Urban Public Parks Research Articles

Integrating Interactive Media for Social Connectedness at Urban Public Parks in Sustainable Smart Cities: A Systematic Review

Integrating Interactive Media for Social Connectedness at Urban Public Parks in Sustainable Smart Cities: A Systematic Review

Interracial interaction, park ownership, belonging, community asset, and perceived provision of cultural ecosystem services

Public urban parks contribute fundamentally to social and ecological functioning of modern cities, and enhance human wellbeing through associated ecosystem services, including cultural ecosystem services (CES). This study was conducted to understand how components of interactional justice contribute to users’ perceptions of how well CES are provided in public parks. This paper therefore explores the possibility of parks’ contribution to sense of ownership and belonging, and their place as community assets, as potential catalysts for CES. Data came from an online survey distributed to adult residents of St. Louis, Missouri, USA in spring-summer of 2019. Black respondents reported more positive park interactions than white respondents. Positive interactions in parks were positively related to all dependent variables, while negative interactions were negatively related to belonging and community asset, but positively related to perceived provision of CES. Only community asset was positively related to perceived provision of CES. Results suggest that residents perceive the provision of CES differently based on the quality of interactions with others in their community parks. Additionally, feeling that the park is a community asset contributed positively to users’ perceptions of CES associated with it. This finding indicates that the social and cultural components of a community park relate to how well that space is perceived to deliver cultural environmental benefits. As these interactions influence relationships to and use of the park itself, it is implied that interactional justice plays an important role in determining how effective urban parks are in delivering CES.

Where’s nature?: Women’s narratives of public and private landscapes in the UAE

The study of Emirati women’s engagement with urban landscapes has started to emerge over the last two decades, mostly within ethnographic and historic accounts that emphasise ‘culture’, and are centred on how women navigate cultural values of female propriety within a context that is rapidly becoming urbanized and globalized. Based on semi-structured interviews with Emirati women that examine perceptions of ‘nature’ in a highly urbanized context, this research explores where and how ‘nature’ is encountered and shaped. Through a focus on landscape, and an intersectional understanding of the different socio-cultural frameworks through which landscape is constructed and experienced, this research highlights the ways in which the concept of, and encounters with ‘nature’ are culturally constructed and framed, and expressed through narratives of sensory embodiments within public and private landscapes. The typologies that emerged from the interviews include private home gardens, urban public parks, and recreational spaces in the desert. The findings illustrate that socially constructed notions of ‘nature’ and of ‘public and private’ spheres are context specific and are constantly changing. This research ties into discussions on the public/private dichotomy and the discourse on intersectionality within ecofeminism that addresses issues of difference. Developing an intersectional understating of the relationship between women and their environment is crucial to the development of inclusive, equitable, and sustainable landscapes.

Carbon Storage and Sequestration by Trees in some Urban Public Parks of Jalalabad Afghanistan

‌Urban areas, characterized by rapid development and increasing carbon emissions, have become focal points for climate change mitigation strategies. This research investigates the role of urban trees as crucial components in carbon storage and sequestration, exploring their potential impact on mitigating climate change. The objectives include assessing the efficacy of urban trees in sequestering atmospheric carbon, examining variations in carbon storage across different urban settings, and elucidating the factors influencing the sequestration potential of various tree species. Additionally, the research investigates the indirect impacts of urban tree cover on local climate dynamics, including temperature regulation, air quality improvement, and overall environmental resilience. The anticipated outcomes encompass comprehensive data on the carbon storage and sequestration potential of urban trees, providing insights into the variation of these capacities within different urban contexts. By understanding the relationships between urban trees, carbon sequestration, and climate change, the research aims to inform urban planning, policy formulation, and sustainable development practices. The carbon sequestration of 512 trees belonging to 45 species was estimated. The average carbon content of these trees was 50.391t/tree. The total carbon sequestered by these trees was 120.757t/year. Highest (23709 kg/year) sequestration was observed in Ficus relegiosa and the lowest (50.59 kg/year) in Morus alba. Ficus relegiosa showed the highest average DBH and more carbon sequestration potential, whereas Morus alba showed the minimum carbon sequestration potential. The regression analyses indicated that both DBH and number of trees have a positive relation with carbon sequestration rate of tree species.

The Urban Public Park of 21st Century: Challenges and Prospectives

The negligence of adequate planning and development of urban public parks in Nigeria is a huge setback to cities achieving maximum utilization in their social, economic, physical, and environmental sectors. This is coupled with many other managerial problems in maintaining the few available ones; and as such it has led to the gradual decay of the nation’s public parks in urban centres and, hence reduced their benefit to the built environment. The garden has become a part of our daily lives. It has become increasingly important since the 18th and 19th centuries. Parks in the city have begun to be abandoned and city dwellers are more comfortable spending their time in the countryside away from the hustle and bustle of the city. However, since the end of the 20th century, urban residents have begun to realize the importance of urban parks in their daily lives. They have begun to realize the importance of a quality environment and life. To meet these changing needs and wants, it is important to re-evaluate the construction of our city's public parks by looking at their true function in meeting the needs of life, environment, and socio-culture of the users. An open-ended questionnaire administered with twenty-one participants (regular users of public urban parks), reviews the literature on the general need for developing urban parks in Nigeria and critically examines the planning, development designs, and the important facilities and management procedures for urban parks. The result of this study will ensure dignity and remove the intrigues attracted to implementing urban renewal and regional planning programs and it will ensure the sustainability of every urban park project in Nigeria. These benefits include general beauty, healthy lifestyles, increased leisure activities, communal interaction and preservation of natural systems, and maximizing abandoned land spaces.

From power to architecture: an analysis on the identity transformation of Tagaytay people’s park in the sky through edifice complex and democratization theory

The study of architecture in relation to the principles of political power places a different perspective in understanding how the built environs with heritage value were shaped in time and are being constantly shaped at the present. Its relevance cannot be understated, as in spite of its actuality, it is a side of the field that may still be considered sensitive to some. Architecture is never neutral. It corresponds to the patron’s ideals, intentions, and ideological orientation, communicated by the designer through his technical knowledge in artistic articulation of forms. In a larger scale, architectural identity can therefore be affected by those possessing power and can serve as tactile channel in redirecting society. This study presents the case of People’s Park in the Sky in the Philippines, a colossal brutalist mansion, originally named Palace in the Sky, situated at Mt. Sungay peak in Tagaytay City. Commissioned in 1981 by Imelda Marcos, the wife of authoritarian head Ferdinand Marcos, the palace was not completed and eventually transformed into a public urban park. Supported by the concept of Edifice Complex and Democratization theory, methodical assessment of the political links of the said architecture was executed in two parts: examination of historical accounts and first-hand site investigations. The findings of the analysis revealed that there is a present architectural crisis in the park, emerging from its long-time neglect since the 1986 transition years, and if not taken proper institutional action, its genuine identity and legacy could be forgotten and eventually lost in the near future.

Gravity-based models for evaluating urban park accessibility: Why does localized selection of attractiveness factors and travel modes matter?

Gravity-based models have been extensively utilized in urban studies for measuring geographic disparities in access to urban parks over the past several decades. However, despite methodological advancements incorporating various aspects of accessibility, there has been limited focus on the impact of variable selection (e.g., attractiveness factors) and transport modes on accessibility evaluations. This study investigates the differences in gravity-based models for assessing park accessibility based on varying assumptions about attractiveness factors and travel impedance. Semi-structured interviews with local residents were conducted to identify the reasons for park visits in Shanghai. Our bivariate correlation analyses reveal that factors such as park openness and access to public transport were crucial, in addition to conventional factors identified in the literature (i.e., park size and driving accessibility). This insight led to the development of localized accessibility measurements that incorporate park inclusiveness (i.e., entrance fees and opening hours) and multimodal travel options (based on multinomial logistic mode choice models). The results indicate that the refined model produces lower and more varied accessibility levels, which can better capture accessibility gaps across different geographic contexts. This accurate and practical identification of accessibility gaps can assist local planners and decision-makers in formulating effective policies and strategies to promote equitable access to urban public parks.

Field Measurements and Human Perception to Remediate Noise Pollution in the Urban Public Parks in Saudi Arabia

The deleterious effects of noise pollution on public health have been well documented, with traffic noise being identified as a significant contributor to stress and adverse impacts on the human body and mind. In this study, sound levels at 12 different points in Al-Oqailat Park in Buraydah, Saudi Arabia, were measured using a sound level meter (SLM), with the study’s primary objective being to conduct this measurement. The experimental results were then compared with perception measurements collected from users who frequently visited Al-Oqailat park. Sound measurements were taken in four different zones (A, B, C, and D) during rush hours between 1:30 p.m. and 5:20 p.m. It was found that noise levels at point A1 peaked at 79 dBA at 4:40 p.m., while the lowest level recorded was 41.1 dBA at point D2 at 2:35 p.m. The range of noise levels varied between 79 and 41 dBA, with a rate of decline of 48.10%. Zones A and B seemed to have the highest noise levels during rush hours, since they were located closest to King Fahd Road and Al-Adl Street, while zone D exhibited the lowest noise levels due to its location as a parking lot for Buraydah Court. An intermediate noise level was found in zone C, in the middle of Al-Oqailat park. The people perception results, completed by 84 park visitors, showed that zone A was identified as having exceptionally high noise levels compared to the other zones, with zone D having the lowest levels. These results were consistent with the experimental findings and reflected that the points along King Fahd Road and Al-Adl Street had the highest noise levels. Overall, the research highlighted the dominance of car traffic and horns as the primary sources of noise pollution in and around Al-Oqailat Park, emphasizing the significance of meticulous site selection for parks in urban areas.

The impact of renewal of an urban park in Belgium on park use, park-based physical activity, and social interaction: A natural experiment

Studies investigating the impact of park renewal on park use, park-based physical activity (PA), and social interaction are scarce and mainly conducted in Australia and North-America. This study investigates the impact of renewal of an urban public park in Belgium, Europe, on park use, park-based PA, and social interaction using a natural experiment. Baseline observational data of park visitors and their levels of PA were collected in two public parks with similar features and amenities. After the renewal of one park (i.e., installation of (1) paved walking and cycling paths, (2) benches and picnic tables, (3) outdoor fitness equipment, and (4) playgrounds for different age categories), observations were repeated in both parks. At posttest, park users' social interaction was assessed. Generalized linear (mixed) models were fitted to investigate the impact of the renewal on the number of park visitors, their levels of PA, and their level of social interaction. We found that urban park renewal can strongly increase the number of park visitors across age categories. However, no evidence for an effect of park renewal on visitors' mean PA level was detected. Similarly, the level of social interaction observed among park visitors at posttest did not differ between both parks.

Sociodemographic correlates of greenness within public parks in three U.S. cities

Equitable access to urban vegetation (also known as greenness), an environmental determinant of health, is an important environmental justice issue. Researchers often consider parks a source of greenness but there is a lack of research explicitly investigating the sociodemographic correlates of greenness within city parks. Using a high-resolution landcover dataset, publicly available park boundaries, and American Community Survey data, we investigated the relationship between greenness within urban public parks and the sociodemographic characteristics of surrounding neighborhoods. We found that parks were substantially greener than surrounding neighborhoods and that Black race, Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, and socioeconomic deprivation was associated with less tree canopy and more grass and impervious surface or soil within parks. Public parks are indeed an important source of greenness for urban populations, but the type of vegetation in those spaces depends on the city and sociodemographic characteristics of neighborhoods. Future research and interventions should consider both the type and amount of vegetation within parks.

Assessment of Spatial Equity of Public Urban Parks Distribution in Peshawar, Pakistan

To flourish, cities must have enough open green space and parks. Public urban parks distribution, their size, accessibility and equity are the key elements in fostering the city sustainability. Peshawar a provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province is one of the rapidly expanding urban centers of Pakistan. To cater the needs of growing population large numbers of residential colonies are emerging on the cost of open spaces and green patches. This study is aimed to analyze the distribution and spatial equity of existing parks of Peshawar using field surveys, visual observations, mapping and buffering satellite imageries through computer added design methods. The results revealed that presently 209.89 ha land is covered by parks which is only 1.89% of the total urban area. The study also explored the inequitable distribution of parks in city and emphasizing the development of new accessible parks on equity basis especially in the deprived areas.

A multi-functional nature-based solution (NBS) for greywater treatment and reuse at the same plot

Water stress is destined to worsen due to rapid urbanization, high population growth as well as huge water demand and climate change in the upcoming days. To make the cities more water resilient, greywater treatment and reuse can be a sustainable solution to prevent discharge of greywater into the environment and reduce the import of freshwater into the cities. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of implementing a multi-functional nature-based solution (NBS) for decentralized greywater treatment and reuse at the same plot. Therefore, an aerated vertical-flow constructed wetland (AVFCW) with a design capacity of 8 PE (population equivalent) was combined with an innovative cover layer on top, so that the wetland surface can be used wisely (saving space) for irrigation with the treated effluent as well as protect the constructed wetland from high water loss due to evapotranspiration (EVT). In the first investigation phase, the results showed that applying such a cover layer on the wetland surface did not have any influence on the treatment performance of the AVFCW operating at the BDZ-Research and Demonstration Centre for Decentralized Wastewater Treatment in Leipzig, Germany. The results from the second investigation phase showed a highly efficient treatment performance of the AVFCW system (BOD5 > 90%, COD>93%, TSS > 93%, TN > 60% and log-removal for E.coli of 0.81 ± 0.45) when feeding with synthetic greywater at the site. In the effluent from the AVFCW, the mean concentrations of BOD5, TSS and E.coli were found to be as 9 ± 5 mg/L, 4 ± 2 mg/L and 7.0 ± 5.4 MPN/100 mL, respectively, and the achieved results were in compliance with the EU recommended limits for the most restrictive Class A standard treated water quality (BOD5 < 10 mg/L; TSS < 10 mg/L; E.coli < 10 MPN/100 mL) for agricultural irrigation. Soil characteristics data at the depth of 10, 15 and 20 cm within the cover layer showed no remarkable effect of irrigation with treated effluent on the soil properties. Overall, this study demonstrated that the integrated and multi-functional NBS can be implemented as a more practical and attractive technology for greywater treatment and reuse (via sub-surface irrigation) at the same plot and can improve the aesthetic in urban settlements (e.g. backyard garden of the urban households, public park, roadside and touristic areas) as well as in warm climatic conditions of arid/semi-arid regions worldwide.

The Role of Urban Cemeteries in Ecosystem Services and Habitat Protection

Cemeteries, like urban public parks, are an important part of the urban ecosystem, providing semi-natural habitats for many plant and animal species as well as a wide range of ecosystem services: they improve air quality, reduce the urban heat island phenomenon and provide aesthetic and recreational value. This paper explores the role of the cemeteries in the green infrastructure network beyond their sacred and memorial role and their importance as a habitat for urban flora and fauna. In our study, we compared two large public cemeteries of Budapest (Nemzeti Sírkert/National Graveyard and Új Köztemető/New Public Cemetery) with the Zentralfriedhof Wien (Central Cemetery of Vienna), the latter of which has been forward-looking in terms of green infrastructure development and habitat creation in the past years. Our goal was to determine which maintenance technologies and green space development methods are most beneficial in terms of sustainable habitat creation and the use of appropriate plant species in public cemeteries.

Application of The Theory of Reason Action in Public Acceptance towards Physical Activity Participation among People with Disabilities

Being supported and accepted in communities is essentials for people with disabilities to get involved in physical activity together with community members. The theory of reasoned action (TRA) by Ajzen and Fishbein (1980) was adopted as the fundamental for this study because people’s intention or motivation was the determinant of their behavior. To further study this problem, the present research aims to examine the influence of public’s attitude and subjective norms on acceptance towards people with disabilities participation in physical activity. An exploratory model of public acceptance was developed. Using convenience sampling technique, a total of 444 responses were collected from the public (without disabilities), who were exercising at four urban public recreation parks located in Klang Valley. Correlation analysis was used to analyze the data collected and identify the relationship of the attitude and subjective norms with the public acceptance. Correlation coefficient showed that there was a low relationship (.270), p=.001<.05 between the attitude construct and public acceptance. Therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected. Future study can include meaningful assessment of other different factors, including their moderating effects. Implications of the result for future practice and directions of research were discussed.

Socio-Spatial Inequalities, and Local Struggles for the Right to the City and to Nature—Cases of Urban Green Parks in Athens

In this paper we hypothesize that the practices that prevailed during the pandemic period in relation to the right to parks were related to traditional urban discriminatory policies that need to be changed. We also argue that, in some cases, the residents themselves treated the parks as common living spaces by protecting them from neoliberal grabbing policies that deprive residents of greenery and infringe on the right to the city and to nature. With this in mind, we proceeded with research on the city of Athens. We investigated two urban green parks, the first was “Lofos Philopappou”, which is one of the most important parks in the city, as it is one of the largest green spaces in the city center and includes some of the most important ancient monuments. The second park was “Antonis Tritsis”, which is the largest park in Athens Metropolitan Area and one of the few high green spaces in the western suburbs. In the framework of this study, we investigated the attitudes and the actions of visitors and groups regarding these parks, the urban social movements, and local struggles and initiatives that are active in the public green parks, together with participation through the commons. We also investigated management policies and attempts to privatize them. The research methods that were used were participant observation in the studied parks, semi-structured interviews with people or groups that used the public urban green parks on a regular basis, noting the narratives they produced, and questionnaires given to visitors who actively used the urban parks. In conclusion, policies implemented within public parks were found to prevent the integration of public green spaces in the daily lives of residents and the active participation of residents in decisions concerning the green extensions of their neighborhoods. In this way, a part of society is deprived of the ability to maintain continuous contact with nature and green parks.

Community values on governing urban water nature-based solutions in Sydney, Australia

Since the needs and expectations of communities towards their urban environments often vary, landscape management strategies can often be prone to fail in the absence of social considerations. It is therefore incumbent on policy-makers to investigate and attempt to reconcile diverse community perceptions toward the natural and built environment for more equitable governance. This is of particular interest when planning and managing nature-based solutions (NBS) for river protection. We considered this challenge in understanding human values, perceptions and behaviour in a multilayered ecosystem that includes waterways, NBS, green open spaces, and a built environment. This paper analyses perceptions and behaviour around a public urban park next to the Georges River in Sydney Australia, utilizing a proxy-based approach and a mixed-method comprising community surveys and behavioural mapping. The results showed that while users perceive the significance of the urban river environment differently, naturalistic (ecological), humanistic (recreational) and utilitarian (well-being) values are dominant. Urban river catchments are highly valued for recreational purposes, with a strong perception of potential flooding hazards. Through exploring the literature, we recognized that the dominancy of leisure-related values around urban river catchments can be generalized to similar cases worldwide. While NBS, as an urban stormwater management solution, address some user values (e.g., naturalistic) around urban river catchments, they may lack further delivery of humanistic and utilitarian values due to the poor integration with recreational and cultural spaces. It was also the case around the Georges River, where low prominence of cultural features was observed. We concluded that NBS development around Georges River and other urban river catchments should incorporate socio-cultural considerations and community values, in particular the ones related to leisure. The gaps between users’ beliefs and behaviour do not greatly challenge governance, provided that the decision-makers utilise these gaps for optimising management actions.

Criteria for Sustainable Landscape Maintenance: Addressing Cost Implication

The upkeeping of urban public parks involves tedious maintenance to sure their functionality, purpose and it involves an immense amount to maintain our public parks. This mixed-methodology research examines the cost-efficiency and strategies to mitigate this issue. The first phase established an experts’ verified checklist of maintenance procedures establishing the themes, parameters, and attributes for cost-effective maintenance. Phase two involves Semi-structured Interviews with selected professionals and practitioners focusing on issues related to the current landscape maintenance practice and its operational cost. The study’s findings suggest six components that link effective maintenance with cost-efficiency. Keywords: Urban Parks, Maintenance Procedure, Cost-effective, Sustainable Maintenance Process eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2022. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians/Africans/Arabians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning &amp; Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.

The carbon sequestration potential of urban public parks of densely populated cities to improve environmental sustainability

With a rapid increase in population followed by urbanisation and higher land-use demands, there is a shortage of green spaces and urban parks in densely populated cities worldwide. The rise in energy demand and use, especially fossil fuels in the residential and industrial sector, is the leading cause of higher GHG emissions globally. Several decarbonisation methods and frameworks are currently present; however, very few discuss urban parks' role in carbon capture and storage. In this study, the case of Shaheed Zayan Chowdhury Playground of Banani, Dhaka, has been studied in-depth to understand the carbon sequestration potential of the existing vegetation and the centre turf of the park. A total of 156 trees of 21 different species alongside the centre turf were studied within the urban park with 1.73 acres or 17,016 m2 of area. The total amount of CO2 equivalent sequestrated over the entire life span of the urban park is equal to 660.8 tCO2e with a rate of 33.24 tCO2e annually. Moringa Oleifera, Mangifera Indica, and Delonix Regia have the highest carbon storage potential and sequestration, while Cassia Fistula's lowest. This is a unique project in Dhaka with highly encouraging results towards decarbonisation through carbon sequestration in such multipurpose urban parks. This project should inspire the C sequestration calculation and potential for other urban parks within Dhaka North City Corporation.

Re-think the ex-ILVA landscape. Bagnoli’s public park, Naples 2021

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Since public space is usually associated with flexible open structures, this article looks into the transformation of the closed ex-ILVA grounds, as public green sphere, to underline emotional components in leftovers and urban policies, that add insights to the contemporary debate about environmental and social achievements of public spaces.The re-thinking of contaminated post-industrial landscapes as participatory places is not only a change in process, quality and meaning, but also a microclimatic amelioration by reducing urban heat intensification, proving to have increasing effects on human health and well-being. Emotional compontents about community identity, saftey and history are examined.How should a public urban park be designed by low initial and maintenance costs, supporting daily frequencies of citizens and health in mind and body, is the research question. More specific, how can contaminated sites be transfered into a healthy, sustainable and socially controlled public park, which idealy generates income, added value and increases life quality, respecting life expertancy, mortality rates and social well-being.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Systems approach to the sustainable management of urban public parks

Public green spaces are becoming crucial components of any sustainable community because of their multiple ecological, economic and sociocultural benefits. More efforts are being directed towards creating livelier spaces. Unfortunately, there is less adequate attention to their long-term upkeep. Both research and practice focus more on design aspects of public spaces and parks than on their management. Realising the importance of management, this research is addressing this recognised gap by providing a comprehensive study of the management process. It draws on previous public spaces and green spaces management literature to define four main management requirements: being responsive to context, setting direction, managing performance and dealing with resources. Guided by the systems approach and sustainability concepts, the management requirements and process are presented in a framework that combines different levels of management with the internal dynamics of the public park. This framework can be a useful tool for researchers, designers, decision-makers and managers.