URBAN GREENWAYS AS PLANNING STRATEGY

Cities across the world have developed urban greenways as a tool to tackle the problems caused by rapid and unsustainable urbanisation. In many of the countries greenways are used to achieve a number of environmental, economic, and social goals. Greenways are recreational trails that provide functions beyond recreation, such as storm water management, economic development, community development, and aesthetic improvements. However, greenways are not a new idea. The popularity of greenways has grown because greenways fulfil many functions, while bringing numerous benefits to the cities in which they are implemented.

Tick trails: the role of online recreational trail reviews in identifying risk factors and behavioral recommendations associated with tick encounters in Indiana

Background Recreational trails abound across the United States and represent high risk areas for tick exposure. Although online reviews represent a rich source of user information, they have rarely been used in determining the risk of tick exposure during recreational trail use. Based on online user reviews and comments, the purpose of this study was to determine risk factors and behavioral recommendations associated with tick encounters (Tick Presence) on recreational trails in the state of Indiana, U.S. Methods We reviewed 26,016 user comments left on AllTrails.com for 697 Indiana trails. Reviews were evaluated to determine Tick Presence/Absence, the total number of Tick Presence Reviews per trail, and multiple trail and user behavioral characteristics. We used hot spot (Getis-Ord Gi*) analysis to test the hypothesis of whether there are clusters in the number of Tick Presence Reviews. Pearson chi-square tests of independence evaluated whether tick presence was associated with several trail characteristics. Finally, negative binomial regression evaluated the strength of the association between the number of Tick Presence Reviews and several trail characteristics. Results Tick Presence was recorded at 10% (n = 65) of trails and occurred most frequently in May. Hot spot analysis revealed statistically significant clusters of Tick Presence Reviews on trails in the Southern Indiana State Region. Results of χ2 tests indicated significant associations between Tick Presence Reviews and (a) State Region and (b) Land Management Type; Mann-Whitney U tests detected significant differences in Tick Presence Reviews based on Trail Length and Elevation Gain. Subsequent results of a negative binomial regression model indicated that Southern Indiana State Region, Federal and Private Land Management Type, and Elevation Gain were factors significantly associated with Tick Presence Reviews. Content of user reviews indicated several behaviors employed to prevent tick encounters, particularly Repellent Application and Recreational Deterrence; 25% included a behavior Recommendation to others. Conclusions Online, user-generated trail reviews have the potential to serve as rich data sources for identifying recreational trails, where 1) the risk of tick exposure is great, 2) more robust active tick and tick-borne pathogen surveillance may be warranted, and 3) tailored prevention interventions are needed.

Adherence to Physical Distancing Guidelines on Urban Recreational Trails During a Pandemic

Use of urban trails and other green space during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic reached record highs around the world. Although the use of these resource amenities has been documented to have several physical and mental health benefits, the density of their use during the pandemic required managers to issue guidance and/or use-requirements to mitigate the spread of the virus. Hence, this investigation sought to document adherence to commonly suggested physical distancing guidelines at 14 trails across six states in the United States. Trained research team members unobtrusively observed over 10,000 encounters between trail visitors. Results indicated that over half of visitor groups failed to allow for enough physical distancing between themselves and another party, suggesting a need for trail and green space managers to consider additional messaging and trail design changes to encourage greater adherence to future public health guidelines.

Značaj arheoloških lokaliteta na području Ražanca, Podvršja i Ljupča u funkciji valorizacije kulturnog i sportskog turizma

The paper provides an overview of the most important archaeological sites in the wider area of Ražanac, Podvršje and Ljubač, which date from prehistory to New Age. Since a significant part of the explored sites are located on natural hills, sea bays and water-rich areas, their role as a kind of catalyst in the promotion of cultural and natural beauty of the area is highlighted. In this context, localities have become important destinations in the development of cultural and sports tourism, as a unified form of the local community tourist offer. The position of Ljubljana above Ljubač (Castrum Liube) as a complex archaeological site that offers a layered historical story is especially noteworthy. Due to its natural environment, the mentioned position above Ljubač is ideal for setting up cultural and sports-recreational trails, and ultimately the area has excellent predispositions for the formation of an archaeological park in the future. Such a thing would certainly affect local economic growth and development. This is especially pronounced on the economic impact of the organization of cultural and sporting events.

Differential responses of prairie rodents to edge effects from recreational trails

Edge effects are a common phenomenon in which an ecological variable changes with respect to distance from a habitat edge. Recreational trails may constitute a habitat edge for prairie rodents because of high human presence, high predator presence, or limited shelter compared to the prairie core. Despite the prevalence of trails in conservation parcels, their effect on wildlife distribution remains largely unstudied. We examined the impacts of recreational trails on small mammal activity in the restored prairies of the Cowling Arboretum at Carleton College. The prairies were restored from 1995 to 2008 and now comprise a contiguous prairie block of approximately 155 ha. Over 2 consecutive summers, we used infrared motion-sensing cameras to record the relative amount of time rodents spend at baited stations placed at different distances from the trail. The results varied between taxa: voles (Microtus spp.) avoided trail edges whereas mouse (Cricetidae and Dipodidae) and thirteen-lined ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) activity was unaffected by trail proximity. Trails may therefore have species-specific effects on small mammals, with potential consequences for the connectivity and distribution of populations.

Negotiating Improved Multifunctional Landscape Use: Trails as Facilitators for Collaboration Among Stakeholders

Trails are significant features in landscapes, and many ancient pathways have developed into routes of great importance for recreation and tourism in contemporary societies. Nevertheless, international research on recreational trails has hitherto mainly focused on managerial and environmental aspects of trails and less on trails from a social science perspective, such as conflict management. This study explores the role of recreational trails as a potential tool for managing conflicts in a multifunctional landscape. The findings originate from a case study of the southern Jämtland mountain region in Sweden, an area where land-use conflicts exist and where tourism is a major concern. The study examines the recreational trail as an applied example where actors in the mountain landscape “negotiate” and collaborate. Through the recreational trail, dialogue and discussions are made possible among stakeholders. Findings show that trails can function as facilitators for communication and can thus enhance the possibilities of building trust and promoting collaboration between actors. This research contributes to the existing literature on handling multiple land-use interests and adds to previous knowledge by taking on a rather new approach, where the recreational trail becomes a facilitator for communication.