Search

Cultural ecosystem services (CES) are mainly intangible benefits, obtained by aesthetical and other experiences, recreation, learning and spiritual enrichment, or by the ability to distinguish values. In other words, what makes a service ‘cultural’ is its ‘non-economical’ character. CES are ecosystem services with direct impact on the quality of life in urban systems, and they are directly appreciated by inhabitants and visitors of these urban systems (Plieningeret al., 2013; Zulian et al., 2018). In order to satisfy the needs and expectations of the wider urban community, a ‘broader portfolio of areas’ is needed, which can meet the expectations of different users, from children to older adults. The new methodological approach tested on three model areas in the city of Nitra in the housing estate Chrenová was used to establish the level of benefits provided by existing vegetation areas in urban environment in terms of recreation as a CES. Following data were collected: the quality of vegetation, spatial design, management of vegetation elements, selected environmental aspects, available amenities and architectural elements needed for recreation. In our article, we present the assessment of vegetation in relation to the provision of recreation as a CES. Our results show that the assessed areas can be classified in the category of average to low provision of benefits related to recreation. Vegetation on area P1 is in good condition, mainly the quality of trees and shrubs was assessed as very good (4). Other areas (P2 and P3) assessed provide only low levels of benefits derived from recreation as one of the CES. This was caused by some vegetation deficiencies (mainly related to horticultural and compositional aspects). Methodological approach can be used for different vegetation areas in urban environment and after suitable modifications (e.g. adding other components for assessment) also for different cultural ecosystems services. The results can be used in landscape planning documents or in other types of documents dealing with the quality of vegetation in urban environment.

CyberParks will be hybrid spaces of future cities. Learning in CyberParks will take the form of technology-enhanced outdoor learning and will become an important concept that can be used in practice in order to provide an answer to numerous problems of educational institutions, related to students’ lack of contact with nature and consolidation of their sedentary lifestyle. In this paper we discuss evidences from the CyberParks COST project and we present recommendations regarding the constructions of CyberParks. We point out, for example, that when designing CyberParks one has to think not only about the technological infrastructure, but also about making sitting spots for using learning technology. We also present the original project of such an object.

Public green spaces have a high potential for a positive impact on people’s health and wellbeing, especially in urban areas. Studies on environmental justice indicate socially unequal access possibilities to urban green spaces. This article presents results on associations between individual socioeconomic position (SEP) and walking time from home to public green spaces in young people living in urban areas with more than 20,000 inhabitants in Germany. Data were derived from the German Environmental Survey for Children and Adolescents 2014–2017 (GerES&nbsp, V), the environmental module of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS Wave 2). The sample comprises 1149 participants aged 3 to 17 years. A total of 51.5% of the participants reach a public green space on foot within five and 72.8% within ten minutes from home. The lower the participant’s SEP, the longer the walking time. Logistic regression models controlling for age group, sex, migration background, and region of residence show that participants with a low SEP have a significantly higher risk (odds ratio = 1.98, 95% confidence interval: 1.31–2.99) of needing more than ten minutes to walk from home to a public green space than participants with a high SEP. GerES V data indicate that young people living in urban areas in Germany do not equally benefit from the health-promoting potential of green spaces, which is an important aspect of environmental health inequalities.