A method of linking functional and structural connectivity analysis in urban green infrastructure network construction

Accelerated urbanization and population growth lead to the fragmentation of urban green space and loss of biodiversity. There are few studies on the integration of structural and functional connectivity to solve this problem. Our study aims to draw up a methodology to synthesize two methods of connectivity evaluation, accordingly, to construct an urban green infrastructure (UGI) network which is of great significance to maintain the stability of the urban ecosystem. Taking Beijing as a study area, we first used Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA) to identify the source patches, then combined with the graph theory-based landscape metrics to discuss the effect of different diffusion distances on the regional landscape connectivity and classify the importance level of the source patches. Finally, we used both least-cost path (LCP) and circuit theory to construct network and identify pinch areas in corridors for network optimization. The results show that (1) the landscape connectivity of the study area is obviously polarized. Source patches in mountain and hilly areas have good ecological bases and large areas, and the density of corridors is relatively high, which makes a large contribution to the overall landscape connectivity; Source patches in plain areas are severely fragmented, and there are only a small number of potential corridors connecting urban areas and suburban areas. (2) The UGI network is composed of 70 source patches and 148 potential corridors. The diffusion distance that is most beneficial to improve landscape connectivity is 20–25 km. (3) 6 pinch areas that are of great significance for improving the connectivity of the landscape present the coexistence of high migration resistance and large optimization potential, and urgently need to be restored first. This study provides a method to combine the structural and the functional analysis to construct a UGI network and formulate more scientifical protection strategies for planning departments.

Green Infrastructure Development in Urban Areas: Case Studies of Samutsakhon, Krathumbaen and Banphaeo Municipalities in Samut Sakhon Province

Though the development of green infrastructure in parks in Samut Sakhon province has been continuously implemented, there are still no research studies that have explicitly demonstrated the parks’ potential, nor any public opinions toward the development of urban green infrastructure in the parks that would be productive for the planning to efficiently improve and provide urban green infrastructure. As a result, this study had the following objectives: 1) To analyze the potential and networks of urban green infrastructure in parks in Samut Sakhon province, 2) To analyze the satisfaction of using the services and requirements of the urban green infrastructure development in the parks in Samut Sakhon province, and 3) To propose development guidelines in urban green infrastructure for the parks of Samut Sakhon province. The research instruments comprised a questionnaire, and the data were analyzed by using a scalogram. The results found that high-potential parks were not large in size, but they had all the complete components, as well as green infrastructure featured in the attributes of patch, matrix, and mosaic. Nevertheless, the green infrastructure development featured in the attribute of the corridor had disappeared in several sites of the green infrastructure in the parks. Likewise, the green networks of the parks, specifically those in the high-potential category, were not successive by walking. For this reason, the people were mostly satisfied with the convenient accessibility of the parks, but there were the requirements of paving the footpath, improving the landscape, and adding a variety of activities in the parks. Therefore, the development guidelines of urban green infrastructure in the parks should formulate more areas in the attribute of the corridor at the riverside and on the streets, conserve and increase the park areas by allowing public participation in the management, as well as apply urban planning measures to obtain the park area. In addition, a footpath and bike lane should be safely constructed in the high-potential parks. Simultaneously, the landscape should be adjusted in the low- and moderate-potential parks by launching pilot projects in the parks of the governmental agencies.

Using “Live” Public Sector Projects in Design Teaching to Transform Urban Green Infrastructure in South Africa

Urban green infrastructure is not acknowledged in the Global South for the critical social and ecological functions it can provide. Contextual design solutions and innovative approaches are urgently needed to transform the status quo. University-local government collaboration could be a way to encourage new thinking, new roles and design skills to develop solutions to these complex problems. This paper presents a case study analysis of such a collaboration. Qualitative research was conducted to establish the degree to which the exposure to real-life projects stimulates postgraduate design students’ transformative learning. The researchers also inquired into the benefits of the collaboration for the municipality. The participants’ reflections were recorded by means of anonymous questionnaires. The findings show that the live project created a municipal setting for seeking alternative solutions in design processes and outcomes. For the students, the project created rich social dynamics and an interplay of familiarity and uncertainty, which aided transformative learning. The students’ deeper learning indicates greater social empathy, reconsidering the role of the profession, greater design process flexibility, and learning and valuing skills across disciplines. The findings hold promise for a more just and sustainable future built environment through collaborations that transform the design professionals involved, the outcomes they pursue, and the processes they follow.

Urban Green Infrastructure as a Strategy to Address Urban Energy Efficiency and Sustainability. A Case Study of Milagrosa (Pamplona)

Green Infrastructure (GI) has gained importance in recent years as it has been revealed as an essential piece to face the environmental problem generated by the incessant growth of urbanization, loss of biodiversity, and climate change. In this vein, the results of a research aimed at investigating the challenges posed by the implementation of the GI in the usual compact urban spaces in the cities of the Mediterranean area are presented, based on the analysis of indicators on green spaces in the Spanish city of Pamplona. A comparative analysis of the indicators (green spaces and trees) in the city’s neighbourhoods using GIS tools reveals the high intra-urban inequalities as well as the existence of, particularly, underfunded areas. The morphological analysis of one of the underfunded spaces (La Milagrosa neighbourhood) also shows that the narrowness of the road and the shortage of green spaces constitute obstacles that must be addressed from the planning tools of the GI. The results allow us to reflect on the importance of the scale of analysis in the planning processes of the UGI (Urban Green Infrastructure) and on neighbourhood the suitability of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) as an alternative for the design and implementation of the UGI.

The SDGs, Ecosystem Services and Cities: A Network Analysis of Current Research Innovation for Implementing Urban Sustainability

Ecosystem services provide essential services for cities and are key factors in achieving many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Such services are best delivered through green infrastructure, which works in resourceful, multifunctional, synergistic, and environmentally sensitive ways to deliver ecosystem services and provide alternative cleaner pathways for the delivery of multiple urban services. It is unclear if current research supports the necessary linkages between ecosystem services, cities, and green infrastructure in order to achieve the SDGs. To answer this question, we conducted a systematic review analysing 3392 studies on the SDGs from the WoS database. The contents of 66 of those with relevance to ecosystem services and urban research were reviewed in depth. We applied network-analytic methods to map the relationships of different knowledge clusters of SDGs research (1) across time, (2) across disciplines, and (3) in relation to ecosystem services and cities. The results of our analysis show that research on the SDGs have developed stronger networks from 2010–2018, but this research has not been sustained. Further, whilst research on cities now occupies a central place in the SDGs literature, research on ecosystem services only shows tentative links to both green-infrastructure research and SDGs research. Such literature on urban green infrastructure remains peripheral to the central challenge of sustainable urban transitions. We conclude that when it comes to the SDGs, research articles typically consider urban services independently of green infrastructure. Further, it suggests that green infrastructure is not generally considered as a sustainable alternative to conventional urban infrastructures. To address this serious shortcoming, we recommend transdisciplinary approaches to link urban ecosystem and urban green infrastructure research to the 2030 global sustainability agenda.

Alerta roja para los humedales urbanos

Last November 17th, a fire started by a flare, laid waste to 10 ha of the Paicavi urban wetland in Concepción, which is part of the larger Rocuant-Andalién water system. The incident once again raised a red flag for these green spaces, which have been left behind in Chilean urban management and planning in recent decades, on not having been acknowledged as urban green infrastructure, or as part of a broader environmental matrix.