The Relationship between Social Cohesion and Urban Green Space: An Avenue for Health Promotion

Social cohesion involves the interpersonal dynamics and sense of connection among people. Increased social cohesion can be associated with various physical and psychological health benefits. The presence of urban green spaces can encourage positive social interactions that cultivate social cohesion in ways that enhance health and well-being. Urban green spaces have also been linked to positive health behaviors and outcomes including increased physical activity and social engagement. Understanding the relationship between social cohesion and urban green space is important for informing holistic approaches to health. In this article, we discuss how positive interactions in urban green space can catalyze social cohesion, social capital and critical health-promoting behaviors that may enhance psychological health and well-being. We also summarize the strengths and limitations of previous studies and suggest directions for future research.

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Characterising urban green space density and accessibility in models of BMI

10.21203/rs.2.14642/v2 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Philip Carthy ◽

Sean Lyons ◽

Anne Nolan

Keyword(s):

Weight Status ◽

Green Space ◽

Urban Green Space ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Marginal Effect ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

Combining Data ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background : While exposure to urban green spaces has been associated with various physical health benefits, the evidence linking these spaces to lower BMI, particularly among older people, is mixed. We suggest that dimensions of urban green space accessibility, which are generally unobserved in the existing literature, may be a source of this volatility in results. The aim of this study is to add to the literature on the association between urban green space and BMI by considering alternative measures of urban green space that incorporate measures of footpath availability. Methods: We conduct a cross-sectional study combining data from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing and detailed land use information. We proxy respondents’ exposure to urban green spaces at their residential addresses in network buffers, which are adjusted to account for the density of local footpaths. Generalised linear models are used to test the association between exposure to accessible urban green space and BMI. Results: Relative to the third quintile, exposure to the lowest quintile of urban green space, as measured within a 1600m accessible network buffer, is associated with slightly higher BMI (marginal effect: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.16-1.44). The results, however, are not robust to small changes in how green space is measured and no statistically significant association between urban green spaces and BMI is found under other variants of our regression model. Conclusion : The relationship between urban green spaces and BMI among older adults is highly sensitive to the characterisation of local green space. Our results suggest that there are some other unobserved factors, other than footpath availability, that mediate the relationship between urban green spaces and weight status.

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Characterising urban green space density and footpath-accessibility in models of BMI

10.21203/rs.2.14642/v3 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Philip Carthy ◽

Sean Lyons ◽

Anne Nolan

Keyword(s):

Weight Status ◽

Green Space ◽

Urban Green Space ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Marginal Effect ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

Combining Data ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background: While exposure to urban green spaces has been associated with various physical health benefits, the evidence linking these spaces to lower BMI, particularly among older people, is mixed. We ask whether footpath availability, generally unobserved in the existing literature, may mediate exposure to urban green space and help explain this volatility in results. The aim of this study is to add to the literature on the association between urban green space and BMI by considering alternative measures of urban green space that incorporate measures of footpath availability. Methods: We conduct a cross-sectional study combining data from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing and detailed land use information. We proxy respondents’ exposure to urban green spaces at their residential addresses using street-side and area buffersthat take account of the presence of footpaths. Generalised linear models are used to test the association between exposure to several measures of urban green space and BMI. Results: Relative to the third quintile, exposure to the lowest quintile of urban green space, as measured within a 1600m footpath-accessible network buffer, is associated with slightly higher BMI (marginal effect: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.16-1.44). The results, however, are not robust to small changes in how green space is measured and no statistically significant association between urban green spaces and BMI is found under other variants of our regression model. Conclusion: The relationship between urban green spaces and BMI among older adults is highly sensitive to the characterisation of local green space. Our results suggest that there are some unobserved factors other than footpath availability that mediate the relationship between urban green spaces and weight status.

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Reflections of gender on the urban green space

International Journal of Architectural Research Archnet-IJAR ◽

10.1108/arch-04-2019-0071 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 70-76

Author(s):

Umran Topcu

Keyword(s):

Social Relations ◽

Green Space ◽

Well Being ◽

Urban Green Space ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Men And Women ◽

Content Type ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

Behavior Setting

Purpose Urban green spaces including parks and gardens are an essential part of a network of physical and social well-being. They provide spaces to socialize and opportunities to connect with nature. They are restorative enclaves. When it comes to scaling down spaces in general, they form important constituent parts of what we call the setting in which we behave. Barker elaborated the notion of behavior setting by describing how our behavior is influenced and constrained by settings. A setting consists of the space, its contents, its surroundings, the people and their activities. As Norberg-Schulz puts it, this is a microcosmos that wraps people and the space. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach In this study a behavior setting with different spatial attributes in an urban green space, namely, Kriton Curi Park on the Asian side of Istanbul is observed. Landscapes used by both men and women may be gendered even if men and women use them at the same time. Women’s and men’s experiences of the same setting can be different. The difference is likely to be the outcome of both the physical attributes of the setting and/or the social construction of the society. However, a general attribute of genders’ experience of space is that women are more sensitive to spatial contents and more selective about the use of space. According to previous research, men and women do not have equal control over behavior settings in urban green spaces, in Turkey. Findings The findings of this study address a social fact that appropriate physical features of urban green spaces like Criton Curi Park and its immediate environment reveal a higher degree of equality in gender roles. Originality/value As the literature indicates parks being among urban green spaces are not yet studied enough in the Turkish context. This study is an attempt to study the status of women in open public space. For the sustainability of social relations parks become even more important.

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Characterising urban green space density and footpath-accessibility in models of BMI

10.21203/rs.2.14642/v4 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Philip Carthy ◽

Sean Lyons ◽

Anne Nolan

Keyword(s):

Weight Status ◽

Green Space ◽

Urban Green Space ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Marginal Effect ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

Combining Data ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background: While exposure to urban green spaces has been associated with various physical health benefits, the evidence linking these spaces to lower BMI, particularly among older people, is mixed. We ask whether footpath availability, generally unobserved in the existing literature, may mediate exposure to urban green space and help explain this volatility in results. The aim of this study is to add to the literature on the association between urban green space and BMI by considering alternative measures of urban green space that incorporate measures of footpath availability. Methods: We conduct a cross-sectional study combining data from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing and detailed land use information. We proxy respondents’ exposure to urban green spaces at their residential addresses using street-side and area buffers that take account of the presence of footpaths. Generalised linear models are used to test the association between exposure to several measures of urban green space and BMI. Results: Relative to the third quintile, exposure to the lowest quintile of urban green space, as measured within a 1600m footpath-accessible network buffer, is associated with slightly higher BMI (marginal effect: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.16-1.44). The results, however, are not robust to small changes in how green space is measured and no statistically significant association between urban green spaces and BMI is found under other variants of our regression model. Conclusion: The relationship between urban green spaces and BMI among older adults is highly sensitive to the characterisation of local green space. Our results suggest that there are some unobserved factors other than footpath availability that mediate the relationship between urban green spaces and weight status.

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Evaluation of the Equity and Regional Management of Some Urban Green Space Ecosystem Services: A Case Study of Main Urban Area of Xi’an City

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12070813 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (7) ◽

pp. 813

Author(s):

Hui Dang ◽

Jing Li ◽

Yumeng Zhang ◽

Zixiang Zhou

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Carbon Sequestration ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Green Space ◽

Well Being ◽

Urban Green Space ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Deposition Flux ◽

Urban Green ◽

Xi’An City

Urban green spaces can provide many types of ecosystem services for residents. An imbalance in the pattern of green spaces leads to an inequality of the benefits of such spaces. Given the current situation of environmental problems and the basic geographical conditions of Xi’an City, this study evaluated and mapped four kinds of ecosystem services from the perspective of equity: biodiversity, carbon sequestration, air purification, and climate regulation. Regionalization with dynamically constrained agglomerative clustering and partitioning (REDCAP) was used to obtain the partition groups of ecosystem services. The results indicate that first, the complexity of the urban green space community is low, and the level of biodiversity needs to be improved. The dry deposition flux of particulate matter (PM2.5) decreases from north to south, and green spaces enhance the adsorption of PM2.5. Carbon sequestration in the south and east is higher than that in the north and west, respectively. The average surface temperature in green spaces is lower than that in other urban areas. Second, urban green space resources in the study area are unevenly distributed. Therefore, ecosystem services in different areas are inequitable. Finally, based on the regionalization of integrated ecosystem services, an ecosystem services cluster was developed. This included 913 grid spaces, 12 partitions, and 5 clusters, which can provide a reference for distinct levels of ecosystem services management. This can assist urban managers who can use these indicators of ecosystem service levels for planning and guiding the overall development pattern of green spaces. The benefits would be a maximization of the ecological functions of green spaces, an improvement of the sustainable development of the city, and an improvement of people’s well-being.

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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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Noise perception assessment in urban green spaces using soundwalk approach

INTER-NOISE and NOISE-CON Congress and Conference Proceedings ◽

10.3397/in-2021-3291 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 263 (1) ◽

pp. 5780-5791

Author(s):

Omid Samani ◽

Verena Zapf ◽

M. Ercan Altinsoy

Keyword(s):

Green Space ◽

Traffic Noise ◽

Urban Green Space ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Noise Emission ◽

Visual Effect ◽

Technical Noise ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

The City

Urban green spaces are intended to provide citizens with calm environments free of annoying city noises. This requires a thorough understanding of noise emission and related exposure to sounds in green spaces. This research investigates noise perception in various spots in an urban green space. For this purpose, the study has been conducted in the grand garden of the city of Dresden. The garden covers 1.8 square kilometers of various landscapes, including water streams, park railways, fountains, bridges, roads for bicycles and pedestrians etc. Noise perception was investigated at eleven spots with emphasis on four noise types: nature noise, human noise, traffic noise, and technical noise. In parallel, audio-visual recordings were conducted for each spot to identify the connection between the perceptual measures and the psychoacoustic parameters. These spots are categorized based on the resulting perception and psychoacoustic parameters. In addition, the visual effect of each spot on final perception is investigated. Eventually, annoyance for each spot is identified based on the corresponding participants' perception and is associated with the relevant psychoacoustic parameters.

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HUBUNGAN KARAKTERISTIK LANSKAP DENGAN PREFERENSI SITUS OVIPOSISI KUPU-KUPU DI RUANG TERBUKA HIJAU KAWASAN JAKARTA TIMUR

Jurnal BIOMA ◽

10.21009/bioma11(1).3 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 22

Author(s):

PUTRI DIANA ◽

REFIRMAN DJAMAHAR ◽

HANUM ISFAENI

Keyword(s):

Green Space ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Urban Green Space ◽

Oviposition Site ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

Landscape Characteristics ◽

Site Preferences ◽

Descriptive Survey ◽

The Relationship

ABSTRACT Urban area is dominated by land that functioned of the interest of economy and settlement, but only a few land allocated for wildlife. The butterflies was one of the wildlife that could be found in urban areas.The remaining habitat that can be used by butterflies assumed confined to the urban green space. Based on its life cycle, the butterflies having an initial phase (egg to larvae) is a phase which is generally require specific habitat. This research aims to determine the relationship between landscape characteristic and oviposition site preferences of butterfly. This research was conducted on April to June, 2014 at fifteen urban green spaces in East Jakarta by using descriptive survey technique. Landscape characteristics measured include area, perimeter, lawn area, closed vegetation area, open vegetation area, non vegetation area. Landscape characteristic not only measured from urban green space, but also measured from the area around urban green space within the scope of 100 meters buffer. Results show that there is a relationship between landscape characteristic and oviposition site preferences. Significant positive correlation between the abundance and area correlation coefficients rs (0,546), open vegetation area rs (0,758) and non vegetation buffer area rs (0,688). There was no significant correlation between the abundance with perimeter area, lawn area, closed vegetation area, non vegetation area, lawn buffer, open vegetation buffer and closed vegetation buffer. Keywords: caterpillar,landscape characteristic, oviposition site, preferences, urban green space

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Social Cohesion and City Green Space: Revisiting the Power of Volunteering

Challenges ◽

10.3390/challe10020036 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 36

Author(s):

Jennings

Keyword(s):

Social Interactions ◽

Social Cohesion ◽

Green Space ◽

Potential Role ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

Immense Potential

Urban green spaces can facilitate positive social interactions in numerous ways. These interactions may lead to the development of social cohesion among city dwellers. This article provides a viewpoint on the potential role that the presence of green space and volunteering can play in the construct of social cohesion. Specifically, the article focuses on one aspect of social cohesion, volunteerism, as a way to illustrate the immense potential of social cohesion to link health with place and the planet.

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The Cooling Effect of Urban Green Spaces in Metacities: A Case Study of Beijing, China’s Capital

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs13224601 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (22) ◽

pp. 4601

Author(s):

Liang Yan ◽

Wenxiao Jia ◽

Shuqing Zhao

Keyword(s):

Well Being ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Cooling Effect ◽

Heat Island ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

Cooling Intensity ◽

Urban Heat ◽

Health And Well Being

Urban green spaces have many vital ecosystem services such as air cleaning, noise reduction, and carbon sequestration. Amid these great benefits from urban green spaces, the cooling effects via shading and evapotranspiration can mitigate the urban heat island effect. The impact of urban green spaces (UGSs) on the urban thermal environment in Beijing was quantified as a case study of metacities using four metrics: Land surface temperature (LST), cooling intensity, cooling extent, and cooling lapse. Three hundred and sixteen urban green spaces were extracted within the 4th ring road of Beijing from SPOT 6 satellite imagery and retrieved LST from Landsat 8 remote sensing data. The results showed that the cooling intensity of green spaces was generally more prominent in the areas with denser human activities and higher LST in this metacity. Vegetation density is always the dominant driver for the cooling effect indicated by all of the metrics. Furthermore, the results showed that those dispersive green spaces smaller than 9 ha, which are closely linked to the health and well-being of citizens, can possess about 6 °C of cooling effect variability, suggesting a great potential of managing the layout of small UGSs. In addition, the water nearby could be introduced to couple with the green and blue space for the promotion of cooling and enhancement of thermal comfort for tourists and residents. As the severe urban heating threatens human health and well-being in metacities, our findings may provide solutions for the mitigation of both the urban heat island and global climate warming of the UGS area customized cooling service.

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