A Spatial Analysis of Access to Physical Activity Infrastructure and Healthy Food in Regional Tasmania

Prevalence of physical inactivity and obesity continues to increase in regional areas such as North-West (NW) Tasmania and show no signs of abating. It is possible that limited access to physical activity infrastructure (PAI) and healthier food options are exacerbating the low levels of habitual physical activity and obesity prevalence in these communities. Despite a burgeoning research base, concomitant exploration of both physical activity and food environments in rural and regional areas remain scarce. This research evaluated access (i.e., coverage, variety, density, and proximity) to physical activity resources and food outlets in relation to socioeconomic status (SES) in three NW Tasmanian communities. In all three study areas, the PAI and food outlets were largely concentrated in the main urban areas with most recreational tracks and natural amenities located along the coastline or river areas. Circular Head had the lowest total number of PAI (n = 43) but a greater proportion (30%) of free-to-access outdoor amenities. There was marked variation in accessibility to infrastructure across different areas of disadvantage within and between sites. For a considerable proportion of the population, free-to-access natural amenities/green spaces and recreational tracks (73 and 57%, respectively) were beyond 800 m from their households. In relation to food accessibility, only a small proportion of the food outlets across the region sells predominantly healthy (i.e., Tier 1) foods (~6, 13, and 10% in Burnie, Circular Head and Devonport, respectively). Similarly, only a small proportion of the residents are within a reasonable walking distance (i.e., 5–10 min walk) from outlets. In contrast, a much larger proportion of residents lived close to food outlets selling predominantly energy-dense, highly processed food (i.e., Tier 2 outlets). Circular Head had at least twice as many Tier 1 food stores per capita than Devonport and Burnie (0.23 vs. 0.10 and 0.06; respectively) despite recording the highest average distance (4.35 and 5.66 km to Tier 2/Tier 1 stores) to a food outlet. As such, it is possible that both food and physical activity environment layouts in each site are contributing to the obesogenic nature of each community.

Reconstruction of Residential Land Cover and Spatial Analysis of Population in Bursa Region (Turkey) in the Mid-Nineteenth Century

The historic reconstruction of residential land cover is of significance to uncover the human-environment relationship and its changing dynamics. Taking into account the historical census data and cadastral maps of seven villages, this study generated residential land cover maps for the Bursa Region in the 1850s using a model based on natural constraints, land zoning, socio-economic factors and residential suitability. Two different historical reconstructions were generated; one based on a high density residential model and another based on a low density model. The simulated landcover information was used as an ancillary data to redistribute aggregated census counts to fine scale raster cells. Two different statistical models were developed; one based on probability maps and the other applying regression models including Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) models. The regression models were validated with historical census data of the 1840s. From regression models, socio-economic and physical characteristics, accessibility and natural amenities showed significant impacts on the distribution of population. Model validation analysis revealed that GWR is more accurate than OLS models. The generated residential land cover and gridded population datasets can provide a basis for the historical study of population and land use.

Making the Gold Coast a Smart City—An Analysis

In recent times, there has been a worldwide trend towards creating smart cities with a focus on the knowledge economy and on information and communication technologies. These technologies have potential applications in managing the built and natural environments more efficiently, promoting economic development, and actively engaging the public, thus helping build more sustainable cities. Whilst the interest in smart cities has been widespread predominantly amongst metropolitan cities, several regional cities such as the Gold Coast in Australia have also recently endeavoured to become smart cities. In response to this emerging trend, this study aimed to investigate key opportunities and challenges associated with developing regional cities into smart cities using the Gold Coast as a case study. It identified key factors critical to the planning and development of smart cities. These factors fall under five broad themes: cultural and natural amenities, technology, knowledge and innovation precincts, people and skills, and governance. The factors were applied to the Gold Coast to analyse the key opportunities and challenges for its development into a smart city. Finally, key lessons, which are potentially applicable to other regional cities seeking to develop into smart cities, are drawn from the case study.

The Impact of Natural Amenities on Home Values in Western Colorado

This paper investigates the impact that proximity to natural amenities has on improving home values in Mesa County, Colorado. Controlling for standard home characteristics, the study investigates the value to homes of the proximity to trails, the Colorado National Monument, Bureau of Land Management Land, golf courses, the Colorado/Gunnison River, open space, and public parks, using ordinary least squares, fixed effects (controlling for time and zip codes), and a spatial error model. GIS is used to determine distances for the spatial econometric model. Each amenity is evaluated at 250, 500, and 1000 meters. The results show that homes located within 250 meters of a trail sell for 4.45% more, homes located within 500 meters of BLM land sell for 9.07% more, homes located within 250 meters of a golf course sell for 12.70% more, and homes located within 250 meters of the Colorado National Monument sell for 12.90% more.

Location-Specific Adjustments in Population and Employment across Metropolitan America

This paper examines the joint adjustment of population and employment numbers across America’s metropolitan areas during the period 1990–2015. Current levels of both are estimated, for 10 year periods, using their lagged (own and cross) levels and eight other lagged variables. Population is affected by both human and natural amenities and employment by wages, patents, and other attributes of the workforce. This paper questions the conventional interpretation of the adjustment process by using geographically weighted regression (GWR) instead of standard linear (OLS, 2GLS) regression. Here the various estimates are all local, so the long-run equilibrium solutions for the adjustment process vary over space. Convergence no longer indicates a stable universal solution but instead involves a mix of stable and unstable local solutions. Local sustainability becomes an issue when making projections because employment can quickly lead or lag population in some metropolitan labor markets.

Entrepreneurship in Small Cities: Evidence From U.S. Micropolitan Areas

This article presents the spatial patterns of general and high-tech start-up rates and explores regional factors associated with entrepreneurship in U.S. micropolitan areas. Regression results show that general entrepreneurship in these small cities is predicted by population growth, the middle-age population group, the presence of small businesses, and natural amenities. Additionally, high-tech start-up activities are positively associated with human capital, creative knowledge (instead of technological knowledge), high-tech clustering, and proximity to a large metropolitan area. These findings are compared with the patterns in larger metropolitan areas. This research sheds light on local entrepreneurship policy in the small-city context.