driving factors of plant diversity along the urban-rural gradient in the context of urbanization in Zhengzhou, China.

Plant diversity is the basis for human survival and development, directly affecting the function and stability of urban ecosystems. Its distribution pattern and causes have been a central issue in ecological and landscape gardening research. Rapid urbanization in Zhengzhou City has led to the fragmentation of urban green spaces and damage to ecosystems, seriously affecting urban biodiversity conservation. Understanding the distribution pattern of plant diversity in the region and its relationship with environmental factors is crucial for maintaining and enhancing urban plant diversity. Plant data from 178 sample plots in the built-up area of Zhengzhou City were collected and combined with environmental factors, and the characteristics of plant diversity, richness patterns, and their main environmental explanations in Zhengzhou City were explored. Results showed that there were 596 plant species belonging to 357 genera and 110 families in the study area. There were five dominant families and four dominant genera. Four distinct spatial patterns of plant diversity were identified along the urban-rural gradient. Urbanization factors such as GDP per capita, house prices, and imperviousness within 500 m from the patch significantly influenced plant diversity. There was an imbalance between the spatial pattern of plant diversity and application of urban landscape greening in Zhengzhou City. Future studies should focus on the application of native plants, curb plant homogenization, and reduce anthropogenic interference, which are conducive to protecting and enhancing urban plant diversity. These results can provide a basis for understanding the distribution pattern and influence mechanism of urbanization factors on plant diversity and serve as a reference for policymakers and planners of plant diversity conservation in Zhengzhou City.

Is greener always healthier? Examining the nonlinear relationships between urban green spaces and mental health in Wuhan, China

Though much evidence demonstrates the benefits of urban green spaces (UGS) for mental health, it remains uncertain if a greener living environment necessarily leads to better mental health. This study makes up this gap by exploring the potential non-linear effects of UGS provision (availability, accessibility, visibility, quality) and utilization (frequency, duration) on mental health, focusing on their nonlinear patterns and thresholds. Using geospatial and social survey data from Wuhan, China, and controlling for socioeconomic, built, and social environmental factors, we find that: (1) Both UGS provision and utilization have significant nonlinear effects on mental health. (2) Inverted-U-shaped relationships exist between mental health and both UGS availability (measured by Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, NDVI) and accessibility (distance to nearest park), with peak benefits observed at an NDVI of 0.25 or a distance of 0.24 km. A similar L-shaped relationship is observed for UGS visibility, suggesting that higher visibility does not necessarily translate to improved mental health. The positive health effects of UGS quality exist, yet offer marginal benefits. (3) UGS utilization plays a crucial mediating role, explaining up to 47 % of the relationship between visibility and mental health. This highlights the importance of active engagement with UGS for realizing mental health benefits, supporting the ‘environmental provision→individual behavior→mental health’ pathway. These findings provide urban planners with valuable dosage references for UGS allocation, emphasizing the need to consider both provision and factors promoting utilization to maximize mental health benefits within urban environments.

The impact of urban street green transformation on subjective well-being and evaluation of the location: A case study in Vienna, Austria

Urban green landscapes, such as street- and ground-level greenery, are essential for urban populations, enabling frequent and spontaneous interactions with nature in cities. While many cities have increased their green infrastructure and landscapes, their impact on well-being and environmental evaluations needs to be studied more. In the present study, we conducted a field experiment that directly addressed this aspect. Specifically, on two urban streets in Vienna (Austria), we conducted the same structured field experiment during two different periods, during March and May/June in 2022, resulting in different levels of greenery in two urban streets. We aimed to study if and how varying quantities of greenery in urban street landscapes influence subjective well-being in terms of subjective feelings of stress and affective mood, as well as the restorative potential of the locations. Our results showed that, unlike the often-reported positive impact of urban green spaces, the varying amount of greenery on the streets did not positively affect the well-being or the restorative potential of the locations. The results highlight that simply implementing greenery might not be sufficient to induce positive effects. Instead, more intense and dense greenery would be necessary to achieve the desired outcomes.

The relationships between 2D and 3D green index altered by spatial attributes at high spatial resolution

Understanding the relationship between 2D and 3D green indices holds significant implications for governance, especially amid the escalating demand for urban green spaces during rapid urbanization. However, the existing studies reveal inconsistent results pertaining to the relationships between 2D and 3D green indices and lack a systematic examination of spatial attributes' influence on the relationships. This study addresses these gaps by 1) assessing the correlation between 2D and 3D green indices using high-resolution data, 2) identifying spatial attributes that alter the 2D-3D association, and 3) determining the thresholds of spatial attributes that significantly impact the 2D-3D relationships. The Moderation Model was initially introduced to evaluate the mechanisms within its respective field. High-resolution data was collected from a campus, focusing on key spatial attributes: tree cover density (TC), plot ratio (PR), and vegetation composition (VC). NDVI and GVI were chosen to represent the 2D and 3D green index. The results indicate a significant correlation between NDVI and GVI (R=0.478, p<0.005). TC was identified as the fundamental moderator of the association. A medium TC (32.46 %) was the threshold for a significant NDVI - GVI correlation. Only at low TC (0–10.82 %), interactive effects between spatial attributes were observed: VC (type (e)) substituted NDVI to affect GVI directly; Above a PR of 1.95, the correlation between NDVI and GVI diminishes. In general, NDVI cannot substitutes GVI in areas where TC is higher than 32.46 %, or in areas where TC is lower than 10.82 % with many tall buildings (higher than 8 floors). The findings innovatively reveal the dynamic variation and thresholds in the 2D-3D green index relationships based on site-specific attributes rather than the resolution of data. Practically, a decision-making tree of green index governance is then proposed for relevant stakeholders to choose according to different site conditions.

Citizens of the Global South value urban green space: an example from Iran

Citizens of the Global South value urban green space: an example from Iran

Valuing ecosystem services of community gardens in developing countries: a case study of Dezful City in Iran

Allotment (AGs) and community gardens (CGs) are types of urban gardens that provide diverse ecosystem services (ESs) such as climate regulation, beautiful landscapes, biodiversity and food security. Despite this, there are no AGs or CGs in many developing countries such as Iran. One of the main reasons for the lack of development of CGs in developing countries is the lack of proper understanding by policy-makers and citizens regarding the economic value of the ESs provided and the lack of disclosure of the benefits of its construction in urban areas. The purpose of this study is to analyse the preferences of citizens, to examine the existence of a potential market, to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) for the creation and operation of CG services and to investigate the factors affecting residents’ WTP in Dezful, Iran. For this purpose, a choice experiment, based on the stated preferences valuation approach, was applied through interviews with 170 respondents living in Dezful urban area. The data were collected during the autumn of 2022 and analysed using conditional logit model. The results indicated that the responding citizens are willing to pay 4.57 USD per month to create CG and operate its ESs in Dezful. Amongst the attributes and ESs of the community garden, citizens valued cultural services the most, followed by provisioning services. In addition, the variables “age”, “being native”, “education”, “household expenditure level” and “awareness and recognition of CG ecosystem services” had a significant effect on WTP. According to the results, it is suggested to follow the policy of creating CGs with the participation of citizens instead of focusing only on the creation of urban green space with a government budget and heavy financial burden. CGs, while providing diverse ESs, can generate sustainable incomes for municipalities and accelerate the movement toward sustainable urban development.

Which acoustic dimensions could act as mediators between urban greenspace and human health?

The beneficial effects of urban greenspace on human health and well-being are widely recognized, but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. The acoustic environment (AE) is often proposed as a detrimental factor and emerging evidence suggests that it may also represent a beneficial resource. If different dimensions of the AE were to represent a mediator between greenspace and human health, they would need to be associated with both. We present results investigating the first prerequisite: the associations between acoustic dimensions and urban greenspace. We use audio recordings from SALVE, randomly sampled at 730 locations four times per year (n=2,746) in Bochum, Germany. The AE is quantified by 122 eco- and psychoacoustic indices, sound pressure levels and complex network measures. Greenspace is defined as the percentage of green area in a 300 m-buffer around each recording location, grouped into quintiles. We apply dimensionality reduction and present descriptive statistics to analyze the associations between identified acoustic dimensions and urban green area. In addition to the "sound volume", we find that biophonic sounds, the Acoustic Richness, the Impulsiveness, the Roughness, and the "acoustic dominance" show a consistently decreasing/increasing trend across the five quintiles of urban green area.

Exploring the frequency response of mobile phones applications for sound monitoring in urban green spaces

Citizen science engages non-professional scientists globally in scientific endeavors, fostering commitment to environmental conservation initiatives. This research explores the frequency response of mobile phones for sound monitoring, particularly in the context of urban green spaces. The method involves Laboratory tests at the Brazilian National Metrology Institute, Standardization, and Industrial Quality (Inmetro), evaluating two Android and one iOS devices using the NoiseCapture and Openoise apps. Laboratory tests conform to the frequency response standards outlined in IEC 61672-1, covering the 63Hz to 16kHz range. Following this, the devices captured audio scenes encompassing human, natural, and machine sounds at the University of São Paulo campus. Findings revealed that the frequency response of iPhones functioned as Class 2 sound level meters except for low-frequency bands. Android consistently performed similarly across both applications tested and exhibited acceptable performance in mid-range frequencies. Therefore, when considering citizen science projects, emphasis should be placed on app selection, prioritizing additional features like sound mapping. Field results showed minimal errors from human and transportation sounds but challenges with high-frequency components from birds, insects, and machines. The study concludes the necessity for alternative measurement systems identifying animal sound sources, along with involving non-professional scientists in scientific research.

Woody flowering plants support early-spring pollinators in urban greenspaces

One threat pollinators face in a rapidly changing climate is the decoupling of their activity period from the blooming period of their host plants. Pollinators active in the earliest part of spring may be especially susceptible, as there are few alternative food resources available if they become active before their host plants begin blooming. Thus, urban landscapes, although often associated with decreased insect biodiversity, may buffer pollinators from such food shortages by offering a diversity of both native and exotic plant species that bloom in the late winter and early spring. However, more data are needed to ascertain the degree to which pollinators utilize flowers of spring-blooming exotic species. Here, we surveyed flower-visiting Hymenoptera and Diptera on 26 flowering plant taxa in three urban botanical gardens in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area in the early spring (March and April). We found that flowers of both native and exotic plants were attractive to Hymenoptera and Diptera, although pollinator visitation rates varied by more than an order of magnitude across plant taxa. Overall, woody plants were more attractive to pollinators compared to herbaceous plants, regardless of whether the plant was native or exotic. Implications for insect conservation: Our results suggest that regardless of native status, urban plants that bloom in the early spring—especially woody species—may be coopted to support pollinators that are especially susceptible to climate change. However, care needs to be taken to select plant species and varieties that pollinators will actually use.

From Health Risks to Environmental Actions: Research on the Pathway of Guiding Citizens to Participate in Pocket-Park Governance

The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the demand for urban pocket parks near residential areas, posing new challenges for environmental governance. However, there is a lack of research on how to engage citizens in pocket-park governance to address both potential and unforeseen risks. This study combines social information processing theory with a norm activation model to develop a framework that identifies the shaping stages and influencing factors of citizens’ intentions to participate in pocket-park governance. Using partial least squares structural equation modeling, this research analyzed the relationships among external factors, attitudes, moral norms, and intentions to participate based on 719 responses from an online survey targeting Chinese citizens in November and December 2023. Results indicate that health risks and pocket-park environmental quality positively affect perceived usefulness. Attitudes and moral norms are indeed important factors mediating the positive effect of the external environment on the intention to participate. The pathway of guiding citizens to participate in pocket-park governance is clarified, which helps bolster the resilience of urban green spaces and improve the quality of life of residents after public crises.

Research on the influence mechanism of park landscape characteristics on psychological perception around expressway based on soundscape theory: a case study of Chengdu Bailuwan Wetland Park

With the continuous development of China's transportation infrastructure strategies and urbanization, urban road networks have seen ongoing improvement. Yet noise pollution along expressways is gradually becoming a prominent issue within the broader challenge of urban noise. Noise control has recently emerged as a bottleneck for building livable cities, while well-designed landscapes can improve the quality of psychological perception. By precisely quantifying the multi-sensory composite perception characteristics of urban green space landscapes, this research explores the mechanism through which such landscapes influence psychological perception. The study site was selected in Bailuwan Wetland Park, Chengdu. Objective and subjective environmental data and questionnaire feedback were collected through sound walks and big data analysis based on the geographic information system, after which quantitative analysis was conducted on how landscape environmental characteristics influence environmental experiential perception. The research explores the mechanism of the influence of the regulation of landscape environment characteristic elements on psychological perception and constructs a visual prediction model to provide a universal theoretical basis and methodological support for the planning and regulation of urban green space landscape along expressways, which is of positive significance in guiding the regulation of landscape space.

Exploring Floristic Diversity, Propagation Patterns, and Plant Functions in Domestic Gardens across Urban Planning Gradient in Lubumbashi, DR Congo

Urbanization degrades natural habitats and creates new urban ecosystems like domestic gardens. The plant composition of these gardens varies with socio-economic factors and urban planning levels. However, the diversity and impact of introduced species are often poorly assessed, causing potential ecological imbalances (disruptions in the natural functioning and stability of ecosystems), particularly in Lubumbashi (DR Congo). The objective was to analyze the spatial structure, plant diversity, propagation strategies, and ecological functions of domestic gardens. Three distinct neighborhoods were selected: a planned, unplanned, and residential neighborhood. Twenty avenues (with five plots per avenue) were chosen to represent the diversity within each neighborhood, and stratified random sampling of plots was conducted to analyze gardening practices. Gardens were classified into types, and their vegetation was evaluated based on species origin and ecological impact. The analysis of domestic gardens in Lubumbashi reveals significant variations across different neighborhood types. Residential neighborhoods exhibit larger average garden sizes (315.1 m2), higher species richness (22 species), and larger plot sizes (1032 m2) compared to unplanned and planned neighborhoods, where garden areas and species richness are notably lower. Rectangular gardens dominate in unplanned areas, while planned neighborhoods feature more intentional landscaping elements, such as flowerbeds and hedges. The use of gardens for food production is prominent in planned areas (40.7%), whereas residential neighborhoods prioritize ornamentation (51.4%). The study identified 232 taxa across 68 families, with a predominance of exotic species (80%) in all neighborhoods, particularly in unplanned areas (82.25%). The data revealed that Mangifera indica and Persea americana are abundant in all neighborhoods, illustrating their adaptability to different urban contexts. Herbaceous species are most common, followed by woody plants, with vines being sparse. Species dispersal is primarily driven by human activities (anthropochory), accounting for over 85% in all neighborhoods. These findings highlight the strong human influence on the composition and structure of domestic gardens in Lubumbashi, emphasizing the dominance of exotic species and the importance of anthropogenic factors in shaping urban green spaces. Urban policies should incorporate strategies to minimize the negative impacts of exotic species on native flora.

Health effects of greenspace morphology: Large, irregular-shaped, well-connected, and close-clustered greenspaces may reduce mortality risks, especially for neighborhoods with higher aging levels

The healthcare burden has intensified with urbanization and aging populations in many global cities. While the health effects of urban greenspaces have been well documented, little is known about the associations between greenspace morphological features and health, especially in a high-density city with significant aging populations. Drawing on land use data with 10-m resolution, we assessed seven greenspace morphological metrics in terms of size (the percentage of greenspace, the largest pixel index, the average greenspace area), fragmentation (the patch density), shape (the average weighted shape index), connectedness (the cohesion index), and proximity (the aggregation index). We further conducted an ecological study to examine their associations with all-cause and three cause-specific (cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cancer) mortality. Results from the negative binomial regression models revealed protective effects of five greenspace morphology metrics, including the percentage of greenspace, the largest pixel index, the average weighted shape index, the cohesion index, and the aggregation index, on mortality. The shape index showed the greatest effects, with every 1 Standard Deviation (SD) increase in the shape index linked to a reduction of 22.1% (95% CI: 22.0%–31.0%) in all-cause mortality, 22.1% (12.2%–30.8%) in mortality from cardiovascular diseases, 25.0% (14.0%–34.6%) in mortality from respiratory diseases, and 22.0% (12.3%–30.6%) in mortality from cancers. Moreover, stratified analyses revealed that the health effects of the cohesion index and the aggregation index were significantly more pronounced in neighborhoods with higher aging levels. Our findings highlight the significance of greenspace morphology features, beyond greenspace quantity, in improving residents’ health, particularly for societies with high aging populations.

A GIRS-based analysis of urban green space losses with land-use changes and its relationship with surface urban heat island in the city of Tabriz

This research investigates the relationship between urbanization, land-use land-cover (LULC) changes, and surface urban heat islands (SUHIs) in Tabriz, Iran. Using Landsat satellite data from 2000 to 2021, the study analyzed changes in urban green space (UGS) and their impact on SUHIs. The maximum likelihood classification algorithm was employed to assess LULC changes, while the perceptron neural network model and cellular automaton Markov chain model were used to simulate and predict future LULC dynamics. Various indices, including the UGS Change Intensity Index (CII), Land Use Dynamic Degree Index (LUDD), and UGS Land Index, were used to quantify urban expansion, green space changes, and per capita green space (PCG) availability. The findings revealed a significant increase in built-up area and a subsequent decline in green space. While green space initially increased, it later decreased, leading to a reduction in both UGS area and PCG. Surprisingly, the analysis of heat islands associated with green space and built-up areas showed that built-up areas had a more pronounced mitigating effect on SUHIs compared to green space. Consequently, the green space heat island effect intensified, while the built-up area heat island effect decreased over time.

THE ROLE OF URBAN GREEN SPACE IN PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: A STUDY ON PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA

Urban Green Spaces (UGS) contribute to sustainable development, a key goal for every country, encompassing social, economic, and environmental aspects. This study involves two objectives: to identify the elements of UGS that contribute to sustainable development and to explore the role of UGS in contributing to sustainable development. A qualitative research design was chosen to achieve these objectives using document analysis (from official reports, journals, and analyses) and semi-structured interviews. The study's findings show that UGS plays a role in contributing to sustainable development involving environmental, social, and economic dimensions, explained through data triangulation. The elements of UGS identified include buffer zones, conservation green spaces, recreational/community green spaces, amenity green spaces, greenways, building greens, agricultural land, and blue areas. Additionally, the roles of UGS in environmental aspects include air quality benefits, water quality benefits, ecological functions, and support for local nature; in social aspects, they enhance interpersonal relationships, recreational activities, human health, human well-being, educational functions, and overall quality of life; in economic aspects, they contribute to market values. UGS is a crucial component of sustainable urban planning, essential for fostering cities that are both sustainable and resilient. Its multifaceted contributions to environmental health, social interaction, and economic vitality highlight its indispensable role in creating healthier, happier, and more resilient urban environments.