scholarly journals Access and Use of Green Areas during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Green Infrastructure Management in the “New Normal”

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (23) ◽  
pp. 9842 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuta Uchiyama ◽  
Ryo Kohsaka

This study aims to identify the influence of the socioeconomic attributes and environmental contexts of citizens’ residential areas on the access and use of green areas during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results can aid policymaking and facilitate the safe and unrestricted use of green areas during the pandemic. The access and use of green areas were analyzed using a survey conducted after the official COVID-19 emergency in Japan (16 April to 14 May, 2020). Visits to green areas during the pandemic have gained salience globally from multiple perspectives: health, planning, social justice, and equity. The results of this study demonstrated that socioeconomic factors influenced the frequency of visiting green areas. The factors further influenced the use of the three categories of green areas (parks, agricultural lands, and gardens). Environmental contexts, including the land use patterns in residential areas, also influenced the use of specific types of green areas. Thus, policies need to further facilitate visits to green areas by reflecting the socioeconomic attributes of residents and their households, including income, number of children, gender, and age, incorporating those who have less access and considering the spread of COVID-19 locally. Furthermore, policies for the use of specific green areas, including parks, agricultural lands, and gardens, need to take cognizance of the residents’ environmental contexts. Management of specific green areas, like agricultural lands, is required, and residents should be provided with opportunities to use these areas with measures to avoid infection.

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1095
Author(s):  
Kandai Doi ◽  
Takuya Kato ◽  
Iori Tabata ◽  
Shin-ichi Hayama

Background: Tick distributions have changed rapidly with changes in human activity, land-use patterns, climate, and wildlife distributions over the last few decades. Methods: To estimate potential distributions of ticks, we conducted a tick survey at 134 locations in western Kanto, Japan. We estimated the potential distributions of six tick species (Amblyomma testudinarium Koch, 1844; Haemaphysalis flava Neumann, 1897; Haemaphysalis kitaokai Hoogstraal, 1969; Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann, 1901; Haemaphysalis megaspinosa Saito, 1969; and Ixodes ovatus Neumann, 1899) using MaxEnt modeling based on climate patterns, land-use patterns, and the distributions of five common wildlife species: sika deer (Cervus nippon Temminck, 1838), wild boar (Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758), raccoon (Procyon lotor Linnaeus, 1758), Japanese raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides Gray, 1834), and masked palm civet (Paguma larvata C.E.H. Smith, 1827)). Results: We collected 24,546 individuals of four genera and 16 tick species. Our models indicated that forest connectivity contributed to the distributions of six tick species and that raccoon distribution contributed to five tick species. Other than that, sika deer distribution contributed to H. kitaokai, and wild boar distribution, bamboo forest, and warm winter climate contributed specifically to A. testudinarium. Conclusions: Based on these results, the dispersal of some tick species toward residential areas and expanded distributions can be explained by the distribution of raccoons and by forest connectivity.


2008 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 434-434
Author(s):  
Jaisung Choi ◽  
Sangyoup Kim ◽  
Youngsoo Jang ◽  
Myungsoo Kang

Author(s):  
Dzmitry Kurlovich ◽  
Iryna Usova ◽  
Vera Sysoyeva

In recent years, the Republic of Belarus has developed the practice of introducing elements of green infrastructure into urban development programs. This is a contribution to the transition to environmentally friendly production technologies, the construction of buildings with a low share of energy and resource consumption, the implementation of environmental-oriented transport infrastructure, the use of effective technologies for the collection, disposal and processing of waste, and an increase in amount of green areas in cities. From 2016 to the present, the country is implementing a 5-year project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) “Supporting Green Urban Development in Small and Medium-Sized Cities in Belarus”. The objective of the Project is the growth of development of green urban development plans and pilot green urban development initiatives in the cities of Polack, Navapolack, Navahrudak related to energy efficiency and sustainable transport. An important component in the formation of green urban planning is the operation of spatial information. For this purpose, mapping and geoinformation approaches were applied in the study. They made it possible to identify the modern features of the distribution of green city indicators in pilot cities, carry out their analysis and propose a new development strategy that will improve the blue-green infrastructure. For each city, in the instrumental geographic information systems ArcGIS and QGIS, a methodology was developed and indicators were mapped that characterize condition of residential areas, quality of buildings, population density, location of green areas, proximity of public transport stops and other urban infrastructure, tourism service infrastructure and the distribution of energy users and sources of CO2 emissions. Based on the results of GIS analysis of the obtained layers of indicators of the profile of the green city, a spatial development strategy was formed. The information of the thematic layers on indicators of urban development became the basis for the creation of a series of web maps in ArcGIS Online, which are currently being discussed by residents of key cities. The cartographic materials prepared within the project can be finalized and used to work with city administrations, as well as to inform the population about the state of the city and the decisions taken.


2021 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 961-975
Author(s):  
Ivan Ryazantsev ◽  
Anna Ivolga

Among the countries of the world, Russia is one of the richest in agricultural land. However, a quantitative advantage is poorly transformed into a qualitative one. As a result, there has been a gradual decrease in productive land, a decline in crop yields, the use of highly productive lands as less valuable land categories, and land degradation. These negative processes cause severe damage to both the agricultural sector and the country's economy as a whole. One of the reasons for such drawbacks is the underdevelopment of land use processes and forms of land ownership, which discourage land productivity growth and rational use of agricultural lands. In this paper, the authors analyze the most critical challenges in the sphere of agricultural land distribution in Russia and suggest ways to improve the efficiency of land ownership and land use patterns.


2008 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 329-338
Author(s):  
Jaisung Choi ◽  
Sangyoup Kim ◽  
Youngsoo Jang ◽  
Myungsoo Kang

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (18) ◽  
pp. 106-115
Author(s):  
Patrícia De Freitas Nerbas ◽  
Márcia Azevedo de Lima

In the Brazilian context, the open areas along the urban blocks remain residual spaces, with irregular and small geometries, configuring urban slices without continuity and connectivity. This scenario can be seen in the images of large urban centers and is repeated, even more permissively and negatively, in the domestic housing of low-income populations. In this context, the article seeks to awaken the dialogue on formal strategies for open spaces around social housing and the respective environmental qualities related to human health. The intention is to debate the spaces of intermediation between the buildings, the urban voids as continuity and connectivity strategies for the integration of networks of green areas and their benefits. Thus, it contributes to the debate on land use patterns in communities in situations of social vulnerability and the benefits of free spaces in cities, raising questions about design strategies for green areas in communities in situations of social vulnerability. Therefore, developing the building project synchronously with open spaces, considering its possible benefits, seems to be opportune for the residents' quality of life, in addition to contributing to the production of more sustainable and healthy cities.


2020 ◽  
Vol 57 ◽  
pp. 3-34
Author(s):  
Ulf Schiefelbein ◽  
Frieda Engel ◽  
Franziska Masberg ◽  
Svea Lübke ◽  
Johann Schiefelbein ◽  
...  

Die Flechtendiversität und -quantität wurde in den Jahren 2017/2018 in Rostock an 53 Bäumen erfasst. Die Ergebnisse wurden mit den Ergebnissen einer Kartierung von 1994/1995 verglichen. Ferner wurden die Feuchtigkeitsverhältnisse und der Grad der Eutrophierung bzw. die Luftqualität an den Bäumen der Gattungen Tilia und Acer anhand des bekannten Verhaltens der nachgewiesenen Flechten bezüglich Luftfeuchtigkeit/Niederschlägen, Eutrophierung und pH-Verhältnissen bewertet. 2017/2018 wurden 79 Flechtenarten und 14 lichenicole Pilzarten nachgewiesen. Die Gesamtzahl der im Untersuchungsgebiet nachgewiesenen epiphytischen Flechtenarten erhöhte sich damit auf 80. Die meisten Flechtenarten kommen an Tilia spec. (60), Acer pseudoplatanus (43) und A. platanoides (34) vor. Die häufigsten Arten sind Phaeophyscia orbicularis, Physcia adscendens, Ph. tenella und Xanthoria parietina. Candelariella xanthostigmoides, Flavoparmelia soredians, Hyperphyscia adglutinata, Intralichen lichenum, Lecanora subcarpinea, Parmelia serrana, Parmelina quercina und Taeniolella delicata sind Neufunde für Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Hinsichtlich der Verbreitung und des Charakters der Fundorte können die nachgewiesenen Flechten und lichenicolen Pilze drei Gruppen zugeordnet werden: 1. Arten, die auch an stark befahrenen Straßen oder in eng bebauten Wohngebieten mit wenig Grünflächen und in den Stadtgebieten Kröpeliner Tor-Vorstadt oder Stadtmitte vorkamen, 2. Arten, die auch noch in locker bebauten, grünreichen Wohngebieten und in kleineren Grünlagen der Neubaugebiete vorkamen, aber nicht mehr in der Kröpeliner Tor-Vorstadt und Stadtmitte nachgewiesen wurden, 3. Arten, die nur an Bäumen vorkamen, die sich in der Nähe zum Offenland befinden. Der ersten Gruppe wurden 22, der zweiten Gruppe 32 und der dritten Gruppe 25 Flechtenarten zugeordnet. Dem Verhältnis zwischen der Frequenzsumme der stark nitrophytischen Arten und der Frequenzsumme der a-, schwach und mäßig nitrophytischen Arten auf den Bäumen entsprechend, wird die Luftqualität an 15 Bäumen der Gattungen Acer und Tilia für gut, an 14 Bäumen für mäßig und an 13 Bäumen für schlecht befunden. Auf der Grundlage des Verhältnisses zwischen der Anzahl basiphytischer Arten und der Summe an Arten an sauren oder/und subneutralen Borken wurden sechs Standorte als wenig, 21 Standorte als mäßig und 15 Standorte als stark schadstoffbelastet eingestuft. Meso- bis hygrophytische Flechten kamen an zehn Standorten mit nur ein oder zwei Arten, an 21 Standorten mit drei bis fünf Arten und an elf Standorten mit mehr als fünf Arten vor. Die epiphytische Flechtenflora hat sich in Rostock seit 1995 gravierend verändert. Es nahmen 69 Flechten im Bestand zu, von denen sich 52 Arten erst nach 1995 angesiedelt haben. Bei 32 Flechten ist eine schwache, bei 19 Flechten eine mäßige und bei 18 Flechten eine starke Zunahme zu verzeichnen. Lecanora conizaeoides kam 2017/2018 nicht mehr vor, vier Arten haben im Bestand abgenommen. Changes in the epiphytic lichen flora in the urban area of Rostock between 1994/1995 and 2017/2018 In 2017/2018, diversity and quantity of lichens were studied on 53 trees in Rostock city. The results were compared with the results of a mapping project in 1994/1995. Humidity conditions and degree of eutrophication at trees of the genera Tilia and Acer were interpreted with reference to the known indicator characteristcs of the lichen species concerning air humidity/precipitation, eutrophication and pH conditions. In 2017/2018, 79 lichen species and 14 lichenicolous fungus species were found. The total number of lichens increased to 80 species. Most species were found on Tilia spec. (60), Acer pseudoplatanus (43) and A. platanoides (34). The most common species are Phaeophyscia orbicularis, Physcia adscendens, Ph. tenella and Xanthoria parietina. Candelariella xanthostigmoides, Flavoparmelia soredians, Hyperphyscia adglutinata, Intralichen lichenum, Lecanora subcarpinea, Parmelia serrana, Parmelina quercina and Taeniolella delicata are new to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The distribution and characteristics of the collection sites allow for deviding the species into three groups: 1. species also present along streets with heavy traffic or in densely populated residential areas with a lack of green areas and in the districts Kröpeliner Tor-Vorstadt or City Centre, 2. species still present in sparse residential areas and smaller green areas but not in the districts Kröpeliner Tor-Vorstadt or City Centre, 3. species only colonizing trees close to the open landscape. Twenty-two species were assigned to the first, 32 species to the second and 25 species to the latter group. According to the proportion between the sum of frequencies of the strongly nitrophytic lichens and the sum of frequencies of the anitrophytic and moderately nitrophytic lichens on trees, air quality was indicated to be good at 15 trees of the genera Acer and Tilia, moderate at 14 trees and bad at 13 trees. Based on the proportion between the number of basiphytic lichen species and the sum of species colonizing acidophytic and subneutrophytic bark, six locations were categorized as little, 21 locations as moderately and 15 locations as strongly polluted. Mesophytic or hygrophytic lichens were present with only one or two species at ten locations, three to five species at 21 locations and over five species at 11 locations. Within the period under consideration, the epiphytic lichen flora of the Rostock urban area changed considerably. The populations of 69 lichen species increased, with 52 lichens newly establishing after 1995. In 32 lichen species a slight, in 19 species a moderate, and in 18 species a strong population increase was recorded. Lecanora conizaeoides disappeared and the populations of four species decreased.


Author(s):  
Andrew C. Willford

In 2006, dejected members of the Bukit Jalil Estate community faced eviction from their homes in Kuala Lumpur where they had lived for generations. City officials classified plantation residents as squatters and questioned any right they might have to stay. This story epitomizes the dilemma faced by Malaysian Tamils in recent years as they confront the collapse of the plantation system where they have lived and worked for generations. Foreign workers have been brought in to replace Tamil workers to cut labor costs. As the new migrant workers do not bring their whole families with them, the community structures need no longer be sustained, allowing more land to be converted to mechanized palm oil production or lucrative housing developments. Tamils find themselves increasingly resentful of the fact that lands that were developed and populated by their ancestors are now claimed by Malays as their own; and that the land use patterns in these new townships, are increasingly hostile to the most symbolic vestiges of the Tamil and Hindu presence, the temples. This book is about the fast-approaching end to a way of life, and addresses critical issues in the study of race and ethnicity. It demonstrates which strategies have been most “successful” in navigating the legal and political system of ethnic entitlement and compensation. It shows how, through a variety of strategies, Tamils try to access justice beyond the law-sometimes by using the law, and sometimes by turning to religious symbols and rituals in the murky space between law and justice.


1993 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan E. Kerber

Selecting an effective archaeological survey takes careful consideration given the interaction of several variables, such as the survey's goals, nature of the data base, and budget constraints. This article provides justification for a “siteless survey” using evidence from a project on Potowomut Neck in Rhode Island whose objective was not to locate sites but to examine the distribution and density of prehistoric remains to test an hypothesis related to land use patterns. The survey strategy, random walk, was chosen because it possessed the advantages of probabilistic testing, as well as the ease of locating sample units. The results were within the limits of statistical validity and were found unable to reject the hypothesis. “Siteless survey” may be successfully applied in similar contexts where the distribution and density of materials, as opposed to ambiguously defined sites, are sought as evidence of land use patterns, in particular, and human adaptation, in general.


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