Developing an Approach for Assessing Urban Blue-Green Spaces Towards Sustainable Urban Growth Through Retrospective Cyber Metrics Analysis of Operational Estimations Approaches

Urban blue-green spaces provide us abundant social, environmental, and economic benefits, but the disparities often exist in their distribution and accessibility. Traditionally urban blue-green spaces are a consolidation of “blue-green infrastructure” within urban areas. Several urban features like parks, forests, gardens, visible water, such as parks, rivers, canals, reservoirs, ponds, lakes, fountains, etc. are categorized or considered under the blue-green spaces and these are very much crucial for various urban ecosystem services. These play a significant role for all stakeholders of the urban community. Thus, everyone must ensure the equitable number of blue-green spaces for all. Recently, several rules and regulations towards the safeguarding of urban blue-green spaces have been outlined. The work presents a methodological framework to develop an approach towards sustainable urban growth with the help of urban blue-green spaces assessments. The current work has attempted to examine the linkage between issues of the urban blue-green spaces for restoring the required infrastructures. It can be utilised for all sustainable urban development for urban planning and design projects to play a pivotal role. The work emphasizes more to develop a methodological framework to analyze the urban blue-green spaces for augmentation with a theoretical framework. It is expected that the advancement of a problem cum objectives-driven approach will help to design an impact-driven approach for planned and concrete action.

Analysis of Land Use Land Cover Changes with Land Surface Temperature Using Spatial-Temporal Data for Nagpur City, India

Remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) are the most efficient tools for spatial data processing. This Spatial technique helps in generating data on natural resources such as land, forests, water, and their management with planning. The study focuses on assessing land change and surface temperature for Nagpur city, Maharashtra, for two decades. Land surface temperature and land use land cover (LULC) are determined using Landsat 8 and Landsat 7 imageries for the years 2000 and 2020. The supervised classification technique is used with a maximum likelihood algorithm for performing land classification. Four significant classes are determined for classification, i.e., barren land, built-up, vegetation and water bodies. Thermal bands are used for the calculation of land surface temperature. The land use land cover map reveals that the built-up and water bodies are increasing with a decrease in vegetation and barren land. Likewise, the land surface temperature map showed increased temperature for all classes from 2000 to 2020. The overall accuracy of classification is 98 %, and the kappa coefficients are 0.98 and 0.9 for the years 2000 and 2020, respectively. Due to urban sprawl and changes in land use patterns, the increase in land surface temperature is documented, which is a global issue that needs to be addressed.

Floodplain Forests and Urban Parks – A Brief Comparison of Bird Diversity

Urbanization in cultural landscapes generally tends to select for omnivorous, granivorous, and cavity/hole nesting bird species in green urban areas. Studies on bird diversity in the cities are important to better understanding to the ecology of urban and sub-urban landscapes. The aim of this study was research on bird diversity in urban parks in Olomouc city in order to brief comparison with bird diversity in hardwood floodplain forest habitats based on our older above-mentioned study. Bird diversity in urban parks was very similar to the bird diversity in some localities of floodplain forests from the Czech Republic. Comparison between urban parks and hardwood floodplain forests in the vicinity of the city revealed a high similarity of alpha-diversity and diversity indexes. These results indicated that large urban parks have nearly the same importance for bird diversity such as managed hardwood floodplain forests. Results highlighted an importance of urban green areas for biodiversity maintaining in European cultural landscapes.

Landscape Ecology in Mexico: Evolution, Research, Education and Future (Selected Theoretical and Meta-Scientific Aspects)

Context:The impulse to write this contribution was the effort of co-authors to bring the European landscape ecologist closer to the development, research & didactic approaches and possible future development of landscape ecology in Mexico from the theoretical, metascientific and applied point of view. Purpose: The purpose of the metascientific approach, in this case meta-landscape ecological approach, is to increase the degree of generalization of existing empirical-methodological, theoretical-application and didactic knowledge and results of landscape-ecological research, so that generally valid landscapeecological regularities and principles can be determined The aim was to acquire new generalizing and holistic qualities and perspectives in the field of landscape ecology in Mexico at this level. Methods: The two-step methodical procedure was elaborated, using metascientifically oriented landscape ecological and ecological Mexican literature, complemented by our studies and personal experience. Results: In this way, new knowledge, representing the added value and meaning of landscape ecologicalevolution, research, education and future development in Mexico was gained. It will serve also to Mexican landscap ecologists. Conclusiones: Mexican landscape ecology, lying at the intersection of European and American landscape ecology, can be described as integrative, idiographic-nomothetic at the spatial level of the landscape in the contact zone of European and American research approaches and principles.

Downscaling Planetary Boundaries to the National Level: A Review of Methods and Indicators

The practical implementation of the planetary boundaries’ (PB) conceptual implications is a challenge from the perspective of both global and national governance. (Schmidt, 2013; Biermann & Kim, 2020) This paper reviews the methods and indicators used in subsequent studies which focus on downscaling the PB concept to the national level. The conclusions confirm significant progress in identifying appropriate national indicators; however, also point at the need for further research to (1) develop a complex downscaling methodology; (2) consider additional variables to ensure just and equitable allocation principles; and (3) mainstream the PB into national policies.

Managing Nature-Based Tourism in Protected Karst Area Based on Tourism Carrying Capacity Analysis

Nature-based tourism relies on the beauty of nature to maintain sustainability and attraction. However, karst environment is vulnerable to disturbance due to tourism activity. This study, therefore, aims to analyze the social, ecological, physical, real, and effective carrying capacity of Pattunuang Assue Nature Tourism Object, Bantimurung Bulusaraung National Park. Data were collected through field measurement, observation, and interviews. Data of visitors’ favorite spot and its size were measured through observation and field measurement. Visitors’ perceptions related to the destination, including their duration activities were collected through interviews. It was further collected by observing the various spots of activity, and measuring the area of restrictive factors such as physical (number of rainy days), biotic (vegetation diversity at tree level, the diversity of birds during the busy visiting hours, the initial period of the Tarsius fuscus’ birth). We also observe the equipment and infrastructure of the destination and collected data related to management through interviews with the managers. This study reveals various carrying capacity value which can be used as an option for the managers to choose the best way to manage destination in the right way. The result showed that particular activities exceeded carrying capacity but other activities far below their carrying capacity value. The study furthermore discusses how to deal with numerous activities. It also suggests an increase in the number of visitors by considering their ecological characteristics and management capacity.

Greenway Network: A Participatory Planning Approach for Municipalities of the South Region of Brazil

Development of greenways represent a planning strategy that seeks to reconcile both nature conservation and human uses. It is crucial for maintaining landscape connectivity in an increasingly anthropized world. Such strategy encompasses complex socio-ecological variables and its success greatly depends on the integration of different types of knowledge and active support from the local communities and stakeholders. This demands participatory planning processes within multidisciplinary platforms that promote a close collaboration between experts and lay people. The goal of this paper is to describe and analyse a participatory planning approach for the early-stage design of a greenway network for municipalities in South Brazil. The majority of southern Brazilian municipalities contain a very high rate of small farms which are under intensive agricultural production, and consequently, harming the natural landscapes. Actions to effectively tackle this problem are scarcely observed. The procedures encompassed by the approach were determined by the context constraints and potentials that make it applicable in the reality at stake. The approach is focusing on the early-stage design of a greenway network plan and comprises two phases with each a multi-stakeholder workshop for the local landscape analysis and the plan co-design by experts and local actors. The application of the approach in a municipality in southern Brazil has enabled local actors to use key concepts of connectivity planning and foster a critical reflection on local issues, and allowed the incorporation of local knowledge into the solution developed by participants. This resulted in a plan tailored to the local reality.

Public Perception of Biodiversity: A Literature Review of Its Role in Urban Green Spaces

The significance of biodiversity in the survival of human beings and enhancing the urban quality of life is evident from the empirical measurements and qualitative studies carried out across the globe. Despite its importance and value, burgeoning population and growing urbanization are posing a serious threat to biodiversity leading to biodiversity homogenization and ecosystem fragmentation. Moreover, studies reveal that management practices of biodiversity hardly take into account perception, needs, and knowledge of urban residents regarding biodiversity. Urban green spaces have a major role to play in the conservation of urban biodiversity. However, the triangular relationship between biodiversity, urban green spaces, and public perception is still unexplored. With this aim, the paper attempts to compile, analyze, and synthesize the empirical findings to understand the state-of-the-art knowledge regarding public perception of biodiversity in urban green spaces. The search strategy acquired for the selection of papers resulted in 43 papers from 22 different countries of the world. The paper focuses upon an inclusive definition of urban green spaces, thus encompasses a wide variety of urban and peri-urban green spaces, parks, gardens, and waterfront urban spaces. The analysis of literature pattern reveals a recent increase in studies related to biodiversity perception over the last 10 years. It indicates a strong geographic bias in publications as well. Studies of animals including birds, insects, and reptiles are found scarce compared to plant species. The study could identify potential variables affecting human biodiversity perception which include species literacy, visitation rate, preferences, recreational, health, and restorative benefits, vegetation characteristics, nature connectedness, and conservation support. The paper also proposes a framework for understanding biodiversity perception in urban green spaces that can assist in improving our understanding of the relationship between human interactions and natural environments and framing strategies for urban development, landscape planning, and community health promotions.

Improving the Condition of European Hare Through Nutrition

The objective of the article is to evaluate the effects of a newly designed granulated mixture enriched with Bohemian knotweed (Reynoutria x bohemica) on European hare (Lepus europaeus) kept at closed farms. The positive influence of knotweed on the microbiome in the digestive system and better usage of the fodder were proven based on biochemical and haematological analysis of blood. Lower manifestation of pathogenic organisms is also expected. Finally, the positive influence on higher weight gains in baby hares was proven, which improves their condition. The results can be used in practice at closed farms breeding European hare focused on releasing bred young hares into open hunting grounds where it is possible to obtain a monetary contribution for the releasing of hares from a grant of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic in the field of hunting. Furthermore, the results can be used for feeding hares in open hunting grounds.

Dynamism of Landscape Transformation in Ibiono-Ibom, Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria

Studies have shown that information on landscape transformation is an important benchmark data set because of its value as an environmental change indicator. Therefore, dynamism of landscape transformation over a 34-year period are analysed for a case study in Ibiono-Ibom, Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria. The study adopted a mixed method consisting of remote sensing and GIS-based analysis, and semi-structured interviews covering 400 households while factors contributing to landscape structures and changes are studied. The results point out three main driving factors responsible for the landscape transformation in the study area: agricultural practices which lead to intensification of forest resources, riparian vegetation, vegetated wetlands and non-vegetated wetlands; urbanization which modifies the structure and morphology of the landscape, and finally, population growth directly related to massive infrastructural development which encroached on all other land spaces. GIS-based analysis of remotely-sensed data showed that built-up area had increased by 7535.2 ha between 1986 and 2020; shrub and arable land by 1343.9 ha and light forest decreased by 4998.3 ha. While bare-land reduced by 1522.1 ha; vegetated wetland reduced by 1092 ha; water body coverage reduced by 168 ha and non-vegetated wetland size also reduced by 2029.4 ha. Analysis of household survey results revealed that the perceptions of respondents validate the observed patterns during the remotely-sensed data analysis phase of the research, with 54 % (n=400) of respondents reporting a decline in agricultural land use, and 19.3 % (n=400) observing a decline in forest areas in the study area. Furthermore, agricultural intensification, urban development, timber exploitation, firewood collection and increase in settlements were identified as the proximate drivers of these observed landscape transformation dynamics in the study area. The study concluded that the variation in landscape transformation of the study area are clear indication of the extent of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation in the study area.