Design and implementation of a preliminar dendromorphical or arborescent key for the identification of the botanical families of the arboreal species of San José de Cúcuta

The knowledge in biodiversity and the use of botanical terminology is fundamental for ordering and landscape conservation of a city. In San José de Cúcuta, there is no knowledge of tree arboreal species, leading to an inadequate use of trees, triggering inconveniences in electrical networks, aqueducts and sewage systems. The objective of the study was to design and implement an arborescent (or dendromorphic) key as a methodological tool for the identification of native (or naturalised) tree families located in the urban and peri-urban areas of the city of San José Cúcuta. It was considered preferentially the vegetative characteristics and those peculiarities of the plants that are readily observable such as phyllotaxy, the composition and edges of the leaves, the exudate, the presence of spines or aculeos, the presence or absence of glands, pulvinids or stipes, dead bark and live, smells, colors and scores on the sheets, etc. Once the families were identified through the key, a manual was elaborated describing the essential characteristics for their recognition, which includes detailed and panoramic images, as well as excellent morphological descriptions in order to make a comparison to verify if the identifier corresponds to the family found by implementing the use of the arborescent key. By the identification and management of trees, a diversification and appropriate selection of tree species can be established that can make a useful contribution to the physiological, sociological and economic well-being of urban society, contributing to the region's environmental sustainability strategy. The knowledge of tree species is a foundation to guide and define policies towards the landscape planning of the city, aimed at its protection and conservation, as well as the enjoyment of the benefits and ecosystem services provided by the urban vegetation of the city of San José of Cúcuta, recognized nationally as the "Green City of Colombia".

Download Full-text

Incentivo para o plantio de árvores nativas em áreas urbanas para proliferação de abelhas sem ferrão

ACTA Apicola Brasilica ◽

10.18378/aab.v3i2.3449 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 01

Author(s):

G. Martins ◽

R. L. S. Ferraz ◽

J. L. Batista ◽

M. A. Barbosa

Keyword(s):

Environmental Education ◽

Urban Area ◽

Tree Species ◽

Human Activities ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Stingless Bees ◽

Native Plants ◽

Average Height ◽

Native Trees ◽

The City

Em decorrência de atividades antrópicas exploratórias, tem ocorrido aumento na supressão de espécies arbóreas, refletindo na biodiversidade e equilíbrio dos ecossistemas, reduzindo a população de espécies de abelhas. Objetivou-se com este trabalho, fazer um levantamento da ocorrência de árvores, nidificações e espécies de abelhas com intuito de incentivar o plantio de espécimes, principalmente nativos, na área urbana, para que ocorra uma maior proliferação das abelhas indígenas sem ferrão. Para tanto, realizou-se um estudo na Praça Dr. Joaquim Batista na cidade de Jaboticabal, SP. Através de consultas em literatura especializada, identificou-se o número de espécies arbóreas e abelhas sem ferrão, o número e altura média de nidificações, além da coleta de sementes para produção de mudas. Foram identificadas 27 espécies de árvores nativas, 14 exóticas, cinco de abelhas sem ferrão, 37 nidificações, com altura média geral de 2,3 m, além da produção de 20 mudas nativas. A elevada ocorrência de nidificações em plantas nativas e a presença de sementes, demonstram a adaptabilidade destes polinizadores, além de subsidiar a viabilidade da proposta de incentivar o plantio de espécimes, principalmente nativas em área urbana para a proliferação das abelhas indígenas sem ferrão. Estudos complementares podem ser realizados visando educação ambiental nestes locais.Encouraging the planting of native trees in the urban area for proliferation of stingless beesAs a result of exploratory human activities, there has been an increase in the suppression of tree species, reflecting on biodiversity and ecosystem balance, reducing the population of bee species. The objective of this work, to survey the occurrence of trees, Nest establishment and bee species in order to encourage the planting of species, mostly native, in urban areas, so that there is a higher proliferation of indigenous stingless bees. Therefore, we carried out a study in Dr. Joaquim Batista Square in the city of Jaboticabal, SP. Through consultations in the literature, we identified the number of tree species and stingless bees, the average number and height of Nest establishment, besides the collection of seeds for seedlings. They identified 27 species of native trees, 14 exotic, five of stingless bees, 37 Nest establishment, with overall average height of 2.3 m, in addition to producing 20 native seedlings. The high occurrence of Nest establishment of native plants and the presence of seeds demonstrate the adaptability of these pollinators, in addition to supporting the viability of the proposal to encourage the planting of specimens, especially in urban areas native to the proliferation of indigenous stingless bees. Additional studies can be conducted to environmental education in these places.

Download Full-text

Protection of Natural Wetlands through Landscape Design in Kigali City

Rwanda Journal of Engineering Science Technology and Environment ◽

10.4314/rjeste.v4i1.11 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Rahman Tafahomi ◽

Reihaneh Nadi

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Task Force ◽

Public Awareness ◽

Well Being ◽

Positive Influence ◽

Landscape Design ◽

Vital Role ◽

And Performance ◽

Set Up ◽

The City

The city of Kigali has been experiencing rapid growth in recent years. The city enjoys a variety of natural features such as wetland, valley, hill, and great scenery, however, fast expansion of urban areas and human activities could pose a serious threat to the natural environment, and the ecological sustainability. While wetlands, as nature’s kidneys, bring obvious benefits to both ecology and the socioeconomic environment, they have currently faced several problems in Kigali, such as pollution and the risk of decline in the area. This research is aimed at protection of wetland areas through landscape design, which could have a positive influence on maintaining the natural balance of ecology, as well as citizens’ health and well-being. The site study was Kiyovu wetland as one of large wetlands playing a vital role in the city’s character and spatial structure. The research employed observation, questionnaire, and mapping techniques, and the random sample consisted of 37 residents, workers, passers-by, and young people. Findings revealed that safety, environmental issues, accessibility, recreational activities, and quality of the wetland, were significant factors in order of priority that respondents had stressed over the design of the wetland landscape concept. The proposed concept highlighted recreation areas and the connection with other wetlands and green areas as a whole in the city, and it was derived from survey, mapping the results of questionnaires, and feedback from participants. In conclusion, Kiyovu wetland has an enormous capacity to put the idea of green magnet into effect across the city. However, the protection of wetlands without 1. Site-specific ecological landscape plans representing strategic and design levels in periods of time, 2. Legal requirements, and 3. Public awareness about impacts of wetlands degradation would be far less effective. To set up a campaign and a task force to examine changes can make a huge difference to levels of progress and performance

Download Full-text

Understanding the Pursuit of Happiness in Ten Major Cities

Urban Affairs Review ◽

10.1177/1078087411403120 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 47 (6) ◽

pp. 861-888 ◽

Cited By ~ 84

Author(s):

Kevin M. Leyden ◽

Abraham Goldberg ◽

Philip Michelbach

Keyword(s):

Public Transportation ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Social Connectedness ◽

Well Being ◽

Easy Access ◽

Social Connections ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Pursuit Of Happiness ◽

Policy Makers ◽

The City

The pursuit of happiness has a long history as a primary political end in Western political thought. Along with traditional economic indicators, policy makers are increasingly concerned with the subjective well-being of a society as a measure for its success. It is important to understand the nature of happiness and ask what can be done to improve it. This article builds upon existing literature that consistently identifies health, wealth, and social connectedness as key predictors of happiness. We find that the design and conditions of cities are associated with the happiness of residents in 10 urban areas. Cities that provide easy access to convenient public transportation and to cultural and leisure amenities promote happiness. Cities that are affordable and serve as good places to raise children also have happier residents. We suggest that such places foster the types of social connections that can improve happiness and ultimately enhance the attractiveness of living in the city.

Download Full-text

Trees and the City: Diversity and Composition along a Neotropical Gradient of Urbanization

International Journal of Ecology ◽

10.1155/2011/704084 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2011 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Rubén Ortega-Álvarez ◽

Hernando A. Rodríguez-Correa ◽

Ian MacGregor-Fors

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Tree Species ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Land Uses ◽

Tree Species Richness ◽

Exotic Tree ◽

Green Areas ◽

The City ◽

Tree Composition

In this study we assessed tree species richness, density, and composition patterns along a gradient of urbanization of a megacity. Our results show that total, native, and exotic tree densities were highest in green areas where larger spaces are considered for greening purposes. Conversely, total, native, and exotic tree species richness were highest in land uses with intermediate levels of urban development (residential, residential-commercial areas). Not finding highest tree species richness in less developed urban areas suggests that cultural factors may shape the array of species that are planted within cities. Supporting this, tree composition analyses showed that green areas are comprised of different tree species when compared to the rest of the studied urban land uses. Thus, our results suggest that, to increase the ecological quality of cities, residents and managers should be encouraged to select a greater variety of trees to promote heterogeneous green areas.

Download Full-text

Assessment of the Affecting Elements on the Quality of Life and Human Well-Being in Congested Urban Centers; Case Study: Sulaymaniah City

Tikrit Journal of Engineering Sciences ◽

10.25130/tjes.26.2.07 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 49-58

Author(s):

Othman Mohammed ◽

Hoshyar Rasul

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Urban Areas ◽

City Planning ◽

Well Being ◽

Critical Element ◽

Main Concern ◽

Urban Centers ◽

North East ◽

The City

This Study is an empiric- analytical research in city planning discipline was conducted in Sulaymaniyah city from Dec. 2015 until July 2017. Geographically Sulaymaniah situates north-east of Republic of Iraq. Like many other urban centers, Sulaymaniyah city as one of the congested urban areas in Kurdistan Region, is almost over populated and congested, resulting in accumulated problems in health-, economical-, services, technical-, social- and planning affairs, which leads to permanent degrading of the natural, and social environment and thus impact on the quality of life, Thus the main concern of this study is firstly finding out the reasons facts indeed responsible for the above described unsatisfied situations and then try to answer the questions whether planning methods (if any) manage to prepare answers to these urgent problems overwhelming the city? The study believes that the cardinal reasons for this situation are the effects of combinations of triple facts, namely: the exponential growth of human population in general- and accompanied problems-, the destroyed balance between rural and urban areas and the political vision of administrative machinery that focus on urban centers by neglecting countryside. The cumulative effect of these facts could be observed in form of many distinctive and at the same time interlocking elements leads to the problems that mentioned above. Among many elements involving, the study handles, analyzes and discusses only the elements indeed responsible for destroying the visual, physical and health conditions of the city inhabitants in Sulaymaniyah. Used criterion in determining these elements are the terms: active element, Passive Element, Critical element, and buffer element, which give the adequate answer to the arise questions.

Download Full-text

Arborização em canteiros centrais na cidade de Patos, Paraíba

Revista Verde de Agroecologia e Desenvolvimento Sustentável ◽

10.18378/rvads.v10i4.3761 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 20

Author(s):

J. N. Lucena ◽

P. C. Souto ◽

J. D. Z. Camaño ◽

J. S. Souto ◽

L. S. Souto

Keyword(s):

Risk Assessment ◽

Azadirachta Indica ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Root Systems ◽

Prosopis Juliflora ◽

Anthropogenic Effects ◽

Electrical Networks ◽

Individual Trees ◽

The City

A arborização de canteiros nas cidades é uma prática que embeleza e permiti reduzir efeitos antropogênicos. O trabalho objetivou quantificar e avaliar a qualidade das árvores localizadas em canteiros centrais da cidade de Patos-PB e o risco que elas representam para a população. Foi realizado o levantamento florístico em 1.391,95 m de canteiros centrais, registrando informações dendrométricas e qualitativas quanto aos aspectos das condições existentes no meio. Foram registrados 166 indivíduos representados em 14 espécies, sendo 71,4% exóticas com destaque para Azadirachta indica e Prosopis juliflora. A maioria das árvores são adultas e medem mais de 10 cm de DAP com altura variando entre 1,6-7,21 m. Em relação à avaliação do risco, não registrou-se indivíduos em conflito com as redes elétricas e sim a presença de galhos ocos nos níveis médio e leve. Na maioria dos indivíduos o sistema radicular apresenta-se subterrâneo, mas, observou-se que 70,1% não apresentam neilóides em superfície, aumentando a suscetibilidade de risco de queda desses indivíduos. Conclui-se que as espécies de maior ocorrência nos canteiros centrais da cidade de Patos são exóticas e que a maioria dos indivíduos sofreram intervenção silvicultural de forma inadequada.Arborization in the medians of the city of Patos, Paraíba EstateAbstract: The arborization in the central urban area of cities is a practice that beautifies urban areas and reduces anthropogenic effects in these areas. The aim of the present study was to measure and assess the quality of trees located in the medians of the city of Patos, PB, through identifying, quantifying and characterizing the vegetation in three different medians and evaluating the risks these trees posed to the population. The analyzed vegetation included 166 individual trees belonging to 14 different species, 71.4% of which were exotic species. The most represented species were Azadirachta indica and Prosopis juliflora. Most of the tress were fully grown and measured over 10 cm DBH with heights ranging from 1.6 to 7.21 m. In relation to risk assessment, there were no specimens that interfered with the electrical networks, but the presence of hollow branches was found in low to medium levels. In most individuals the root systems were located underground, but it was observed that 70.1% of the evaluated trees had surface roots (neilóides), increasing their susceptibility to falling. This study concluded that most of the trees in the medians of Patos city are exotic and most of these trees have suffered inappropriate silvicultural intervention.

Download Full-text

Heaven, Earth and Humans: Concept and Processes of Urban Vertical Regeneration

10.26686/wgtn.17011760.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Loh Tze Wei

Keyword(s):

Paradigm Shift ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Well Being ◽

Feng Shui ◽

Compact City ◽

The Earth ◽

Intrinsic Values ◽

City Model ◽

Regenerative Development ◽

The City

Rapid urbanisation, industrialisation, and capitalist developments have changed human values to be driven by materialistic developments instead of ecological developments. This has caused ecological and social crises visible in the urban fabric. There is an urgent need for us to address the question of how can we develop lifestyles that are truly holistic and able to regenerate well-being of humans and it's environments without external helps. This thesis explores the interrelationships of feng shui and regenerative development. It attempts to show the recognition of feng shui as an integral to regenerative development that can regenerate urban environment and achieves humans' well-being and harmony with nature. The thesis believes it will need to first remedy urban areas in order to regenerate the rest of the earth. It will explore the process of regeneration from micro to macro levels using feng shui and regenerative development, where it seeks to regenerate the city holistically as a whole. I propose that feng shui becomes an intrinsic model for regenerative development. This discipline is able to solve ecology degradation issues, to provide awareness and realisations of the intrinsic values of cities, and act as a paradigm shift towards achieving regenerative development. This thesis also propose that medium-rises compact city model, which integrate regenerative development and feng shui principles, as a better solution to solve densification of urbanisation compared to building high-rises and skyscrapers.

Download Full-text

Future Policy Award 2018: The Good Food Purchasing Program, USA

Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems ◽

10.3389/fsufs.2021.576776 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 5 ◽

Author(s):

Paula Daniels ◽

Alexa Delwiche

Keyword(s):

Los Angeles ◽

Environmental Sustainability ◽

Food System ◽

Local Level ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Local Economies ◽

Food Purchasing ◽

The City ◽

Good Food

Adopted first by the City of Los Angeles in 2012, the Good Food Purchasing Program® creates a transparent supply chain and helps institutions to measure and then make shifts in their food purchases. It is the first procurement model to support five food system values—local economies, environmental sustainability, valued workforce, animal welfare and nutrition—in equal measure and thereby encourages myriad organizations to come together to engage for shared goals. Within just six years, the Good Food Purchasing Program has catalyzed a nationwide movement to establish similar policies in localities small and large across the United States, and inspired the creation of the Center for Good Food Purchasing. First adopted by the City of Los Angeles in 2012, it is a procurement standard that offers institutions a system in which current investments toward food are redirected toward more sustainable and fair suppliers. It uses a metric-based, flexible framework that produces a star rating. The Good Food Purchasing Program promotes the purchase of more sustainably produced food, from local economies, especially smaller and mid-sized farms and other food processing operations, which results in production returns at a more regional and local level, and ensures that suppliers' workers are offered safe and healthy working conditions and fair compensation, that livestock receives healthy and humane care, and that consumers—foremost school children, patients, the elderly—enjoy better health and well-being as a result of higher quality nutritious meals. This article will detail its implementation since 2012, provide current information on the impacts the Program has had on the agroecology of regions in the US food system, and recommendations for policy changes that could catalyze more accelerated impact.

Download Full-text

Tree Species Diversity and Socio-economic Perspectives of the Urban (Food) Forest of Accra, Ghana

10.20944/preprints201807.0042.v1 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Bertrand Nero ◽

Nana Afranaa Kwapong ◽

Raymond Jatta ◽

Oluwole Fatunbi

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Tree Species ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Food System ◽

Urban Forest ◽

Urban Forestry ◽

Tree Cover ◽

African Cities ◽

Land Use Types ◽

The City

In Africa, 80% of households in urban areas are food insecure and is coupled with a dramatically changing urban food culture towards increased consumption of sugary and fatty foods. Consequently, incidences of obesity and undernourishment in many African cities are becoming escalating. Urban and peri-urban forestry emerges as a complementary measure to contribute towards elimination of urban hunger and improved nutritional security. However, there is scanty knowledge about the composition, diversity and socioeconomic contributions of urban food trees in African cities and this hinders policy discussions integrating urban forestry into the food security discourse. This paper examines the diversity and composition of the urban forest and food trees of Accra and sheds light on perceptions of urbanites regarding food tree cultivation and availability in the city. Using a mixed methods approach, about 105 respondents in six neighbourhoods of Accra were interviewed while over 200 100-m2 plots were surveyed across five land use types. Twenty-two out of the 70 woody species in Accra are edible. The food tree abundance in the city is about half of the total number of trees enumerated. The species richness and abundance of the edible trees and all trees in the city were significantly different among land use types (p<0.0001) and neighbourhood types (p<0.0001). The diversity of food bearing tree species was much higher in the poorer neighbourhoods than in the wealthier neighbourhoods. Respondents in wealthier neighbourhoods indicated that tree and fruit tree cover of the city was generally low and showed greater interests in cultivating fruit trees and expanding urban forest cover than poorer neighbourhoods. These findings demonstrate the need for urban food policy reforms that integrate urban grown tree foods in the urban food system/culture.

Download Full-text