Urban voids: identifying and optimizing urban voids potential as a revitalization source in enhancing developing countries’ city income

This study attempts to remedy the issue of urban voids, which are one of the possible choices for extra interactive spaces. As a city with a great civilization history, Egypt is also home to many urban voids, mainly buffer zones. This generates the research problem that urban voids result from managing isolated planning sites irrespective of the context and away from the community. Few studies tackled the impact of public spaces on city life; they were mainly theoretically oriented and focused on piazzas without highlighting other spaces or conducting empirical investigations. The study determines that voids could be a testing ground to establish a framework of how these spaces can be reused. Revitalizing urban voids goal is to reconnect these useless spaces with context, achieve users’ needs, integrate technologies with the space to revitalize the city, and increase its income through combining theoretical findings, empirical study, and questionnaires, which generate a framework that helps the planners and designers in developing urban voids and maximizing its efficiency. Currently, adaptive redesign is a hot topic to discuss, and this may be the moment to realize that following the updated design components, meeting community needs, and using technology will always reinvigorate the void.

Present and historical landscape structure shapes current species richness in Central European grasslands

Context Current diversity and species composition of ecological communities can often not exclusively be explained by present land use and landscape structure. Historical land use may have considerably influenced ecosystems and their properties for decades and centuries. Objectives We analysed the effects of present and historical landscape structure on plant and arthropod species richness in temperate grasslands, using data from comprehensive plant and arthropod assessments across three regions in Germany and maps of current and historical land cover from three time periods between 1820 and 2016. Methods We calculated local, grassland class and landscape scale metrics for 150 grassland plots. Class and landscape scale metrics were calculated in buffer zones of 100 to 2000 m around the plots. We considered effects on total species richness as well as on the richness of species subsets determined by taxonomy and functional traits related to habitat use, dispersal and feeding. Results Overall, models containing a combination of present and historical landscape metrics showed the best fit for several functional groups. Comparing three historical time periods, data from the 1820/50s was among the most frequent significant time periods in our models (29.7% of all significant variables). Conclusions Our results suggest that the historical landscape structure is an important predictor of current species richness across different taxa and functional groups. This needs to be considered to better identify priority sites for conservation and to design biodiversity-friendly land use practices that will affect landscape structure in the future.

Landscape Changes in Protected Areas in Poland

Land-Use Cover Changes (LUCCs) are one of the main problems for the preservation of landscapes and natural biodiversity. Protected Areas (PAs) do not escape this threat. Poland is among the European leaders in terms of the variety of landscapes and the share of an area designated as a protected area. However, as many as 78% of the habitats have poor or bad conservation status based on EEA reports. This article analyzes the LUCCs between 2000 and 2018 in various types of the Polish legal forms of nature protection areas and the European Natura 2000 network within the country. The research material was: the data of Corine Land Cover (CLC), the Central Register of Nature Protection Forms, and high-resolution layers, such as HRL and orthophotos. The results were compiled according to the CLC class and forms of protection. The matrix of transformations showed that the most frequently transformed CLC class was 312 (coniferous forest). It was transformed into class 324 (transitional woodland shrubs). The changes in PAs were usually smaller than in the surrounding buffer zones, which may indicate their effectiveness. The exception was the areas of the European Natura 2000 network. The scale of land-cover flows (LCFs) changed within particular forms of protected areas, though afforestation and deforestation predominating in all area types. National reserves and parks were the most stable in terms of land cover structures. However, human settlements increased around the protected areas, potentially increasing threats to their ecological integrity.

Allergy and Household Living Conditions among Adolescents Living near Gold Mine Tailing Dumps in the Gauteng and North West Provinces of South Africa

This quantitative exploratory baseline study aimed to investigate whether allergy among adolescents was associated with household living conditions, including living near gold mine tailing dumps in South Africa. A questionnaire based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergies was used to collect information on allergy and household risk factors among adolescents (n = 5611). A chi-square test was applied to determine the relationship between community (exposed/unexposed) and confounding variables. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis (LRA) to estimate the likelihood of having doctor-diagnosed allergies. The overall prevalence of doctor-diagnosed allergies was 25.5%. The exposed communities had a higher prevalence of doctor-diagnosed allergies (26.97%) compared with the unexposed (22.69%) communities. The study found an association between doctor-diagnosed allergy and having fungus in the house, being female, currently having pets in and around the house, residing in the community for more than three years and living in communities located close to gold mine tailing dumps. Actions to implement buffer zones between gold mine tailing dumps and communities would support Sustainable Development Goals 3 (health) and 11 (sustainable cities and communities), while failing to address the current potential identified risk factors may pose a significant public health challenge. Local policymakers should also apply the precautionary principle to protect the health of children, especially with the location of human settlements relative to air pollution sources.

Remarkable Effects of Urbanization on Forest Landscape Multifunctionality in Urban Peripheries: Evidence from Liaoyuan City in Northeast China

Forest landscape multifunctionality (FLM) provides multiple benefits, such as climate regulation, water storage, and biodiversity maintenance. However, the external factors limiting FLM have not been fully identified, although addressing them could contribute to sustainable development. The present study aimed to identify and quantify the role of urbanization as an external factor that affects FLM. To this end, impervious area changes in Liaoyuan, China, were observed from 2000 to 2018, and 10 buffer zones at 500 m intervals were established outside the city. Within each buffer zone, we analyzed changes in forest landscape functions, including habitat maintenance, carbon sequestration, and water yield, as well as changes in the multifunctionality of their composition. The urbanization of Liaoyuan was significant in 2000–2018. The functions of the forest landscape became stronger and more stable as they were located further away from the urban edge. We refer to this pattern as the gradient effect of urbanization. Specifically, urbanization affected the investigated functions at a distance of 1000–2500 m. The FLM showed a more significant gradient effect of urbanization. The impact distance of urbanization on the FLM increased from 3000 m in 2000 to over 5000 m in 2018. This impact distance increased significantly whenever urbanization strengthened significantly (i.e., in 2005–2010 and 2015–2018). These findings are instructive for forest and urban managers working to achieve multiple Sustainable Development Goals.

Exploring environmental connection: ecological network opportunities in the Shahdagh National Park, Azerbaijan

The high growth rate of consumption of natural resources by people in the last century have seriously and negatively affected ecosystems and led to the loss of biodiversity. At present, it is important to take the necessary measures to ensure sustainable development and biodiversity conservation. Ecological networks play an important role in maintaining and controlling the stability and balance of communication between ecosystem complexes. For this purpose, the possibility of creating an ecological network that includes core areas, buffer zones, ecological corridors and restoration areas in the section of Shamakhi district of the Shahdagh National Park was explored. The designated buffer zone of the national park includes 14 villages and 1 settlement type administrative unit. Mountainous landscapes predominate in the area, and the absolute height ranges from 500-200 m. Riverbeds, intermountain depression, mountain passes, trails and forests which should be planted in the areas we offer, were considered as main factors during the construction of ecological corridors in the national park and the buffer zones. The materials obtained from the literature and our field studies, also, vector and raster data were used during the site identification. The data was processed in software such as ArcGIS 10, ERDAS Imagine, Global Mapper, Google Earth, etc. Existing ecosystems were identified, and areas were calculated in separate elements of the ecological network in the study area.

Reforestation enhanced landscape connectivity for thermal buffering in China

Deforestation-induced landscape fragmentation causes habitat loss and isolation, modifies local climate, and therefore threatens biodiversity. While, on the contrary, how large-scale reforestation may improve the connectivity and thermal buffers of habitats is not well understood. We show that decades long large-scale reforestation in China has effectively increased the size and connectivity of forest patches by gradually filling gaps among isolated patches and creating more core forests. The core forests have a stronger capacity to cool the land surface, leading to a daily mean cooling effect of -0.42±0.23°C relative to nearby marginal forests. Moreover, the core forests reduce diurnal range and seasonal variation of land surface temperature by 1.41±0.23°C and 0.42±0.55°C, respectively, relative to nearby marginal forests. The thermal buffering capacity of large size core forest (>100km2) is more than twice that of small size (≤10km2). Despite their relatively low thermal buffering capacity, the marginal forests contribute about 73% to the increase of forest area in China during the last two decades and create buffer zones for the core forests to resist external disturbances, maintaining the internal stability of the forest ecosystem. We highlight that improving the integrity and connectivity of the forests with ecological restoration and succession can further enhance potential of forests to buffer local thermal environment under the current reforestation efforts, and thereby providing better connected thermal habitats for species to survive under climate change.

Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Berbasis Potensi Lokal Melalui Peningkatan Produktivitas Lebah Madu Trigona Batu Katak

ABSTRAK Budidaya lebah madu lebih banyak dilakukan di bawah daerah penyangga hutan. Kelompok Budidaya Trigona Batu Katak yang dijalankan Bapak Kelengi Sitepu merupakan penjual sekaligus peternak di dusun Batu Katak, Desa Batu Jong-Jong. Bapak Kelengi Sitepu memproduksi madu unggulanya yaitu Trigona Batu Katak. Proses pengolahan Madu ini dimulai ketika lebah madu siap panen. Kemudian dilakukan pemerasan sari madu menggunakan alat sederhana, dan ditampung ke dalam jerigen untuk dikemas. Proses pemerasan pengemasan madu dilakukan di rumah secara manual. Kendala yang dialami oleh pengusaha madu ini adalah pengemasan yang masih sederhana belum menggunakan label dan botol yang menarik sehingga sulit untuk menembus toko. Berdasarkan permasalahan mitra tersebut diatas, kami akan memberikan solusi dengan metode pelaksanaan yaitu pendampingan dan penerapan pengemasan dan label kemasan. Hasil yang dicapai setelah pelaksanaan kegiatan tersebut adalah Dapat membuat kemasan botol madu lebih menarik sehingga memiliki daya saing dipasaran salah satunya pada saat pandemic covid 19 ini,pihak Kantor Balai Besar Taman Nasional Gunung sudah memesan dan mengkonsumsi Madu Trigona Batu Katak. Kata Kunci: Kemasan, Madu, Lebah, Budidaya ABSTRACT The cultivation of honey bees is mostly carried out in the buffer zones. The Trigona Batu Katak Cultivation Group, which is run by Mr. Kelengi Sitepu, is a seller as well as a breeder in Batu Katak hamlet, Batu Jong-Jong Village. Mr. Kelengi Sitepu produces his superior honey, namely Trigona Batu Katak. This honey processing process begins when the honey bees are ready to harvest. Then the honey juice is squeezed using a simple tool, and it is put into a jerry can for packaging. The process of squeezing the honey packaging is done at home manually. The constraints that serve honey entrepreneurs are the simple packaging, not using attractive labels and bottles, making it difficult to get through to the collection. Based on the partners' problems mentioned above, we will provide a solution with the implementation method, namely assistance and application of packaging and packaging labels. The results achieved after the implementation of this activity were being able to make honey bottle packaging more attractive so that it had competitiveness in the market, one of which was during the COVID 19 pandemic, the Mount National Park Office had ordered and consumed Trigona Batu Katak Honey. Keywords: Packaging, Honey, Bees, Cultivation