Assessment and Mapping Green Areas Ecosystem Services and Socio-Demographic Characteristics in Turin Neighborhoods (Italy)

The ecosystem services (ES) and human well-being are keywords that guide the Italian strategy on urban greening. The development of ES priorities linked to specific land uses help to guide the drafting of management plans. The aim of the research was to assess and map green areas ecosystem services and socio-demographic characteristics in Turin neighborhoods in order to identify where to improve the provision of ecosystem services and the socio-demographic conditions. The Preliminary Assessment Method (PAM) was used for the assessment of provision and regulating services based on land use. The Species-specific Air Quality index (S-AQI) was used to assess the regulating services provided by trees. Three socio-demographic characteristics were analyzed at the neighborhood level—age index, housing density, and % of economically assisted citizens. PAM results show that Turin provides more ecosystem services in peripheral areas of the city. Trees with high S-AQI values represent 21% of the censed trees. Not recommended trees are 18%. The neighborhoods with higher S-AQI values are not always characterized by a higher number of trees/km2 or species richness. Results show that the northern part of the city is characterized by higher values of ES and socio-demographic conditions than the central-southern part. This aspect is related to the conspicuous presence of agricultural land uses and water bodies, together with the presence of tree species with a high S-AQI values and high or medium socio-demographic conditions. 57% of the neighborhoods present low results for both aspects. Actions to improve the quality of green spaces in those neighborhoods could have great effects on liveability. Future management and planning strategies for increasing citizens’ well-being through urban greening should consider the proposed approach.

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Monitoring urban greenness evolution using multitemporal Landsat imagery in the city of Erbil (Iraq)

Central European Geology ◽

10.1556/24.61.2018.10 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 62 (1) ◽

pp. 15-26 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Shwan O. Hussein

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Landsat Imagery ◽

Spatiotemporal Analysis ◽

Assessment Method ◽

Green Areas ◽

Green Vegetation ◽

Spectral Mixture ◽

The City

Most cities in the world have experienced major developments in the past 20–25 years. However, research has showed that the development aspect of these cities has led to a decrease in green areas. This paper aims to assess the spatiotemporal variations of urban green areas during the period 1990–2015 with special regard to city of Erbil. The study uses a mix of fuzzy functions, linear spectral mixture analysis, and maximum likelihood classification for the classification of Landsat imagery from 1990 to 2015 to extract the four main classes of land use, namely agricultural land, vacant land, built-up land, and green vegetation. Both the classification approaches used in this research produced excellent and reliable results, as an overall accuracy of more than 80% was able to be obtained. The spatiotemporal analysis of land use within the city of Erbil shows a series of major changes between 1990 and 2015. Therefore, the results of the spatiotemporal evolution of urban greenness assessment in the Erbil region can be used both for spatial planning purposes and as an urban greenness assessment method in dry climate areas.

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Greening the Browns: A Bio-Based Land Use Framework for Analysing the Potential of Urban Brownfields in an Urban Circular Economy

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12156278 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (15) ◽

pp. 6278 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Shaswati Chowdhury ◽

Jaan-Henrik Kain ◽

Marco Adelfio ◽

Yevheniya Volchko ◽

Jenny Norrman

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Circular Economy ◽

Soil Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Land Uses ◽

Decision Matrix ◽

Use Of Resources ◽

Urban Greenspaces ◽

The City ◽

Selection Of

The Circular Economy (CE) is expected to accelerate the use of resources with bio-based origin. Cities have an important role in such an economy, not only as main consumers but also because vegetation provides numerous ecosystem services essential for the well-being of urban dwellers. Urban lands are, however, heavily burdened with both past and present activities and ongoing urbanization. Retrofitting obsolete and potentially contaminated brownfields provides an opportunity to engage with bio-based land uses within the city. At the same time, plants are an important part of Gentle Remediation Options (GROs), a more sustainable alternative for managing contamination risks and restoring soil health. This paper (1) provides a tentative selection of Urban Greenspaces (UGSs) relevant for brownfields, and a compilation of ecosystem services provided by the selected UGSs, and (2) presents a framework covering the 14 selected bio-based land uses on brownfields, including GRO interventions over time. This framework provides three practical tools: the conceptualization of linkages between GROs and prospective UGS uses, a scatter diagram for the realization of 14 UGS opportunities on brownfields, and a decision matrix to analyze the requirements for UGS realization on brownfields.

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The Value of Urban Nature in Terms of Providing Ecosystem Services Related to Health and Well-Being: An Empirical Comparative Pilot Study of Cities in Germany and the Czech Republic

Land ◽

10.3390/land10040341 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 341

Author(s):

Ralf-Uwe Syrbe ◽

Ina Neumann ◽

Karsten Grunewald ◽

Patrycia Brzoska ◽

Jiři Louda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Ecosystem Services ◽

Green Space ◽

Well Being ◽

Urban Green Space ◽

Urban Nature ◽

Urban Green ◽

Green Areas ◽

The Impact ◽

Health And Well Being

The quality of life in our cities critically depends on the intelligent planning and shaping of urban living space, in particular urban nature. By providing a wide range of ecosystem services (ES), urban nature essentially contributes to the well-being of city dwellers and plays a major role in avoiding common diseases through its positive impact on physical and mental health. Health is one of the most important factors underlying human welfare and is, thus, vital to sustainable development. The ES of urban green space provide other social-cultural functions alongside public health, for example by fostering environmental justice and citizenship participation. Thus, they should always be considered when searching for solutions to urban problems. The aim of this research was to determine the impact of green areas in three selected cities on the health and well-being of people by self-reporting of green areas’ visitors. To this end, we posed the research question: which types and characteristics of urban green space are most appreciated by city dwellers? Based on our findings, we have drawn up recommendations for practices to promote better living conditions. We have also pinpointed obstacles to and opportunities for leisure time activities as well as ways of supporting the public health of citizens.

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An automated classification system for urban areas matching the ‘city country fingers’ pattern: the cases of Kamakura (Japan) and Acireale (Italy) cities

Journal of Urban Ecology ◽

10.1093/jue/juab023 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Roberto Spina ◽

Emiliano Tramontana

Keyword(s):

Urban Area ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Google Earth ◽

Classification Model ◽

Complete Analysis ◽

City Development ◽

Essential Condition ◽

Green Areas ◽

The City

Abstract The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas is one of the main factors that reduce the liveability of cities. In recent years, to contrast urban sprawl, several nations have promoted policies aimed at developing urban green spaces. The importance of green oases within cities had already been highlighted, in 1977, by the architect Christopher Alexander who had developed a series of patterns including ‘City Country Fingers’ claiming that city development should consider the prolongation of country land in to the urban area. In several cities, especially in Japan, it is possible to recognize the imprint of urban development based on country fingers. This term refers to extensive urban intersections of agricultural land or wooded hills which, from the peripheral areas, penetrate the city. Inside them, there are urban windows, called city fingers, whose development direction is opposite to those of the country fingers. To recognize and analyze, in an automated way, these particular structures, a Python-based application was created. Starting from the original high-resolution image of Google Earth, a complete analysis was performed, labeling and delimiting urban and vegetational areas and extrapolating the main geometric parameters of the country and city fingers. The finalization of the results obtained was carried out through a classification model whose criteria were based on Alexander’s pattern. Thanks to this classification scheme, the distinction between Active Green Areas (country fingers) and Passive Green Areas (gardens and public parks) have been revealed for the analyzed cities. The tests performed showed almost ideal conditions for the city of Kamakura and a limited match for the urban area of Acireale. The proposed method is suitable for fields of application that require a qualitative and quantitative determination of the vegetation cover present within the city, an essential condition for correct territorial planning.

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Adensamento urbano e usos sociais de áreas verdes públicas da cidade de Garanhuns-PE

Ateliê Geográfico ◽

10.5216/ag.v12i2.46171 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 114-137

Author(s):

Ana Maria Severo Chaves ◽

Rosemeri Melo e Souza

Keyword(s):

Urban Space ◽

Well Being ◽

City Environment ◽

Systemic Analysis ◽

Palabras Clave ◽

Green Areas ◽

Free Spaces ◽

Social Use ◽

The City ◽

Social Uses

Resumo As áreas verdes públicas urbanas são espaços bem arborizados e representam ícones de bem-estar e de qualidade ambiental do meio citadino, devido aos diversos benefícios gerados pela vegetação, além proporcionarem dinamicidade e beleza ao espaço urbano. As áreas verdes públicas (AVPs) também correspondem a espaços livres, de usos sociais acessíveis a toda população e lugar de lazer. Assim, a presente pesquisa teve por objetivo analisar o adensamento urbano em que áreas verdes públicas da cidade de Garanhuns-PE estão inseridas, bem como, quais são os usos sociais desenvolvidos nas áreas estudadas. Para tal, a pesquisa é baseada na análise sistêmica da paisagem com suporte de trabalho de campo e de sistemas de informações geográficas (SIG) para a confecção de mapeamentos. Como principais resultados, observou-se que o adensamento urbano se refere as áreas de caráter comercial e residencial com pouca verticalização. Já os seus usos são diversificados quando a AVP dispõem de algum tipo de equipamento de uso social, sendo os parques urbanos os espaços com melhores condições de usos. Palavras-chave: Lazer. Espaços Livres. Fitogeografia. Paisagem. Abstract Public urban green areas are well-wooded spaces and represent icons of well-being and environmental quality of the city environment, due to the diverse benefits generated by the vegetation, while also providing dynamicity and beauty to the urban space. Public green areas (PGAs) also correspond to free spaces, aimed at accessible social uses by the entire population, as well as leisure places. Thus, the present research had as aim the analysis of the urban density in which public green areas of the city of Garanhuns-PE are inserted, as well as what social uses are developed in the studied areas. To this end, this research is based on the systemic analysis of the landscape with the support of fieldwork and geographic information systems (GIS) for mapping creation. The main results indicate that the urban densification refers to areas of commercial and residential character, with little verticalization. Their uses become diversified when the PGA has some kind of equipment destined for social use, with urban parks being the spaces presenting the best conditions of use. Keywords: Recreation. Free spaces. Phytogeography. Landscape. Resumen Las áreas verdes públicas urbanas son espacios muy arbolados y representan íconos de bienestar y de calidad ambiental de la ciudad, debido a los diversos beneficios generados por la vegetación, además de proporcionar dinámica y belleza al espacio urbano. Las áreas verdes públicas (AVPs) también corresponden a espacios libres, de usos sociales accesibles a toda la población y lugar de esparcimiento. Así, la presente investigación tuvo por objetivo analizar la densificación urbana en que las áreas verdes públicas de la ciudad de Garanhuns-PE están insertadas, así como también, cuales son los usos sociales desarrollados en las áreas estudiadas. Para tal, la investigación está basada en el análisis sistémico del paisaje con soporte de trabajo de campo y de sistemas de informaciones geográficas (SIG) para la confección de mapeamientos. Como principales resultados, se observó que la densificación urbana se refiere a las áreas de carácter comercial y residencial con poca verticalización. Sus usos ya son diversificados cuando las AVP disponen de algún tipo de equipo de uso social, siendo los parques urbanos los espacios con mejores condiciones de usos. Palabras clave: Ocio. Espacios Libres. Fitogeografía. Paisaje.

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Jasa Ekosistem Lamun Bagi Kesejahteraan Manusia

Omni-Akuatika ◽

10.20884/1.oa.2016.12.3.122 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yudi Wahyudin ◽

Tridoyo Kusumastanto ◽

Luky Adrianto ◽

Yusli Wardiatno

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Well Being ◽

Recreational Fishing ◽

Cultural Services ◽

White Sand ◽

Regulating Services ◽

Seagrass Ecosystem ◽

The Stability ◽

Provisioning Services

The purpose of this study was to determine the typology, seagrass ecosystem function andservices that are useful for human well-being. This research was conducted by using literaturessurvey of some scientific documents and analyzed qualitatively and described to obtain acomprehensive overview in accordance with purposes of this research. The results of this studyshows that seagrass ecosystem provides the benefits of ecosystem services are valuable andneeded humans to meet their needs and well-being, both ecologically, socially, and economically. Those ecosystem services include the following: (i) provisioning services that one of them shownby the production of a protein source necessary for mandkind, (ii) regulating services, one of whichis shown by role of seagrass in maintaining the stability of white sand beaches from abrasion, (iii)cultural services, one one which is shown by the role of seagrass in making the surrounding areaas a place for recreation, especially recreational fishing, and (iv) supporting services, one of whichis shown by the role of seagrass in the process of supplying oxygen and nutrient cycling in thewaters of the needs of fish and biota surrounding. All the ecosystem services provided to be asource of life and livelihood are needed to meet the people’s welfare. Keywords : seagrass, ecosystem services, provisioning services, regulating services,cultural services, supporting services

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Growth of Tilia cordata Mill. in Urban Forests

South-east European forestry ◽

10.15177/seefor.20-04 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 51-59

Author(s):

Maria Martynova ◽

Rida Sultanova ◽

Georgiy Odintsov ◽

Regina Sazgutdinova ◽

Elvira Khanova

Keyword(s):

Urban Environment ◽

Growth And Development ◽

Height Growth ◽

Landscape Assessment ◽

Tilia Cordata ◽

Urban Greening ◽

Sharp Difference ◽

Green Areas ◽

Urban Conditions ◽

The City

Tilia cordata Mill. is considered to be the main tree species resistant to urban conditions and it is widely used in the greening of cities. The aim of the study is to assess the patterns of growth and development of small-leaved linden plantations in the urban environment. The research is based on the method of sample areas where continuous enumeration survey has been carried out. The study of urban greening objects was conducted using the methods of landscape assessment and complete enumeration of trees in alley plantings. It was found that Tilia cordata Mill. grows in all districts and zones of the city of Ufa, occupying 34.4% of green areas. During this research it was found that artificially created alley plantings of Tilia cordata Mill. are more well-kept and have well-developed crowns which create a tree shade sometimes 8-10 meters wide (the average crown projection being 7 m). Since alley plantings have repeatedly been pruned, trees in this area are characterized by a large increase in diameter and strong height growth stagnation. Thus, when studying linden plantings of the same age, a sharp difference in the size and shape of trees was observed.

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Proposing a typology of nature-based solutions for strengthening resilience of Central Vietnamese cities – First findings from the GreenCityLabHue project

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-10107 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sebastian Scheuer ◽

Jessica Jache ◽

Kora Rösler ◽

Tran Tuan Anh ◽

Nguyen Ngoc Tung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Ecosystem Services ◽

Action Plan ◽

Urban Expansion ◽

Well Being ◽

Urban Ecosystem ◽

Urban Ecosystem Services ◽

Societal Challenges ◽

Central Vietnam ◽

The City

Idea and Objectives: This case study presents first findings of the GreenCityLabHue project. The project aims at implementing an urban learning lab in the city of Hue, Vietnam, for the participatory identification and implementation of innovative nature-based solutions for the protection and improvement of urban ecosystem services and climate change adaptation. We will present urgent environmental and societal challenges for the city of Hue, including the estimated impacts of climate change and resulting disaster risks. Subsequently, we will discuss elements of the green-blue infrastructure to tackle these risks in a sustainable and environmentally just manner in the context of a proposed typology of nature-based solutions. This typology specifically shifts the focus from a European perspective towards nature-based solutions that are locally relevant to strengthen the resilience of Hue and comparable cities in Central Vietnam and/or South-East Asia.Background: Vietnam is a country that faces multiple challenges. It is a country that experiences rapid urban growth, with an estimated 50% of citizens living in urban areas by 2030 up from 35%, resulting in urban expansion that necessitates safeguarding urban ecosystem services, e.g., for the protection of human health and human well-being. Vietnam is also heavily affected by climate change. Particularly in Central Vietnam, cities face increasing risks of flooding, storms, and temperature extremes.By providing multifunctional ecosystem services and diverse benefits, nature-based solutions&#8212;and in particular green-blue infrastructure elements&#8212;may help to address the aforementioned environmental and societal challenges in a sustainable and integrative manner, e.g., for maintaining air quality, stormwater mitigation, climate regulation, and improving environmental equity.Hue is the capital of the Thua Thien-Hue province, located in Central Vietnam on the banks of the Perfume River. It has a population of approximately half a million people, represents a touristic and educational hotspot, and is rated a &#8220;top priority city&#8221; by the Vietnamese government. In Hue, first steps that consider strengthening the green-blue infrastructure were devised in form of the Hue GrEEEn City Action Plan. However, a more holistic urban planning approach that also addresses challenges related to climate change is still lacking.

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Identification, Prioritization and Mapping of Ecosystem Services in the Panchase Mountain Ecological Region of Western Nepal

Forests ◽

10.3390/f9090554 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (9) ◽

pp. 554 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Shankar Adhikari ◽

Himlal Baral ◽

Craig Nitschke

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Secondary Data ◽

Well Being ◽

Primary Data ◽

Cultural Services ◽

The Status ◽

Ecological Region ◽

Forest Users ◽

Provisioning Services

Ecosystem services (ES) are critical to human well-being, especially in developing countries. Improved understanding of the status of ES is required to help people improve their quality of life. The status of ES is largely unknown in many regions of Nepal. This study was carried out in one of Nepal’s biodiversity hotspots, the Panchase Mountain Ecological region (PMER), to identify, prioritize and map the major ES in the region. Primary data for the study were collected through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, a transect walk, and field observations. Similarly, secondary data were obtained from published and unpublished reports and satellite images of the study area. The data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Thirty-seven ES were identified from the study landscape. Among them, nine were provisioning services, thirteen regulating services, nine cultural services, and six supporting services. Interestingly, the prioritization of ES among stakeholders differed on the basis of their background, particular features of their landscape, professional engagement, and individual interests. For instance, forest users prioritized provisioning services for their daily needs whereas forest managers prioritized regulating and cultural services for overall ecosystem management and aesthetic values. Mapping of the ES from the landscape for 1995 and 2015 identified that forest area and associated ES have likely increased, especially in the upland regions, while agricultural land and their associated ES have decreased. The study can be used as a reference by planners and policy makers in managing ES in the PMER to increase synergies and reduce trade-off among various services.

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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.

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