Integration of ecosystem services in spatial planning: a survey on regional planners’ views

Spatial plans shape land-use changes, which in turn are main drivers of anthropogenic ecosystem alterations, therefore influencing the ecosystem services (ES) delivered by a given territory. However, integration of the ES concept in policies and plans is reported as poor in literature. The main goal of this research is to gain insight on the views and perceptions of Portuguese regional spatial planners regarding the ES concept and its integration in spatial plans. For that we designed and administered a questionnaire survey aimed at practitioners and decision-makers from Portuguese regional spatial planning authorities. The survey focused on issues such as the level of awareness and knowledge of the ES concept among planners, the perceived level of current ES integration in regional spatial plans and corresponding strategic environmental assessments, the main factors that either facilitate or obstruct that integration, or the level of importance given to ES integration in the planning process. Findings show that planners know the ES concept, they consider it as important to be integrated in spatial planning and, interestingly, that it is already rather integrated in existing plans. They believe that planning teams and authorities have skilled human resources for ES integration. However, they revealed a low knowledge on the main initiatives intended to push ecosystem services into the political agenda, like for example the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. The questionnaire used can be easily transferred into other spatial planning contexts to draw, e.g. a broader European picture on ES integration in spatial planning.     

Integrating stakeholders’ demands and scientific knowledge on ecosystem services in landscape planning

The conflict between conservation and timber production is shifting in regions such as Biscay (Basque Country, northern Spain) where planted forests are no longer profitable without public subsidies and environmentalist claim that public subsidies should be reoriented to the regeneration of natural forest. This paper develops an approach that integrates scientific knowledge and stakeholders’ demands to provide decision-making guidelines for the development of new landscape planning strategies while considering ecosystem services. First, a participatory process was conducted to develop a community vision for the region’s sustainable future considering the opportunities and constrains provided by the landscape and its ecosystems. In the participatory process forest management was considered an important driver for the region`s landscape development and forest multi-functionality was envisioned as a feasible attractive alternative. The participatory process identified a knowledge gap on the synergies and trade-offs between biodiversity and carbon storage and how these depend on different forest types. Second, to study the existing synergies and trade-offs between biodiversity and carbon storage and disentangle the identified knowledge gap, a GIS-based research was conducted based on spatially explicit indicators. Our spatial analysis results showed that natural forests’ contribution to biodiversity and carbon storage is higher than that of the plantations with exotic species in the region. The results from the spatial analysis converged with those from the participatory process in the suitability of promoting, where possible and appropriate, natural forest ecosystems restoration. This iterative learning and decision making process is already showing its effectiveness for decision making, with concrete examples of how the results obtained with the applied approach are being included in planning and decision-making processes.     

‘Just green enough’ in urban renewal: A multifunctional and pragmatic approach in realizing multiscale urban green space optimization in built-up residential areas

Urban green spaces (UGSs) play an essential role in sustainable urban development and are closely related to public health and human well-being. Previous studies seldom consider the relationships between spatial patterns and equity for the heterogeneity of built-up residential types in the city, not to mention how to place the pragmatic design strategies to explore green injustice for vulnerable neighborhoods. To address this gap, our study adopts a cascade of three methodological stages: 1) applying an urban morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) to compare urban UGS patterns and the UGS-adapted Gini coefficient to measure the spatial equity of UGS distributions in three local built-up areas, 2) employing the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model to determine the location of the newly added UGSs and adopting the ‘just green enough’ strategy into the redistribution of UGSs for the marginal neighborhood and at the same time to avoid inequality associated with green gentrification, and 3) exploring an integrated design and implementation method for the newly added UGSs that can accommodate both normal conditions and the possibility of future pandemics. The results indicate that there is a strong correlation between socioeconomic status and the distributional justice of UGSs among built-up types, while disadvantaged people living in the densest residential neighborhoods have lower UGS provisions. This paper demonstrates a multifunctional and pragmatic approach for realizing multiscale UGS optimization by exploring it at the subdivision and neighborhood scales. This implication can also help guide decision-makers and planners to understand the complex interplay between social vulnerabilities, gentrification, and urban greening, thus formulating effective policies and hands-on strategies to address green injustice that are not only crucial for this study region but also of great significance for developing countries in the Global South.     

Fragmentation of China’s landscape by roads and urban areas

China’s major paved road-ways (national roads, provincial roads, and county roads), railways and urban development are rapidly expanding. A likely consequence of this fast-paced growth is landscape fragmentation and disruption of ecological flows. In order to provide ecological information to infrastructure planners and environmental managers for use in landscape conservation, land-division from development must be measured. We used the effective-mesh-size (M_eff) method to provide the first evaluation of the degree of landscape division in China, caused by paved roads, railways, and urban areas. Using M_eff, we found that fragmentation by major transportation systems and urban areas in China varied widely, from the least-impacted west to the most impacted south and east of China. Almost all eastern provinces and counties, especially areas near big cities, have high levels of fragmentation. Several eastern-Chinese provinces and biogeographic regions have among the most severe landscape fragmentation in the world, while others are comparable to the least-developed areas of Europe and California. Threatened plant hotspots and areas with high mammal species diversity occurred in both highly fragmented and less fragmented areas, though future road development threatens already moderately divided landscapes. To conserve threatened biodiversity and landscapes, we recommend that national and regional planners in China consider existing land division before making decisions about further road development and improvement.     

A socio-ecological exploration of fear of crime in urban green spaces – A systematic review

Studies have pointed at the negative side of urban green spaces in terms of evoking fear of crime. However research on fear-provoking attributes suggests that there usually is no single attribute that influences fear but that rather a combination of attributes prevails. The aim of the paper is to systematically review those attributes that evoke fear of crime in urban green spaces and to highlight their complex interaction by adopting a social-ecological framework. Results include an overview of the reviewed literature with regard to authorship, journal, geographical distribution of the studies, types of urban green spaces studies, types of landscape stimulus used, applied methods, types of respondents involved and main study findings. Forty-eight studies met the authors’ inclusion criteria. The majority of the studies highlighted that individual factors (such as gender and past experience) were more influential than social and physical factors in evoking fear of crime. A proposed socio-ecological framework highlights the attributes which evoke fear of crime in urban green spaces and its interactions and can help guide future research.     

Assessment and optimization of green space for urban transformation in resources-based city – A case study of Lengshuijiang city,China

Urbanization in China has changed gradually from production-oriented to consumption-oriented in recent years. Comfort and accessibility of green infrastructures effect the rate of urbanization and transformation. A well designed urban green space system is an essential part of the urbanization process. In this paper, the urban green space of Lengshuijiang city was assessed both qualitatively and quantitatively using data of field survey and high resolution remote sensing. In the study area, green space coverage was 37.14%, green space percentage was 33.45% and per capita park green space was 16.25 m². The high green space coverage suggested that there were ample potentials for further urban transformation. Within a 30 min service radius of existing green space, total service area was 204.49 ha, which accounted for 16.26% of the study area. A high proportion of the green space was made up of urban parks which were unevenly distributed across the study area. A green space optimization strategy, aimed at improving green space quality and accessibility, was proposed. After optimization, total service areas within the 30 min service radius will increase to 492 ha (39.12%), an increase of 22.86%. Our study demonstrated that combining qualitative and quantitative methods is an effective and reliable way for green space assessment and reliable and can be used for urban green space planning and management for small resource-based cities like Lengshuijiang in its process of urban transformation.     

Citizens’ perception of and satisfaction with urban forests and green space: Results from selected Southeast European cities

In this paper the results of the first comprehensive study on perception of and satisfaction with urban forests and green space in seven Southeast European cities are presented. The aims of the paper are to analyse 1) citizen perceptions of the current state of urban forests and green space in their cities, 2) to what extent current urban forests and green space meet their needs and how this can be improved. A cross-sectional study was conducted by using a common face-to-face survey questionnaire. Respondents were selected based on census data though a stratified sampling procedure by taking into account age, gender and city district (n = 384 in each city). The results showed that citizens genuinely care for urban forests and green space in their cities, but are not satisfied with their current state. The respondents found issues related to misbehaviour of other users, the presence and quality of facilities, as well as the presence and quality of management or maintenance the most pressing. There were more statistically significant differences than similarities between cities. Socioeconomic variables explained perceptions only to some extent. Citizens were very supportive of educational campaigns about the importance of urban forests and green space as well as of better enforcement of the existing regulations though having more community wardens that were expected to tackle current unsatisfactory situations. Urban planning and urban forest and green space management in these cities are facing many problems characteristic for post-socialist countries. Study findings are expected to contribute to decision making in urban planning and natural resource management.     

Biotic homogenization of China’s urban greening: A meta-analysis on woody species

Human preferences for the species in urban greening have greatly facilitated the spread of non-native species, resulting in the homogenization of urban plant communities across spatial scales. We selected 11 major cities along the Yangtze River in China and examined the species composition in their urban plant communities. We found that China’s urban plant communities are becoming homogenized, as urban communities of different cities are highly similar to each other despite the geographical separation. Meanwhile, these artificial communities we investigated have diverged greatly from the natural communities at both the city and the geographic scale. We recorded a total of 91 woody species that have been used in urban greening in all 11 cities. Of those species, 27% were cultivars and introduced species, and 25% were being used outside of their native distribution ranges in China. This may be explained by the market and urban planners who tend to favor greening plants that are highly profitable and have aesthetic ornamental traits, rather than spending time introducing and acclimatizing the native species in each city. Given the current trend of homogenization, measures that recognize the importance of native species should be emphasized with comprehensive urban planning strategies.     

The role of green space in Chicago’s gentrification

Investment in park green space can improve the quality of life for urban residents but has also been linked to green gentrification. Investments in informal green space have been proposed as means for improving green access while minimizing the risk of displacement. Very little empirical research, however, has examined the differential impacts of park and non-park green space investments in the broader context of neighborhood greening. To further this understanding, we examine the association between park and non-park green space increases and the likelihood of gentrification in Chicago using satellite imagery, land use, and census data during two periods—1990–2000 and 2000–2010. We found that green space of any type did not have a statistically significant role in increasing the odds of gentrification, but the importance of green space variables in predicting gentrification increased with time. Neighborhood characteristics like the distance to downtown or the presence of gentrifying neighbors were most predictive, suggesting that green investment efforts should consider the pre-existing risk factors for gentrification. Our results do not dispute that green space has the potential to play a role in gentrification, simply that green gentrification may be strongly contingent upon timing and neighborhood characteristics.     

How do the green components of urban green infrastructure influence the use of ecosystem services? Examples from Leipzig,Germany

Landscape Ecology - The pressure on remaining open spaces of urban green infrastructure (UGI) is high due to increasing urbanization and the multiple requirements of a diverse urban population....     

Spatiotemporal patterns,relationships, and drivers of China’s agricultural ecosystem services from 1980 to 2010: a multiscale analysis

Context

During the past three decades, China’s agroecosystem has undergone dramatic alterations because of changes in climatic and management factors, which threatened agricultural sustainability.

Objectives

We investigated how climatic and management factors affected agricultural ecosystem services (AES).

Methods

We adopted the GIS-based Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) model to simulate the five critical AES: food production, soil organic carbon (SOC), nitrate leaching, water erosion, and wind erosion from 1980 to 2010 and used a partial least square regression model to quantify the contributions of the drivers of the variation in the AES on the main grain-producing area (MGPA), climatic zone, and national scales.

Results

On the MGPA scale, SOC exhibited no obvious change and food production increased, whereas the negative environmental effects largely increased. The MGPA is important to ensure the safety of China’s food supply. At the climatic zone scale, food production and SOC increased, water erosion in the tropical-subtropical monsoonal zone and water and wind erosion in the temperate monsoonal zone decreased, whereas N leaching, water erosion, and wind erosion increased in other climate zones. At the national scale, food production, SOC, N leaching, and wind erosion increased, whereas water erosion decreased. The crop cultivated area played a major role in the effect on food production and SOC. The dominant factors for N leaching, water erosion, and wind erosion varied with crop type and study scales.

Conclusions

Adjustment of agricultural management measures is vital and possible to minimize the tradeoffs, increase the synergies among agro ecosystem services, and promote adaptation to the changing climate.

     

A “magic teleportation machine”: Ethnically diverse green space users derive similar cultural ecosystem benefits from urban nature

Green spaces are vital to the wellbeing of urban communities, largely due to the many Cultural Ecosystem Benefits (CEB) that nature contributes to outdoor recreation experiences (e.g., relaxation, inspiration, spiritual enrichment). To ensure equity in the distribution of CEB, however, we require a better understanding of how they relate to ethnicity. Through 100 in-situ semi-structured interviews with green space users in the Lee Valley Regional Park, London, UK, this research explored variation in outdoor recreational CEB based on i) ethnicity and ii) green space activity and attribute preferences. We compared green space preferences and CEB of Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) and white users of two distinct types of urban green space: parks and more biodiverse Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). Both white and BAME visitors to parks prioritized games/sports and built features whereas visitors to SSSIs more often undertook wildlife viewing and prioritized natural features. However, we found that white and BAME users of both types of urban green space derived similar CEB. Peace and relaxation were primary among these benefits, a result of both nature interaction and its contrast to the urban environment. These results demonstrate that nature does not have to be the focal point of outdoor recreation to contribute to wellbeing; rather, even as a backdrop to sports and cultural activities, nature provides similar benefits to green space users. To promote use of green space and foster intercultural understanding, we recommend integrating these shared benefits obtained from nature within marketing and engagement strategies. Future research is needed to explore CEB variation within and among distinct ethnic communities to fully capture the diversity of lived experiences.     

A review of the outcomes from contracting out urban green space maintenance: What we know,don’t know and should know

Private delivery, i.e. contracting out, of maintenance services in urban parks and green spaces has since the 1980s been spurred by neoliberal reform promises of improved performance. This article contributes to discussions of whether contracting out park and green space maintenance services is a well-performing alternative by evaluating what is known – and not known – about the outcomes in a narrative review of thirteen studies bridging experiences from four decades and three country contexts. It is found that the balance of reported economic and managerial outcomes mostly are on the positive side while the balance of reported outcomes related to service quality and staff are found to be on the negative side. Findings indicate that reforms have partly delivered on their promises. However, the reviewed studies are found to be dominated by evaluations based on governing values inherent in neoliberal management reforms rather than alternative management paradigms, rely on older data from a limited number of country contexts, and lack an accumulated understanding of explanation of outcomes. Finally, the reviewed studies pay little or no attention to the details of the development of different contracting and organizational models within contemporary urban green space management. Future research can expand further on what is known by addressing these key caveats.     

Influences on the use of urban green space – A case study in Odense,Denmark

Increasing the use of urban green space has appeared on the political agenda, primarily because increased use is expected to improve the health and well-being of the urban population. Green space is contributing to restoring mental fatigue, serving as a resource for physical activity, reducing mortality and reducing the level of stress.However, knowledge and experience on how to implement this agenda are scarce. In this paper, we use a socio-ecological model as framework when studying influences on the use of respondents’ nearest urban green space in the Danish city of Odense. Data were obtained from a survey sent to 2500 randomly selected adult residents within the central part of the city. We tested the relative importance of different factors on the frequency of use of the nearest urban green space by using a multivariate logistic regression model. The results show that almost half of the respondents did not use their nearest green space the most. Whether or not respondent used their nearest green space most depends primarily on area size, distance to the area and factors that are likely to express a reduced mobility; old age, young children and poor health.If the nearest urban green space also is the most used green space, having a dog is the only factor that significantly increases the frequency of use. Further research is needed to determine what it is that makes people use an area more, if the basic conditions of a reasonable size (>5 ha) within a reasonable distance (<600 m) are fulfilled.     

Urban forest usage and perception of ecosystem services – A comparison between teenagers and adults

Urban forests provide multiple ecosystem services for a range of user groups. However, teenagers are commonly underrepresented in studies about forest recreation and cultural ecosystem services. This paper examines teenagers' forest use and perception of ecosystem services compared to adult populations. We used an online panel survey to elicit motives for forest visits, frequency of visits, forest activities and constraints for visitation, and what ecosystem services participants expect from forests more generally. We then elicited perceived cultural ecosystem services of different forests by showing participants photographs of forest inventory plots for which we had detailed measures of physical forest characteristics to statistically assess the influence of forest characteristics and other parameters on perceived cultural ecosystem services. Results show that teenagers visit forests less often and also differ from adults in their preferences and activities, their motives for forest visits and reasons for not visiting forests. Teenagers exhibit more social and active forms of forest use, whereas adults use forests in more contemplative ways. Perception of cultural ecosystem services on forest photos was influenced by individual factors such as motives for forest visits, preferences, importance of forest during childhood and socio-demographic factors. Environment- and forest-related factors such as forest type, stand structure and single elements such as root plates and stumps had an influence on ecosystem service perception. We conclude that teenagers have different needs than adults concerning the provision of cultural ecosystem services from forests and therefore should be considered as a user group of its own in the management of recreational forests.     

Malaysians’ perception on the contribution of urban green spaces to the UN sustainable development goals

There are only few studies globally that have documented the linkages between urban green spaces (UGS) and sustainable development goals (SDGs). In Malaysia, there is no existing research evaluating the relationship between UGS and SDGs. In this study, we assessed Malaysians’ perception on the association between UGS and seven selected SDGs, building on existing studies that looked at importance of UGS with regards to biodiversity, health, and wellbeing outcomes in Malaysia. Using an online survey of 645 respondents across Malaysia, we tested two hypotheses: H1) perception of SDGs varies by socio-demographic factors and H2) perception of SDGs is moderated by distance to green spaces. A pre-tested structured online questionnaire was administered using a 5-point Likert scale. The data was then analysed using analysis of variance and ordinary least squares. Results show that there is an overall statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) between the sociodemographic variables and the positive perceptions of seven selected SDGs. Several sociodemographic factors (female, younger age, university education, closer to UGS, physical activities in UGS) had positive and significant relationship between UGS and SDGs perception. However, proximity to UGS did not moderate the effect of demographic factors on the attitude towards the SDGs. As Malaysia is becoming a rapidly urbanized country, we suggest developing small green spaces (e. g. pocket parks) in the vicinity of housing areas so that people will have easy access and perform physical activities for their wellbeing. At the same time these green spaces will ultimately contribute to achieving other SDGs in urban areas.     

The long-term prospects of citizens managing urban green space: From place making to place-keeping?

This paper discusses the long-term management or ‘place-keeping’ of urban green space by citizens and highlights enabling and constraining factors that play a crucial role in this continuity. While authorities have historically been in charge of managing public green spaces, there is an increased involvement of citizens in green space management. It is therefore relevant to study how citizens can contribute towards place-keeping and realize a continuity in managing and conserving the qualities of urban green spaces.We contribute to these debates by looking at three European cases characterized by long-term involvement of citizens in place-keeping. We conducted document analysis and interviewing of key informants to study green space management over time. Our analysis highlights what factors have contributed towards the continuity of this management, but also shows challenges and difficulties which citizens have experienced. Based on our fieldwork, we identify three factors of particular relevance for the continuity of place-keeping involving citizens.We found that long-term continuity is supported by a degree of formalization: established rules and procedures within groups provide stability to citizens. We also highlight the importance of adaptive capacity: citizens need to be able to adapt to contextual changes in order to cope with external political, socio-economic and cultural developments over time. The supporting role of authorities was also key in legitimizing and supporting place-keeping by citizens. Authorities can support place-keeping by citizens by providing security via stable policies, formally protecting the involved spaces, allowing long-term management contracts and contributing resources.     

A review of the concept ‘management’ in relation to urban landscapes and green spaces: Toward a holistic understanding

The management of urban landscapes concerns existing urban open spaces such as public parks, playgrounds and residential green spaces. It involves many different actors and organizations and its practice is of importance for the sustainable development of cities. As a research field, it needs further theoretical development and common definitions. For example, the central term ‘management’ is seldom defined in the relevant literature regarding an urban landscape context, and public participation in management processes is unusual. This paper introduces urban landscape management as an overarching concept that brings together knowledge about management of urban landscapes from fields such as urban forestry, park management and landscape planning. Based on a literature review, a common understanding of management in an urban landscape context is proposed, including organizational and strategic aspects of managerial activities. Our approach is that urban landscapes are ultimately managed to provide user benefits. Urban landscape management can be viewed as a complex process that includes a number of different actors, elements and relationships, mutually affecting each other. This view supports future studies of urban landscape management and its role in sustainable urban development.     

Active student engagement within a university’s therapeutic sensory garden green space: Pilot study of utilization and student perceived quality of life

Green spaces serve as environmental sources to improve physical, mental and social health and wellbeing. Studies indicate that university students, when actively engaged in the use of green spaces, experience improved health and well-being. This study highlights the lived experience of two student participants and investigates student perceptions of a university campus therapeutic sensory garden on the quality of life based on the utilization of the green space. Quantitative and qualitative measures were used to assess student use of the therapeutic sensory garden as well as student perceived quality of life related to social, mental, and physical well-being. Quantitative results included varied responses regarding the number of hours spent in the garden, number of visits to the garden, and types of sensory elements utilized in the garden. Qualitative results on student perception of quality of life identified three themes between the two participants: 1) connectedness, 2) positive emotional responses, and 3) active engagement sensory responses. The findings resulting from quantitative and qualitative analysis of the lived experiences of two student participants are consistent with that of current evidence literature indicating a positive association between time spent in a green space/natural environment and student perceptions of quality of life. These pilot study findings present structure and hypotheses related to time utilization, anticipated outcomes, and active ingredients for therapeutic sensory garden intervention with larger sampled groups of University students.