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Urbanization has made significant changes in Land Use Land Cover (LULC) patterns and these changes have a considerable impact on Land Surface Temperature (LST) in highly populated and rapidly growing cities. The current study aims to analyze the past and future LULC changes and seasonal (summer and winter) LST patterns in Herat City, Afghanistan. Random Forest (RF) algorithm and Landsat thermal bands were applied to retrieve LULC changes and associated LST patterns during 2000 and 2020. In addition, the Cellular Automata-Markov (CA-Markov) and the CA-Logistic Regression (CA-LR) models were used to predict the future LULC and seasonal (summer and winter) LST patterns, respectively for the year 2030. The CA-Markov and CA-LR models’ validation for LULC and LST were assured using the predicted and actual data for the year 2020. Results showed a significant increase in the built-up area about 48.06 km2 (42.53%), while the vegetation 27.65 km2 (24.48%) and bare soil 20.45 km2 (18.11%) reduced significantly, however, the water bodies decreased slightly in Herat City. The seasonal (summer and winter) LST patterns revealed higher temperatures in built-up area followed by the bare soil, vegetation and water bodies. Predicted LULC patterns showed a considerable increase in the built-up area of about 16.69 km2 (14.77%) for the year 2030 as compared to 2020. Seasonal analysis predicts that by 2030, around 51.84 km2 (45.88%) of Herat City may experience summer LST > 45 °C, while 90.15 km2 (79.78%) could have winter LST ranging from 10–20 °C. The results indicated a direct relation between rapid urbanization and rising LST, which negatively impacts both the local population and the environment. To ensure sustainable urban growth and reduce the impact of LST in Herat City, the future city master plans should prioritize urban greenery and the protection of natural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The globally increasing frequency of extreme drought events exacerbates the contradiction between the supply of water and the demand for high-quality urban greening. However, the mechanism of the response of urban shrubs to drought stress remains unclear. In this study, three typical urban shrubs (Euonymus japonicus, golden vicary [Ligustrum × vicaryi], and Japanese purple barberry [Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea]) that are used for greening in northern China were exposed to three levels of water (full irrigation, natural rain-fed, and extreme drought) in different periods of the growing season (April to May, June to July, and August to September) to investigate the responses of leaf water potential and photosynthetic parameters. The main results were as follows: (1) all the leaf water potentials (Ψ) and photosynthetic parameters (Pn) showed a typical linear relationship along the water gradient in the middle of the growing season. Extreme drought decreased the photosynthetic rates by 1.26~11.03 μmol·m−2·s−1 compared with the irrigated groups. However, the responses were less pronounced in the early and late growing seasons. (2) Different shrubs responded with different intensities and mechanisms. B. thunbergii var. atropurpurea showed clear anisohydric behavior throughout the whole growing season, while L. × vicaryi and E. japonicus showed stronger isohydric behavior during the early and late growing seasons. These findings are important to improve the sustainability of maintenance of ornamental plants from the scope of the efficient utilization of urban water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2020 Environmental Noise in Europe report shows that a vast majority of European countries have legal definitions of quiet areas and criteria for their designation. As much as 60% of them have designated at least one quiet area in their territory and have taken measures to protect the acoustic climate in these areas. In Poland, although the instrument was introduced in the national environmental legislation, guidelines for delimitation have not been defined yet in the form of a binding legal act. The objective of this article is to propose the method for identifying quiet areas through spatial analysis and present it on the example of two cities—Radom and Lublin. These cities represent different approaches to the designation of quiet areas. This work is a continuation of the survey conducted and published by the authors in 2023. At the outset, the legislation and literature on the subject were analysed. Based on that, the conditions that potential quiet areas must meet were determined. Spatial analyses were then conducted for the quiet areas proposed earlier in the survey and in the environmental noise programme to see if the criteria selected by the authors were actually met in these areas: acoustic, functional, related to land cover, size, as well as temporal, spatial and transport accessibility, and location, including distances from areas with the highest noise emissions and adequate population density. Quiet areas are forest areas, public green areas, and surface water areas with recreational functions. The criteria for the elimination of the selected quiet areas were mainly location related (distance from main roads and population density). The accessibility of the quiet areas is also important. A method devised by the authors enables the delimitation of quiet areas in cities. Furthermore, this method is primarily based on publicly available data, which makes it applicable to other cities as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As urbanization accelerates, urban greenery, particularly street greenery, emerges as a vital strategy for enhancing residents' quality of life, demanding attention for its alignment with pedestrian flows to foster sustainable urban development and ensure urban dwellers' wellbeing. The advent of diverse urban data has significantly advanced this area of study. Focusing on Chengdu's central urban district, this research assesses street greening metrics against pedestrian flow indicators, employing spatial autocorrelation techniques to investigate the interplay between street greenery and pedestrian flow over time and space. Our findings reveal a prevalent negative spatial autocorrelation between street greenery and pedestrian flow within the area, underscored by temporal disparities in greenery demands across various urban functions during weekdays versus weekends. This study innovatively incorporates mobile phone signal-based population heat maps into the mismatch analysis of street greenery for the first time, moving beyond the conventional static approach of space syntax topology in assessing pedestrian flow. By leveraging dynamic pedestrian flow data, it enriches our understanding of the disconnect between street greening plans and pedestrian circulation, highlighting the concept of urban flow and delving into the intricate nexus among time, space, and human activity. Moreover, this study meticulously examines multiple street usage scenarios, reflecting diverse behavior patterns, with the objective of providing nuanced and actionable strategies for urban renewal initiatives aimed at creating more inviting and sustainable urban habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Urban greenery is a strategy to improve the thermal environment in urban areas affected by heat islands and global warming. These phenomena can harm the citizens' quality of life. Researchers have investigated the thermal benefits of urban vegetation, but only a few have explored its complexities across diverse urban scales. Understanding these variations is critical for precise analysis, customized solutions, efficient resource allocation, and enhancing urban living quality while promoting sustainability and climate resilience. This paper reviews 250 scientific articles about the relationship between greenspace and the urban thermal environment published between 2010 and 2023 through urban scales. It summarizes the parameters and findings of greenery's contribution to cooling the urban environment. The data reveal that most studies concentrated on the block scale, public open spaces, neighborhoods, parks, grouped vegetation, mixed arrangements, high vegetation, spatial parameters, and the use of air temperature data to report their findings. The cooling-effect evidence shows that the block scale has an average mitigation range of 0.7–2.7 °C, the neighborhood scale of 1.1–2.9 °C, and the city scale of 0.5–2.2 °C. Furthermore, it is critical to define reliable research methods and perform thorough software validation to assess model performance and establish guidelines for urban-landscape design accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introducing vegetation into towns and cities, for example through establishing green corridors which ensure a continuous character of urban green areas is a way to counteract negative effects of urban climate. The aim of the study was to assess the role of a green corridor and the contribution of vegetation to regulating the level of hourly tropospheric ozone concentrations in Legnica. Hourly values of tropospheric ozone concentrations (O3, μg m-3) and wind directions (D, °) collected between 2011 and 2014 from an urban background station for air quality monitoring of the Provincial Inspectorate for Environmental Protection were used in the study. To prepare a land cover map, data from the Database of Topographic Objects provided by the Geodesy and Cartography Department of the Marshal's Office of the Lower Silesian Voivodship were used. The estimations of frequency of hourly O3 concentrations for given seasons of the year and the analysis of land cover within 2 km from the measuring point were made based on an 8-wind compass rose. In summer, the frequency of hourly O3 concentrations was assessed for every direction and for every hour of the day. A Pearson correlation matrix was generated to illustrate the relationship between land cover type and the frequency of pollution coming from each direction, Between 21:00 and 6:00, increased frequency of hourly O3 concentrations in the 0-40 μg m-3 range coming from the southwest was recorded, which accounted for 70-90% of all concentration ranges. Correlation analyses showed a statistically significant relationship between increased high vegetation coverage and decreased frequency of hourly O3 concentrations in the 41-80 μg m-3 range. It was demonstrated that between 2011 and 2014, during summers, hourly O3 concentrations

Urban greenery contributes to improve air quality through carbon dioxide sequestration and to increase air humidity by transpiration. These processes are dependent on diurnal physiological activity of vegetation as well as its spatial distribution. In our study we aimed to find out (1) how urban greenery can change the atmospheric conditions during a day and (2) if there is a difference between a housing estate interior with abundant greenery and a wide street of heavy traffic. The examination was carried out a suburban district of Warsaw, in two sites of contrasting characteristics: in a street with heavy traffic during rush hours and in a housing estate nearby. Gas measurements were carried out using an infrared gas analyser included in a portable photosynthesis system on two sunny days in July 2021. On each day measurements of air water vapour pressure and atmospheric carbon dioxide were taken in both locations from early morning to the evening. The results showed that water vapour pressure in the air increased from ca. 12 to nearly 18 hPa from 6:45 a.m. to 9:00-9:30 a.m., respectively, and then gradually decreased until 7:00 p.m. on both measurement days. Carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere in the early morning hours exceeded 430-450 ppm and then decreased to 400 ppm or even less than 360 ppm depending on the day. We concluded that the site characteristics had not an important effect on relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration, but vapour pressure deficit was higher in the street.

A substantial body of evidence links green space to positive health outcomes. Beyond the availability of dedicated green spaces such as parks and the overall presence of vegetation and trees, visual exposure to greenery has also been shown to be important for well-being. Enhancing visual access to greenery may thus represent a pathway to promoting health and well-being. However, at regional or national scales, insights into disparities in visual access to greenery remain scarce. Most research and policy efforts rely on two-dimensional (top-down) data, which often fails to accurately capture the amount of greenery visible from individual perspectives, such as from within homes.This study builds on the work of Labib et al. [20], who developed a high-resolution (5 m grid) Viewshed Greenness Visibility Index (VGVI) for the Greater Manchester area (UK). By introducing technical improvements that significantly increased computational efficiency, we extended this approach to create a comprehensive VGVI map for Flanders, the northern region of Belgium. The resulting map enabled a broad assessment of VGVI disparities across Flanders. Our findings reveal evidence of distributive environmental injustice, as demonstrated by a strong negative correlation (Spearman's Rho = -0.48) between neighbourhood deprivation levels and VGVI scores. In Flanders, residents of more deprived neighbourhoods are exposed to significantly lower levels of visible greenery.We further explored the differences and similarities between traditional top-down greenness mapping and VGVI, which provides an eye-level perspective. Although a strong positive correlation was observed at the regional scale (Pearson's r = 0.80), this relationship weakens at the local level. Our findings suggest that VGVI analysis is particularly valuable at smaller geographic scales, making it especially relevant for research or spatial policies that address disparities in individual living conditions or target specific locations, such as schools, nurseries, hospitals, retirement homes, and community centres.

The literature on city branding has two main shortcomings. First, each related factor is evaluated individually, resulting in an insufficiently comprehensive evaluation. Second, the differences between brand image and loyalty factors have not been investigated sufficiently. Addressing these gaps, this study aimed to answer the following research question: ‘From the perspective of city residents, do brand image and loyalty factors differ?’ Structural equation modeling was performed, based on data from an online survey of 800 residents in 21 major Japanese cities. Results demonstrated that educational facilities and tourism resources had the most positive impact on brand image, while urban greenery and local governments had the most positive impact on loyalty. Brand image negatively affected loyalty. City branding needs differ between elite residents (e.g. those who own multiple homes/land in the city center and are keen on improving their brand image to increase land prices), tourists, and local residents (e.g. those who are worried about their mortgages). This is supported by numerous cases worldwide of famous tourist destinations – subject to overtourism – being the reason for conflict between local residents and tourists. The results underscore that practitioners need to clarify whether their objective is to strengthen external brand image or internal loyalty.

Particulate matter (PM) is one of the most important air pollutants, especially in urban areas. The efficiency of PM biofiltration by plants depends on the morphological features of the foliage. More PM is deposited on complex leaves, covered with thick wax layer, trichomes, epidermal glands, and convex venation. Very few literature reports suggest that also the presence of mycelium of nonparasitic and saprophytic fungi positively affects the accumulation of PM on the leaves. In this work, to our best knowledge, for the first time the effect of the mycelium of the parasitic powdery mildew on the efficiency of PM accumulation by urban greenery was studied. Uninfested and fungus-infested leaves of Acer negundo L., Malus domestica Borkh Quercus robur L., and Berberis vulgaris L. were harvested in July in the center of Warsaw city. The effect of powdery mildew infection on PM accumulation was species-specific. A higher amount of PM on leaves not infected with powdery mildew was found in M. domestica and Q. robur, while in A. negundo and B. vulgaris more PM was accumulated on leaves infected with fungus. All species (except A. negundo) accumulated more of the PM of 0.2–2.5-μm and 2.5–10-μm size fractions on leaves not infected with powdery mildew. One of the greatest consequences of the presence of powdery mildew mycelium on the foliage is most probably reduction of the direct involvement of waxes in PM accumulation and retention processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study adapted and tested an approach to identifying areas that are particularly vulnerable to climate-related hazards using the example of the post-industrial city of Knurów in Poland. This study applied a multi-criteria method using the analytical hierarchy process based on GIS map data. The analysis was divided into statistical regions defined for the city. Fifteen attributes were defined for each statistical region. The applied methods provided verified spatial information related to specific climate change hazards. The results showed that the most vulnerable areas were the areas with intensive development in the city center and in the southwestern part of the city. Among the 15 attributes, the most significant were T1 (number of inhabitants in zones with a higher potential thermal risk index by statistical district) with a value of 0.163, G2 (percentage of the sum of tree-shaded areas in built-up areas within the territory of a given statistical district) with 0.143 and H3 (number of buildings in areas of drainless basins and 100-year water). This method effectively identified the most vulnerable areas. The use of such a method can help in the preparation of planning documents and urban adaptation plans by determining the thermally and hydrologically vulnerable areas with the least developed green infrastructure as an exposure-mitigating factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introducing vegetation into towns and cities, for example through establishing green corridors which ensure a continuous character of urban green areas is a way to counteract negative effects of urban climate. The aim of the study was to assess the role of a green corridor and the contribution of vegetation to regulating the level of hourly tropospheric ozone concentrations in Legnica. Hourly values of tropospheric ozone concentrations (O3, μg m-3) and wind directions (D, °) collected between 2011 and 2014 from an urban background station for air quality monitoring of the Provincial Inspectorate for Environmental Protection were used in the study. To prepare a land cover map, data from the Database of Topographic Objects provided by the Geodesy and Cartography Department of the Marshal's Office of the Lower Silesian Voivodship were used. The estimations of frequency of hourly O3 concentrations for given seasons of the year and the analysis of land cover within 2 km from the measuring point were made based on an 8-wind compass rose. In summer, the frequency of hourly O3 concentrations was assessed for every direction and for every hour of the day. A Pearson correlation matrix was generated to illustrate the relationship between land cover type and the frequency of pollution coming from each direction, Between 21:00 and 6:00, increased frequency of hourly O3 concentrations in the 0-40 μg m-3 range coming from the southwest was recorded, which accounted for 70-90% of all concentration ranges. Correlation analyses showed a statistically significant relationship between increased high vegetation coverage and decreased frequency of hourly O3 concentrations in the 41-80 μg m-3 range. It was demonstrated that between 2011 and 2014, during summers, hourly O3 concentrations <40 μg m-3 came most frequently from the direction characterised by the highest total share of vegetation-covered land. On the other hand, pollutants with concentrations in the 41-80 μg m-3 range came more frequently at night time from the directions characterised by compact and dense development. The obtained results demonstrated that in summer, the urban park, the Kaczawa River and the green areas along the river play an important role as a green ventilation corridor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the correlation between the city size, population density and character of three Polish cities and the following aspects: (1) inhabitants' subjective stress level and its change during the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) sources and effects of their stress during the pandemic, (3) ways of reducing stress by residents and the role of greenery in this respect and (4) directions of changes in the structure of post-pandemic cities desired by their residents. The main research method was geo-surveys, the results of which were developed using statistical analysis and GIS methods. On the basis of the constructed scale, respondents subjectively assessed the level of experienced stress and its change during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research shows that none of the considered features of cities (including size measured by the number of inhabitants) are related to the level of pandemic stress of their inhabitants. All of them, on the other hand, are correlated with the directions of urban spatial development desired by the residents, conducive to stress reduction. Furthermore, the size of the city and its character affect the subjectively perceived change in stress levels during the pandemic (compared to the stress level before pandemic). Some of the effects of pandemic stress and ways of reducing it depend on the character of the city. The stress experienced by the inhabitants is the lowest in cities with the largest share of green areas in the spatial structure (especially with forest complexes and naturally shaped areas of river valleys), where an effective system of greenery has been adopted (the Howard's garden city model), and at the same time with dominant single-family housing. The research results were used to indicate new directions for shaping post-pandemic cities that are more resistant to stress and thus healthier for their residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Contemporary approaches to sustainable housing design tend to prioritize technological solutions supporting energy efficiency and climate change mitigation. On the contrary, spatial planning of housing estates does not always address all pro-ecological aspects, such as the role of greenery. This research aimed to assess the greenery content and its environmental importance in typical housing districts in the selected study area. (2) The research methodology was based on indicators reflecting the biologically active area ratio, the length of communication routes lined with trees, the tree number per area unit, the tree canopy, and the environmental benefits delivered by the trees. The above indicators allowed us to compare selected models of suburban residential districts typical of specific timeframes. (3) The results indicated that the greenery content and its environmental benefits in suburban districts are decreasing in the study area. Another finding concerned the importance of selecting tree species for their ability to develop a canopy and provide ecosystem services. (4) The proposed methodology, based on inter-related indicators, validly compared the greenery content in the analyzed districts, giving it application value. The problems observed contributed to the proposal of a revision of Poland's planning practices. Local zoning plans could include streetscape standards, indicating paving solutions and plantings to improve the situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Architectus is the property of Oficyna Wydawnicza Politechniki Wroclawskiej and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Urban densities are prone to the urban heat island (UHI) effect, resulting in decreased outdoor thermal comfort for the growing urban populations in hot and dry climates. Canyon layout, surface materials, green cover, and ground moisture can alter the outdoor microclimates of urban canyons at the canopy layer. While the isolated impact of urban cooling strategies is researched extensively, the integration of these UHI mitigation strategies into design compositions for complex projects has yet to be thoroughly examined. This study explores the impact of six different design scenarios for the redevelopment of the entry canyon for the Afifabad garden in Shiraz during the hottest and coldest times of the last decade. The design scenarios include the final proposed and past layouts of the site, along with four interim scenarios introducing feasible compositions of greenery and cool surfaces. The ENVI-met model of the site is validated by field measurement data from 2021, and then used to simulate all six scenarios for the hottest and coldest days of a typical year. The predicted mean vote (PMV) and physiological equivalent temperature (PET) values were calculated from the simulation results and evaluated to identify the most feasible and impactful design compositions. Findings indicate that high albedo pavements were not effective in isolation (scenario 4) and led to an increase in the mean radiant temperature (MRT). Street trees and vegetation were the most influential isolated measures, resulting in a 2.61°C variation in PET. The most impactful results were related to the combined effect of trees, turf, and cool surfaces, which resulted in up to an 11.3°C variation in PET due to the combination of appropriate greenery, shading over surfaces, and cool covers. Understanding the details of the impact of design configurations, when addressing heat stress adaptation in cities, enables the implementation of UHI mitigation strategies into feasible urban retrofit and regeneration projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban greenery contributes to improve air quality through carbon dioxide sequestration and to increase air humidity by transpiration. These processes are dependent on diurnal physiological activity of vegetation as well as its spatial distribution. In our study we aimed to find out (1) how urban greenery can change the atmospheric conditions during a day and (2) if there is a difference between a housing estate interior with abundant greenery and a wide street of heavy traffic. The examination was carried out a suburban district of Warsaw, in two sites of contrasting characteristics: in a street with heavy traffic during rush hours and in a housing estate nearby. Gas measurements were carried out using an infrared gas analyser included in a portable photosynthesis system on two sunny days in July 2021. On each day measurements of air water vapour pressure and atmospheric carbon dioxide were taken in both locations from early morning to the evening. The results showed that water vapour pressure in the air increased from ca. 12 to nearly 18 hPa from 6:45 a.m. to 9:00-9:30 a.m., respectively, and then gradually decreased until 7:00 p.m. on both measurement days. Carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere in the early morning hours exceeded 430-450 ppm and then decreased to 400 ppm or even less than 360 ppm depending on the day. We concluded that the site characteristics had not an important effect on relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration, but vapour pressure deficit was higher in the street. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of greenery for human well-being and recreation in urban areas is well-known. While many studies have examined the recreational importance of large green spaces, parks, and forests, the greenery encountered in our everyday surroundings, particularly in areas near our residences, has not been extensively researched. In this study, we investigated differences in tree canopy coverage, ground- and total amount of greenery among four common Nordic residential typologies, as well as how this greenery is perceived in terms of recreational values by residents. We utilized GIS-analysis and survey data for this investigation. The results revealed significant variations in urban greenery and recreational values between typologies, with modern dense residential areas being much less green and assessed to provide the least recreational values. Furthermore, the results suggest that trees and lawns play crucial roles in shaping residential areas that are pleasant to live in. These findings offer insights into the characteristics and challenges associated with the amount of greenery in various typologies, as well as preferences towards different types of greenery important for creating enjoyable outdoor residential environments. Finally, the results emphasize the importance of fine-scale investigation of greenery in residential areas.

Nearly buildings consume 40% of the world's total energy. With the constant push to reduce energy consumption in buildings, a novel nature-based system is proposed for use in buildings. This novel solution is a controllable system that could control solar heat gain, solar illuminance while enhance urban green space and produce local organic vegetables with low water consumption. To assess the system performance, a paired comparison was made in two similar rooms, one with the novel system installed outside its window and the second as the control treatment. The experimental results show that the maximum recorded indoor air temperature and solar thermal gain reductions due to the system installation were 2.9 °C and 61%, respectively. However, it could also decrease useful daylight illuminance up to 22.9%. Therefore, to achieve a stable optimum thermo-visual comfort, the room indoor temperature reduction and useful daylight illuminance were optimized using NSGA-II (Elitist Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm). The novel system and building nexus provides optimum thermo-visual comfort and approximately 8 kg m−2 per month organic vegetables for building residents. Finally, we proposed a performance flowchart for the transient control of the passive cooling and the natural daylight illumination of the room. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The critical role of energy in contemporary life and the environmental challenges associated with its production imply the need for research and exploration of its novel resources. The present review paper emphasizes the continuous exploitation of non-renewable energy sources, suggesting the transition toward renewable energy sources, termed 'green energy', as a crucial step for sustainable development. The research methodology involves a comprehensive review of articles, statistical data analysis, and examination of databases. The main focus is biomass, a valuable resource for bioenergy and biopesticide production, highlighting not only its traditional diverse sources, such as agricultural waste and industrial residues, but also non-edible invasive alien plant species. This study explores the utilization of invasive alien species in circular economy practices, considering their role in bioenergy and biopesticide production. The potential conflict between bioproduct acquisition and food sector competition is discussed, along with the need for a shift in approaching non-edible biomass sources. The paper emphasizes the untapped potential of under-explored biomass resources and the necessity for policy alignment and public awareness. Species with a significant potential for these sustainable strategies include Acer negundo L., Ailanthus altisima (Mill.) Swingle., Amorpha fruticosa L., Elaengus angustifolia L., Falopia japonica (Houtt.) Ronse Decr., Hibiscus syriacus L., Koelreuteria paniculata Laxm., Paulownia tomentosa Siebold and Zucc., Partenocissus quenquefolia (L.) Planch., Rhus typhina L., Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Thuja orientalis L. In conclusion, the paper highlights the intertwined relationship between energy, environmental sustainability, and circular economy principles, providing insights into Serbia's efforts and potential in adopting nature-based solutions for bioenergy and biopesticides acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities—being places where both growth at large and human activity concentrate to the maximum extent, as well as being places of creation, innovation, and development—have been facing the challenge of adaptation to changing climate conditions. Successive greening of urban spaces is becoming an indicator of civilisational progress and one of the most important aspects of sustainable urban development and quality of life of city dwellers. It also represents a part of the sustainable management of natural resources and energy in the urban environment. This article addresses the subject of urban space greening, perceived as one of the ways of mitigating the effects of climate change. The study focuses on a comparative analysis of various planning and implementing activities related to green areas, as well as on available quantitative data on the greening and climate change adaptation of 44 Polish cities with urban adaptation plans (UAPs) in place. The research, covering the years 2017–2023, identifies the variety of urban greening methods, initiatives, and tools used in the process of urban planning and urban design. The results of the study showed that measures planned by local authorities lacked detailed tools as well as a long-term and systemic approach to greenery, energy, and space management. On the other hand, what was observed in the implementation was an apparent prevalence of urban acupuncture spots and a failure to make the most of all the benefits of the adaptive, social, and ecosystem-forming role of urban greening. The authors imply that their research can be used to formulate conclusions and guidelines for urban development policies which highlight the role and raise the importance of the greening of Polish cities under all urban investments, particularly in the process of adaptation of urban areas to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming to improve thermal environment for outdoor public spaces, the author had been developing a unit‐type green parklet for parking lots that both introduce greenery into cities and produce walkable urban spaces. In this study, the author examined and created a full‐size unit‐type green parklet, installed it in a parking lot adjacent to sidewalk space next to a bus stop in the traditional urban area, Kyomachi district, of Kumamoto City, and investigated the improvement to summer thermal environment from a field measurement and its usage by people from user survey in summer (from August 30 to September 5, 2022). The results showed that although the parklet shaded with the parasol and greening units, air temperature dropped by only a maximum of 1°C in daytime. Given the characteristics of parking lot as a location, it was confirmed that not only the wind and airflow conditions was blocked and worsened, but reflected solar radiation from the surroundings and generated heat from parked cars degraded air temperature and MRT from the field measurement. Furthermore, it was confirmed to be ensured the visibility of the surroundings when sitting on the parklet bench for the users waiting for a bus from user survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the role and importance of various green and blue infrastructure elements in improving the deteriorating urban thermal environment from a post-occupancy evaluation perspective of residential neighborhood development. The results showed that the influential variables in this study were the tree canopy coverage ratio (TCR), tree species, yard area, and distance to a waterbody. In addition, a house with a large yard area increases the amount of direct exposure to solar radiation, so the comfort of the outdoor thermal environment was low. Furthermore, the distance to a waterbody parameter did not have a positive impact on the outdoor thermal comfort level because the dominant wind direction within the study area during the day was opposite to the blue infrastructure. Lastly, geographically weighted regression (GWR) analysis was adopted to identify an improvement to compensate for the relatively low explanatory nature of the ordinary least squares (OLS) models due to spatial correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The globally increasing frequency of extreme drought events exacerbates the contradiction between the supply of water and the demand for high-quality urban greening. However, the mechanism of the response of urban shrubs to drought stress remains unclear. In this study, three typical urban shrubs (Euonymus japonicus, golden vicary [Ligustrum × vicaryi], and Japanese purple barberry [Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea]) that are used for greening in northern China were exposed to three levels of water (full irrigation, natural rain-fed, and extreme drought) in different periods of the growing season (April to May, June to July, and August to September) to investigate the responses of leaf water potential and photosynthetic parameters. The main results were as follows: (1) all the leaf water potentials (Ψ) and photosynthetic parameters (Pn) showed a typical linear relationship along the water gradient in the middle of the growing season. Extreme drought decreased the photosynthetic rates by 1.26~11.03 μmol·m−2·s−1 compared with the irrigated groups. However, the responses were less pronounced in the early and late growing seasons. (2) Different shrubs responded with different intensities and mechanisms. B. thunbergii var. atropurpurea showed clear anisohydric behavior throughout the whole growing season, while L. × vicaryi and E. japonicus showed stronger isohydric behavior during the early and late growing seasons. These findings are important to improve the sustainability of maintenance of ornamental plants from the scope of the efficient utilization of urban water resources.

As urbanization accelerates, urban greenery, particularly street greenery, emerges as a vital strategy for enhancing residents’ quality of life, demanding attention for its alignment with pedestrian flows to foster sustainable urban development and ensure urban dwellers’ wellbeing. The advent of diverse urban data has significantly advanced this area of study. Focusing on Chengdu’s central urban district, this research assesses street greening metrics against pedestrian flow indicators, employing spatial autocorrelation techniques to investigate the interplay between street greenery and pedestrian flow over time and space. Our findings reveal a prevalent negative spatial autocorrelation between street greenery and pedestrian flow within the area, underscored by temporal disparities in greenery demands across various urban functions during weekdays versus weekends. This study innovatively incorporates mobile phone signal-based population heat maps into the mismatch analysis of street greenery for the first time, moving beyond the conventional static approach of space syntax topology in assessing pedestrian flow. By leveraging dynamic pedestrian flow data, it enriches our understanding of the disconnect between street greening plans and pedestrian circulation, highlighting the concept of urban flow and delving into the intricate nexus among time, space, and human activity. Moreover, this study meticulously examines multiple street usage scenarios, reflecting diverse behavior patterns, with the objective of providing nuanced and actionable strategies for urban renewal initiatives aimed at creating more inviting and sustainable urban habitats.

Abstract Aiming to improve thermal environment for outdoor public spaces, the author had been developing a unit‐type green parklet for parking lots that both introduce greenery into cities and produce walkable urban spaces. In this study, the author examined and created a full‐size unit‐type green parklet, installed it in a parking lot adjacent to sidewalk space next to a bus stop in the traditional urban area, Kyomachi district, of Kumamoto City, and investigated the improvement to summer thermal environment from a field measurement and its usage by people from user survey in summer (from August 30 to September 5, 2022). The results showed that although the parklet shaded with the parasol and greening units, air temperature dropped by only a maximum of 1°C in daytime. Given the characteristics of parking lot as a location, it was confirmed that not only the wind and airflow conditions was blocked and worsened, but reflected solar radiation from the surroundings and generated heat from parked cars degraded air temperature and MRT from the field measurement. Furthermore, it was confirmed to be ensured the visibility of the surroundings when sitting on the parklet bench for the users waiting for a bus from user survey.

Copyright of Progress in Plant Protection is the property of Institute of Plant Protection and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses current trends in designing green and eco-friendly façades of buildings of different functions in Poland and around the world. Information collected on completed façade projects, associated research and conclusions formulated on the basis thereof, indicate trends and possibilities for the use of contemporary material solutions and technologies in designing various forms of vertical 'greenery’ which support sustainable development of urban areas. The main objective of the research was to identify the most important features of green façades as eco-friendly architectural solutions. A case study with descriptions of the features and qualitative elements of 100 of the most architecturally interesting buildings with characteristic external wall structures was constructed for research purposes. The sites selected for the case study represent a review of global trends. The data was then used for a multi-criteria analysis of green façade systems from the perspective of eco-friendly architectural solutions. The conducted research, analyses and discussions on solutions already in place were then implemented as guidelines for innovative architectural design solutions, which were presented at the Faculty of Architecture at Poznań University of Technology in the form of selected diagrams and student visualisations. These comprised highly aesthetic compositions, possible to implement in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The method of developing city centers is the responsibility of local authorities, which must reconcile the interests of investors applying for valuable land with the utility needs and expectations of residents regarding, inter alia, free squares and green enclaves. This study was conducted in Warsaw (Poland). In the study area, for 20 years there has been a discussion about how the area should be developed. So far, the area is used as lawns. During the monitoring period, 72 plant taxa were found. It is possible to state that an urban lawn is an ecosystem with relatively stable conditions, which is, however influenced by human disturbance and specific stress in the city. A city lawn is an oasis of greenery that is easy to set up and maintain, in the case of modernization, it does not generate large costs related to its restoration, unlike gardens. Maintaining an intensive lawn requires not only the selection of appropriate grass species resistant to the influences of the urban environment, but also the optimal way to us it. This research can be used to choose the optimal method for managing and maintaining greenery, considering the conditions of spatial development and environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban green spaces have multiple benefits but face intense pressure, particularly in rapidly developing cities of sub-Saharan Africa. Efforts to promote urban greenery in city development have identified numerous factors that contribute to the depletion of green spaces (GS). However, what is less clear is the changes in GS and the influence of urban planning practices on spatial depletion of GS. This study uses Kwabre East Municipality, Ghana, as a case study to examine the changes in GS (conditions) and the influence of urban planning practices (i.e. policies, regulations, plans and actors) on spatial depletion of GS by using face to face interviews, field observations, photographs, GIS information and secondary data from journal articles along with examining policies and plans. This study indicates that GS has decreased within 15 years from 71% in 2000 to 61% in 2010 to 42% in 2015. The built-up areas expanded from 12% in 2000 to 22% in 2010 and escalated to 55% in 2015. This is attributed to the uncooperativeness of traditional authorities, lack of public support and advocacy to preserve green spaces and high demand for residential land. The study demonstrates that the challenges of urban planning practice are related to the absence of a single policy document with clear cut regulations to guide GS management in the country and plans and actors give less priority to GS. The study suggests strengthening the enforcement of land-use plans and regulations and prioritizing GS in peri-urban towns as an equally important urban land use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban greenery is a strategy to improve the thermal environment in urban areas affected by heat islands and global warming. These phenomena can harm the citizens’ quality of life. Researchers have investigated the thermal benefits of urban vegetation, but only a few have explored its complexities across diverse urban scales. Understanding these variations is critical for precise analysis, customized solutions, efficient resource allocation, and enhancing urban living quality while promoting sustainability and climate resilience. This paper reviews 250 scientific articles about the relationship between greenspace and the urban thermal environment published between 2010 and 2023 through urban scales. It summarizes the parameters and findings of greenery’s contribution to cooling the urban environment. The data reveal that most studies concentrated on the block scale, public open spaces, neighborhoods, parks, grouped vegetation, mixed arrangements, high vegetation, spatial parameters, and the use of air temperature data to report their findings. The cooling-effect evidence shows that the block scale has an average mitigation range of 0.7–2.7 °C, the neighborhood scale of 1.1–2.9 °C, and the city scale of 0.5–2.2 °C. Furthermore, it is critical to define reliable research methods and perform thorough software validation to assess model performance and establish guidelines for urban-landscape design accurately.

Human pressure on urban landscapes has serious consequences for urban plant species. Therefore, environmental and anthropogenic factors affect the assembly of urban wildlife in plant communities. For biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services in urban areas, it is crucial to understand the impacts of urbanization as well as the introduction of alien plant species on urban plant communities. On 47 sites in Poznań (W Poland), we studied variation within and between three management greenery habitats, i.e., urban parks, greenery associated with housing estates, and urban grasslands, as they relate to taxonomical, functional, and phylogenetic alpha and beta diversity. We also examined how urbanization (measured by ISA) and alien plant species relate to vegetation compositional differences. We found that both urbanization and alien plant species cover decreased alpha diversity, while urbanization had various impacts on beta diversity within each studied habitat. Our results suggest that human pressure leads to similarities in the urban flora, where plant species with specific functional traits adapted to the urban environment. To achieve sustainable urbanization, urban planners should not only create diverse green spaces but also eliminate alien plants, increasing the role of urban land management in promoting the wildness of plant biodiversity in cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The participatory budgeting (PB) as a tool for engaging residents in co-decision making about the city is gaining increasing popularity. The first PB in Poland was organized in 2011 in Sopot, while in Katowice, this mechanism has been utilized since 2014. From 2016 to 2021, the city allocated over 117 million PLN for the implementation of winning projects. The broadly understood greenery theme holds a relatively significant place among the projects selected in the PB. This is due to the fact that green areas play a crucial role in the lives of city residents, serving as places for recreation and social gatherings. They also fulfill various ecological functions, such as providing a habitat for plants and animals, acting as a barrier to noise, and mitigating air pollution. Among the 13 thematic categories identified based on the analysis of proposals submitted by residents for projects in the Katowice PB, greenery ranked sixth in popularity among tasks selected for implementation. From 2016 to 2021, in about one-tenth of the winning projects, their authors included green-related activities as at least one of the goals. The position of greenery in Katowice's PB has solidified over the years, and the percentage of selected projects related to this theme has not undergone significant changes. However, according to the PB voting results, actions related to, for example, road infrastructure, transportation, safety, or institutions providing basic services in the city still seem more important to residents than green areas. Furthermore, within the PB, more innovative forms of greenery in the city are rarely proposed and implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently developed urban greenery management systems (UGMS) are limited in scope and profiled towards solving particular issues. Moreover, due to the lack of common standards and solutions, UGMS implementation requires considerable financial effort, which is only feasible for wealthy urban centres. There is a need for universal, cost-effective technological solutions which could constitute a common urban green infrastructure at all country administrative levels. This research aims to present a technological architecture of a universal UGMS capable of data integration and analysis at both local and central administrative levels, and present its prospective data management functionality through a proof-of-concept implementation by the example of Olsztyn city, located in the EU Member State of Poland. Empirical study has been conducted by means of qualitative assessment through state-of-the-art analysis of green information systems, national spatial data infrastructure (NSDI) including land administration system (called Integrated Real Estate Information System) and Geoportal, development and testing of a proof-of-concept solution through management, analysis and visualizations of green areas, objects and related phenomena; quantitative assessment has been performed through in-situ inventory of urban greenery in the City of Olsztyn, Poland. The presented study resulted in a concept UGMS architecture based on existing NSDI. The projected functionality of the designed UGMS has been implemented and tested on a real-world urban greenery database. The research thesis, that open databases integrated with national SDI data are sufficient to create a uniform and complete nationwide UGMS was confirmed. • The Urban Greenery Management System (UGMS) concept of technological architecture has been developed. • UGMS concept uses existing National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) and open spatial data. • Open data sources combined with NSDI have formed a complete nationwide UGMS. • The UGMS concept has been implemented and tested on a real-world urban greenery database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A green-blue infrastructure is essential for achieving the European Green Deal objectives and can be used to protect large cities and their metropolitan areas against urban sprawl. Green-blue infrastructure is an important research topic, because green-blue planning networks provide solutions for mitigating contemporary growing urban and climate challenges. Our study aims to create an innovative methodology for defining and analyzing the elements of green-blue infrastructure and their connectivity within Bucharest, Romania and its metropolitan area, to serve as a planning model. The methodology consists of merging European geodata sets with metropolitan and local data, using GIS tools, and analyzing the connectivity within the study area. All connections resulted from implementing the Linkage Mapper tool were operationalized, using high-resolution satellite images and correcting obtained connections, so that deviations from reality were minimized. The results consist of a conceptual model for planning the green-blue infrastructure within Bucharest and in its metropolitan area, embedding an analysis of its connectivity. The study contributes to implementing the concept of green infrastructure in urban and spatial planning, providing tools for planning the green-blue infrastructures of large cities and their metropolitan areas and, implicitly, reducing urban sprawl, improving air quality and mitigating environmental threats due to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract Urban sustainable development is a feat to achieve, particularly within African nations. Current patterns of urban expansion are creating multiple problems to urban greenery and quality of life. Assuming urban resident’s perception varies between and within cities, this paper claims to document resident’s perceptions on the existing greenery spaces, the prerogative for environmental safeguard, and the determinant of resident’s willingness for urban greenery improvement within the cities of Parakou and Porto-Novo in Benin. A semi-structured interview was randomly conducted with 400 people including residents and institution officers in each city. The data collected are related to socio-economic characteristics and the perception on urban greenery characteristics, urban greenery importance and urban greenery management and planning. The test χ 2 was applied to understand the independence between cities and city boroughs. Correspondence analysis was also used to display some relationships and binary logistic regression to examine the variables that explain people’s willingness to get involved in improving urban greenery in each city. The results revealed that around 80% of existing urban greeneries are mostly located in the core of the town and the state of the density and diversity of these greenery areas were differently perceived in the districts of each city. The main benefits lost from urban greenery were air quality (45.25%) for Parakou and cooling effect (74%) for Porto-Novo and the causes of these losses depended also on the cities and the districts within the cities. Public participation was perceived to be low (> 85%) and the institutional cooperation with local communities, educational level and knowledge on greening main impacts must be improved to foster the involvement of people in urban greenery development. This study is relevant to support literature data and to further studies. It will also serve as a guideline for policymakers, urban planners, and managers, cityscape architects, and projects of urban sustainability regarding the urban greenery in Benin.

The unilateral development of built environments in cities leads to imbalances in climatic conditions and micro-climates, followed by indicators such as thermal comfort. Researchers identified the effect of urban morphology’s geometry, shape, orientation, and mass-space combination on climate change. Also, the influential role of urban greenspaces in enhancing thermal comfort has been studied. Some results show that strengthening urban greenspaces, regardless of the orientation and proportions of the surrounding space, in some cases can prevent the proper circulation of airflow and adverse effects on thermal comfort. In this research, 10 models of neighborhoods in Tehran (the capital of Iran) were studied based on numerical calculation methods and CFD simulations. These simulations are performed by ENVI-met software, which is well-known software in this field. This study investigates which pattern and geometry in the composition of these spaces, with a constant fraction of the building, green spots, and water and paths, could better enhance thermal comfort. The results show that patterns with non-linear structure and a mass of porous spaces in which green spots are scattered have the best results in enhancing thermal comfort.

This study assessed, in monetary terms, the ecosystem services provided by trees growing in public parks and garden squares in Warsaw, Poland. It focused on the valuation of two services: air purification (measured as an annual benefit stream in EUR/year) and carbon storage (measured as a fixed value at a given point in time in EUR). The study was conducted using the Avoided Cost Method with i-Tree Eco software. The initial calculations were based on data obtained from 41 selected green spaces in Warsaw. Subsequently, the results were extrapolated to all public parks and garden squares. The findings indicate that the average economic value of the NO2, SO2 and PM2.5 pollution removal ecosystem service provided by trees in Warsaw is around 3 EUR/tree/year. On average, one hectare of a public park in Warsaw provides this service at a value of 408 EUR/ha/year, while one hectare of a garden square provides this service at a value of 347 EUR/ha/year. With regards to the carbon storage ecosystem service, the results showed that the average economic value of this service is around 170 EUR/tree. On average, one hectare of a public park provides this service at a value of 22.4 thousand EUR/ha, and one hectare of a garden square provides this service at an average value of 18.9 thousand EUR/ha. By extrapolating these results, the total value of the air pollution removal ecosystem service provided by trees growing in all public parks and garden squares in Warsaw was estimated to range from 393 to 560 thousand EUR/year. The value of the carbon storage service ranges from 23.3 to 30.2 million EUR.

Copyright of Housing Environment / Środowisko Mieszkaniowe is the property of Chair of Housing Environment, Faculty of Architecture, Cracow University of Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Green spaces have become the most threatened by urban growth, and the decline in these areas is a main cause of environmental and social problems with implications for human health and well-being. Vertical greenery systems have been proposed as a solution to restore the connection between the city and nature, particularly in compact and dense cities, where horizontal space is limited. This paper provides a literature review to examine the influence of outdoor and indoor vertical greenery systems on human health and well-being. The Web of Science and Scopus databases were chosen to survey peer-reviewed documents published until October 2022. A total of 73 documents were selected by the search. Over 71% of the documents were published over the last four years, and most of them focused on the environmental and thermal benefits of vertical greenery systems. Although these benefits could bring health and well-being outcomes, they were not objectively measured and quantified. Other additional gaps and guidelines for future research were also identified and discussed. This review could be helpful for researchers and urban planners in developing vertical greenery to create healthy and more sustainable cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perched on the edge and corner of the city center, pocket parks transform urban vacant land into vibrant urban oases. It can greatly shorten the distance from citizens to the park, thereby promoting citizens' participation in outdoor activities and improving urban vitality. The construction of pocket parks in China started late. However, it has developed rapidly in recent years, which supports urban regeneration. A government document, published by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People’s Republic of China in 2002, promotes the construction of pocket parks. In the process of promoting the construction of pocket parks in Chinese cities, problems such as unclear construction standards, difficult operation and maintenance, blind copying, and emphasis on the landscape over the function have emerged. The aforementioned issues are elaborated and corresponding suggestions are pointed out in this short communication.

Urban areas are characterised by polluted air which endangers the health and quality of life of city dwellers. Among the dangerous air contaminants is particulate matter (PM) and one of the main sources of PM in urban areas is road traffic. Studies have already shown that the air can be phyto-cleaned by plants, especially trees and shrubs. However, for safety reasons, planting trees and shrubs in some places is problematic, e.g. close to roads. These locations are usually occupied by lawns, which are plant communities of low ecological value. Unfortunately, too little attention has been paid so far to urban meadows. Therefore, this study (i) investigated for the first time the phyto-cleaning potential of an urban meadow all year round, including autumn–winter period, and (ii) compared the efficiency and mechanisms of PM phyto-cleaning by an urban meadow and lawn during the vegetative season. Plant material was harvested from urban meadow (in June, August, November and March) and lawns (in June and August) located by a busy road in Warsaw (Poland). PM was analysed in two categories (surface PM and in-wax PM) and two size fractions (fine: 0.2–2.5 µm, coarse: 2.5–10 µm). The results obtained suggested that accumulation of PM by urban meadow is possible even out of vegetative season. In autumn and winter, even though the meadow plants were physiologically not active, they still participated in air phyto-cleaning. Urban meadow phyto-cleaned air most effectively in summer when the vegetation was fully developed, and least effectively in autumn. During the vegetative season, the urban meadow accumulated more PM than lawns, mostly due to the greater height and complex structure. Therefore, urban meadow would appear to offer an promising solution to problem of phyto-cleaning of urban air in the immediate vicinity of roads throughout the year.

Cities—being places where both growth at large and human activity concentrate to the maximum extent, as well as being places of creation, innovation, and development—have been facing the challenge of adaptation to changing climate conditions. Successive greening of urban spaces is becoming an indicator of civilisational progress and one of the most important aspects of sustainable urban development and quality of life of city dwellers. It also represents a part of the sustainable management of natural resources and energy in the urban environment. This article addresses the subject of urban space greening, perceived as one of the ways of mitigating the effects of climate change. The study focuses on a comparative analysis of various planning and implementing activities related to green areas, as well as on available quantitative data on the greening and climate change adaptation of 44 Polish cities with urban adaptation plans (UAPs) in place. The research, covering the years 2017–2023, identifies the variety of urban greening methods, initiatives, and tools used in the process of urban planning and urban design. The results of the study showed that measures planned by local authorities lacked detailed tools as well as a long-term and systemic approach to greenery, energy, and space management. On the other hand, what was observed in the implementation was an apparent prevalence of urban acupuncture spots and a failure to make the most of all the benefits of the adaptive, social, and ecosystem-forming role of urban greening. The authors imply that their research can be used to formulate conclusions and guidelines for urban development policies which highlight the role and raise the importance of the greening of Polish cities under all urban investments, particularly in the process of adaptation of urban areas to climate change.

Urban greenery has been shown to impact the quality of life in our urbanizing societies. While greenery is traditionally mapped top-down, alternative computational approaches have emerged for mapping greenery from the street level to mimic human sight. Despite the variety of these novel mapping approaches, it has remained unclear how well they reflect human perception in reality. We compared a range of both novel and traditional mapping methods with the self-reported perception of urban greenery at randomly selected study sites across Helsinki, the capital of Finland. The mapping methods included both image segmentation and point cloud-based methods to capture human perspective as well as traditional approaches taking the top-down perspective, i.e., land cover and remote sensing-based mapping methods. The results suggest that all the methods tested are strongly associated with the human perception of greenery at the street-level. However, mapped greenery values were consistently lower than the perceived values. Our results support the use of semantic image segmentation methods over color segmentation methods for greenery extraction to be closer to human perception. Point cloud-based approaches and top-down methods can be used as alternatives to image segmentation in case data coverage for the latter is limited. The results highlight a further research need for a comprehensive evaluation on how human perspective should be mimicked in different temporal and spatial conditions.