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Urban green infrastructure is critical for creating garden cities, promoting public health, environmental quality, and building resilience to climate change. While these spaces are increasingly recognised as valuable ecological and environmental assets, the state of urban green infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) cities is concerning. Rapid urbanisation, weak enforcement of development controls, and informal settlements have reduced the availability of green infrastructure, which has implications on the sustainability of African cities. This paper provides a review of the state and challenges associated with urban green infrastructure in SSA, focusing on the loss of green spaces, urban planning challenges, and the need for policy and citizen action. Drawing on extensive literature (secondary data), the paper highlights the importance of integrating greeneries into the urban fabric of SSA cities to promote resilience to climate change and enhance environmental sustainability. It argues that concrete steps are needed at all levels of society - from policymakers to citizens - to ensure that SSA cities can regain their status as garden cities and promote a healthier, and more resilient ecological landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transit as an alternative means of travel allows travelers to access a wide range of activities and services. In addition to focusing on how many job opportunities and other basic urban services such as parks and healthcare can be accessed by transit, more attention should be paid to how many transit services can be obtained and how easy it is to access them. It should be noted that accessibility by transit and accessibility to transit are not the same thing, and most existing studies tend to focus on the former while ignoring the measurement of the latter. However, accessibility to transit is an important concept that can provide a framework for understanding and explaining the availability of transit services. In the literature, transit is more often used as a tool for accessing activities and opportunities to analyze the basic services such as healthcare resources and job opportunities that can be accessed, which not only ignores the transit service provided by the means of transit as a supplying facility, but also ignores the diversity of facilities in the integrated public transportation system. With this in mind, this paper introduces the entropy index into the adjusted Gaussian two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method to measure accessibility to transit to capture how the overall accessibility changes when considering different transit facilities. From the spatial distribution of accessibility, the areas with high accessibility score are distributed in the six core administrative districts of Beijing, accounting for 99.3% of the grids with high accessibility scores. When considering facility diversity, 46.7% of the grids within the core administrative districts experience an increase in their accessibility rank, and there is an increase in the number of grids with high accessibility. The research results indicate that considering facility diversity enhances the accessibility level of grids, elucidates the diversity differences in each area, and provides valuable information for the location selection of transit facilities and urban planning. The applicability of the proposed method to Beijing illustrates that it can provide valuable insights for the measurement of accessibility, which can help planners obtain more effective evaluation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessibility is a vital measure of convenience for seniors in accessing urban park green spaces (UPGS). However, current research on accessibility for seniors faces challenges in terms of the reliability of results, and existing categorization methods lack an exploration of accessibility equity. Consequently, there are limited references for city managers to formulate urban planning programs. In this context, this study focuses on Ningbo City, China, and establishes a framework connecting accessibility research and urban planning practices by (1) utilizing the smallest unit in urban planning and zoning regulations as the study's basis; (2) enhancing the reliability of accessibility results through improved input data for the two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA); and (3) exploring accessibility equity by constructing an Accessibility Difference Index (ADI) and employing Hotspot Analysis and Pearson's correlation coefficient. The study identified blocks as the smallest unit for accessibility analysis by extracting centerlines from major urban roads. Additionally, the study controlled park division shapes using the Slenderness Ratio and incorporated Baidu population data and path planning time, resulting in more precise 2SFCA results. Consequently, the findings indicated inadequate accessibility in areas where seniors gathered and in the periphery of the study area. Public transportation can significantly improve accessibility equity. The results of the correlation analyses at 15 and 30 min supported this finding. Additionally, the results from the ADI revealed a left-skewed distribution in the assessment data on accessibility equity at 15, 30, and 45-min intervals. Therefore, the accessibility equity for seniors in Ningbo was insufficient. Finally, this paper proposes solutions based on the 2SFCA model, including enhancing the areas and quality of UPGS and optimizing the distribution of seniors. This study can inform urban planning by enhancing transport planning and improving minimum standards for UPGS in zoning regulations. This framework assesses the degree of equity in specific blocks and can guide equity planning in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban national parks (UNPs) provide tourism services in cities worldwide. However, the factors affecting tourist distributions in UNP activity and path spaces remain uncertain. Using Web crawler technology, location big data were tracked and sampled in Donghu National Park in Wuhan, China, and 12 predictor variables were analyzed using a machine-learning method (i.e., random forest). The consistency of the big data compared to the population census and tourist observations was determined at 79.5% and 77.8%, respectively. The tourist number (p) and tourist density (p/ha) per day in the park space in Donghu National Park were 0–2,531 p and 0–198.0 p/ha, respectively. Peak tourist periods showed pressure flows of 0.3–34.5‰ between scenic areas in the park. An analytical framework was formulated for UNPs to link the urban environment, park attributes, and configurational attributes, which here explained 66.4%–72.5% of the tourist distribution in the path and activity spaces. Random forest models performed better than geographically weighted regression (GWR) or ordinary least squares (OLS) models, indicating a complex nonlinear relationship between the independent variables and tourist distribution in UNP spaces, rather than the linear relationship that has previously been found in urban parks. First, both activity and path spaces near developed urban environments or park entrances bore higher tourism pressure. Second, winding routes attracted tourists to path spaces, while water landscapes attracted tourists to both path and activity spaces. Third, tourism pressure in path spaces was determined by configurational attributes. These results are important reference points for the planning and management of UNPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If nature is socially constructed, how do cultural producers construct it? Few social spaces materialize social constructions of nature as powerfully and as directly as parks, which represent cultural beliefs about nature's form and function. This paper considers how landscape architects and other social actors involved in creating contemporary urban park landscapes think about nature and decide how to represent it through cultural objects. Drawing on the analysis of three case studies – New York's High Line, Chicago's Bloomingdale Trail/606, and Houston's Buffalo Bayou Park – I consider the aesthetic judgments that cultural producers make about nature when designing and placing value on park landscapes. I find that in the cultural conditions of the twenty-first century, three aesthetic judgments prevail, converging to create a particular vision of nature that is both highly valued and tightly linked to racialized currents of cultural and economic capital. These aesthetic judgments prize nature as local, wild, and imbricated with urban space. They structure what I term "environmental authenticity": the idea that socially valued forms of nature are rooted in classical understandings of a socially unmediated, nonhuman nature whose agency in creating landscapes is minimally violated by obvious human cultivation and that exists, seemingly organically, in postindustrial settings. Judgments about environmental authenticity, I argue, are centrally about who has the power to shape landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Despite potential benefits, human-nature interactions are understudied in winter. • The frequency of high-engagement nature interaction was low in studied urban parks. • Visitors interacted most often with flora, then fauna and abiotic natural elements. • Behaviors like technology use associated with a lower odds of nature interaction. • Naturalized water features in greenspaces may encourage winter nature interaction. Interaction with urban nature provides many nature-derived benefits for people. However, human-nature interaction studies are conducted primarily during the vegetative season, but remain largely unexplored in winter. We therefore used non-participatory methods (i.e. systematically observing park users on-site) to characterize human-nature interactions in three urban parks in Stuttgart, Germany in the winter of 2020/2021 (N = 13,474 observations). Descriptive statistics were calculated and two multivariate logistic regression models built to serve as the basis for analyses. Results indicated that high-engagement human-nature interaction (i.e. nature photography, active observation, touching, or collecting natural elements) was generally low (2.4 % of observations) and that park visitors most frequently interacted with flora, then fauna, and finally abiotic natural elements. Certain visitation behaviors including technology use and visiting alone were associated with a lower odds of high-engagement nature interaction, whereas walking a dog was associated with a higher odds of high-engagement nature interaction. Additionally, odds of high-engagement nature interaction were higher at sites with a naturalized pond. While these findings are context-specific, they provide insight into the number of people that participate in high-engagement nature interaction, details into how they interact with urban nature in winter, and have potential implications for the design and management of urban greenspaces in future cities that best support both people and nature year round. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one form of urban green infrastructure, city parks provide essential ecosystem services and serve as a vital link connecting citizens with natural ecosystems. The public, as the primary beneficiaries of urban park ecosystem services, plays a crucial role in guiding the improvement and development trends of urban park planning. Most existing studies assess the comprehensive value of green spaces from a macro scale, with few focusing on the cultural and regulatory ecosystem services of urban parks and public perception of these services at the park level. This study targets 11 typical urban parks in Luoyang City, collecting 771 samples through field mapping and surveys. It analyzes users' socio-demographic characteristics, perception abilities, usage preferences, and service satisfaction, linking these subjective factors with objective elements of the park environment, such as fitness and recreational facilities. The results indicate that respondents with knowledge of ecosystem services are better able to evaluate and understand services such as air pollution reduction and noise reduction in parks, while those without such knowledge tend to focus more on services that they can intuitively perceive, such as biodiversity conservation and microclimate regulation. Additionally, the middle-income group exhibits a higher level of awareness of park ecosystem services, which depends on their active social participation. The findings of this study suggest that enhancing public understanding of ecosystem services through environmental education is key to improving the quality of urban ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) represent organic contaminants that are persistent hazardous, carcinogenic, and genotoxic, thereby endangering both human well‐being and the ecosystem. This research delved into concentration patterns, sources, and health hazards associated with PCBs in dust collected from vehicle parks in Lagos metropolis. PCBs in samples of Lagos park dust extended from 1.00 to 36.80 ng/g, with PCB 18 exhibiting the highest mean concentration of 17.02 ng/g. Among the 12 PCBs studied, 5 Cl atom PCBs contributed the highest percentage, constituting 30% of the total PCB content in Lagos park dust. Dioxin‐like PCBs (DLPCBs) made up 27% of the overall PCBs composition in the dust. Using the positive matrix factorization method, eight sources of PCBs were identified, with biomass combustion contributing the highest proportion at 42% of the total PCB emissions. Health risk estimates revealed that the magnitude of PCBs exposure in human followed the order: ingestion > dermal contact > inhalation. PCBs exposure through ingestion in children was 9.33 times higher than that of adults, potentially attributed to the inadvertent intake of dust particles by children via hand‐to‐mouth contact. Cancer risk assessments for all PCB congeners remained below 10−6, indicating acceptable risk levels. PCB 18 had the highest cancer risk values, reaching 8.69 × 10−9 for children and 1.19 × 10−9 for adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important consideration in studies of the relationship between greenspace exposure and health is the use of mapped data to assign geographic exposures to participants. Previous studies have used validated data from municipal park departments to describe the boundaries of public greenspaces. However, this approach assumes that these data accurately describe park boundaries, that formal parks fully capture the park and greenspace exposure of residents, and (for studies that use personal GPS traces to assign participant exposures) that time spent within these boundaries represents time spent in greenspace. These assumptions are tested using a comparison and ground-truthing of four sources of mapped park and greenspace data in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: PAD-US-AR, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, and Open Street Maps. We find several important differences and tradeoffs in these data: the incorporation of highways and building lots within park boundaries, the inclusion or exclusion of formal park spaces (federal, state, and nonprofit), the exclusion of informal parks and greenspaces, and inconsistent boundaries for a linear park. Health researchers may wish to consider these issues when conducting studies using boundary data to assign park exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented changes to various aspects of daily life, profoundly affecting human mobility. These changes in mobility patterns were not uniform, as numerous factors, including public health measures, socioeconomic status, and urban infrastructure, influenced them. This study examines human mobility changes during COVID-19 in San Diego County and New York City, employing Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) and various network measures to analyze connectivity and socioeconomic status (SES) within these regions. While many COVID-19 and mobility studies have revealed overall reductions in mobility or changes in mobility patterns, they often fail to specify 'where' these changes occur and lack a detailed understanding of the relationship between SES and mobility changes. This creates a significant research gap in understanding the spatial and socioeconomic dimensions of mobility changes during the pandemic. This study aims to address this gap by providing a comprehensive analysis of how mobility patterns varied across different socioeconomic groups during the pandemic. By comparing mobility patterns before and during the pandemic, we aim to shed light on how this unprecedented event impacted different communities. Our research contributes to the literature by employing network science to examine COVID-19's impact on human mobility, integrating SES variables into the analysis of mobility networks. This approach provides a detailed understanding of how social and economic factors influence movement patterns and urban connectivity, highlighting disparities in mobility and access across different socioeconomic groups. The results identify areas functioning as hubs or bridges and illustrate how these roles changed during COVID-19, revealing existing societal inequalities. Specifically, we observed that urban parks and rural areas with national parks became significant mobility hubs during the pandemic, while affluent areas with high educational attainment saw a decline in centrality measures, indicating a shift in urban mobility dynamics and exacerbating pre-existing socioeconomic disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study on the spatial distribution and dynamic change in monthly Fractional Vegetation Cover (FVC) of parks provides a scientific basis for vegetation management and optimization in urban parks. This research focuses on two comprehensive parks located in Xinxiang, China—People's Park and Harmony Park, using multi-spectral Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) images as the data source and considering monthly periods. Monthly FVC data was obtained using the method of Dimidiate Pixel Model based on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The dynamic changes of monthly FVC at regional scale were described through the dynamic changes in the monthly FVC mean and in the FVC areas at various scales, and the dynamic changes in the monthly FVC were analyzed using the coefficient of variation and curve change trends. Furthermore, the dynamic changes in FVC areas at various scales in the parks were analyzed using standard deviation and curve change trends. Subsequently, the differential method was used to analyze the monthly FVC dynamic changes at pixel scale. The results indicate: (1) In terms of the spatial distribution characteristics in monthly FVC of urban parks, both parks exhibit the highest ratio of bare area in January and February. The proportions of FVC for People's Park are 59.17% and 64.46%, while for Harmony Park they are 69.10% and 51.92%, showing the most distinct spatial distribution characteristics. The high and very high coverage areas in each month are mainly distributed on the outskirts of the park, while the medium, medium-low, and low coverage areas are mainly located in the central and middle parts of the park. The overall FVC of the park shows a trend of high coverage on the periphery and low coverage in the center. (2) In the spatial-temporal dynamic change in FVC at regional scale, the average monthly FVC changes exhibit an overall "∩" -shaped pattern. The peak and minimum FVC values for different parks occur at different times. The peak FVC for People's Park appears in August, while for Harmony Park it appears in June, with corresponding FVC values of 0.46 and 0.50, respectively. The minimum FVC for People's Park occurs in February, and for Harmony Park it occurs in January, with FVC values of 0.17 and 0.15, respectively. Among the dynamic change in FVC areas at various scales, the areas of bare and highest-coverage exhibit the greatest fluctuations, with the ascending and descending changes and rates of bare and highest-coverage areas generally showing opposite trends. (3) In terms of the spatial-temporal dynamic changes in FVC at pixel scale in urban parks, overall, FVC shows moderate improvement from February-August, and moderate degradation from January-February and from August-December. The degradation and improvement are primarily slight. The most significant improvement in monthly FVC occurs in March-April, with a predominant type of significant improvement in FVC changes. People's Park and Harmony Park show the most significant degradation in FVC during September-October and October-November, respectively, with a predominant type of significant degradation in FVC changes. During the periods of most significant improvement and degradation in monthly FVC, the spatial distribution of significant improvement and degradation areas primarily occurs in the periphery and middle parts of the parks. FVC in urban parks decreases from January to February and from August to December, while it increases from February to August, with relatively good conditions from June to August. Vegetation optimization should consider: balancing recreational and ecological functions overall, controlling the proportion of bare land, and enhancing the canopy structure of vegetation in low coverage areas or the coverage of hard surfaces; locally increasing the proportion of evergreen plants and moderately increasing planting density. In addition, parks should strengthen management to reduce the impact of flooding and maintain the health of vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the ways in which ‘forest school’, an educational approach where children engage in creative and play based activities in a ‘natural’ environment, can contribute towards Sustainable Development Goal 15 (SDG 15) by promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems and by helping address biodiversity loss. Drawing on data from an inquiry that explored childhoodnature play in an inner‐city forest school in London, England, this article discusses the ways in which nature relations emerged over weekly visits to an urban park over the course of one school year. We, the adult and young child researchers and more‐than‐human nature, enacted ‘shared play’ as part of a post‐qualitative approach that involved playing together as a form of data creation. Co‐created ‘play tales’ from the inquiry foreground encounters between children, grass, flowers, soil, trees, fruits and insects and illuminate the ways in which nature relations ignited small, yet powerful, acts to protect and restore the flora and fauna in the urban park. This article asserts that post‐anthropocentric, postdevelopmental educational approaches create opportunities for multi‐species relations to slowly emerge and flourish. These stories illuminate the ways these ethico‐political relations and onto‐epistemological transformations can prevent the continuation of terrestrial ecosystem degradation and contribute towards biodiverse futures in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding visitors’ park experience in urban tourist destinations to enhance their satisfaction is crucial for effective park management and urban planning. Through a topic modelling analysis using user-generated data from TripAdvisor and employing the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) algorithm, 20 attributes of urban park experience are identified and grouped into three categories and five dimensions. Besides confirming some of the attributes of park experience identified in previous research, this study also uncovers new attributes that provide insights into visitors’ urban park experience related to the historical and cultural aspects (e.g. filming location, carriage rides and rickshaws). Furthermore, positive and negative effects of each attribute on visitor satisfaction are identified. Findings also suggest significant seasonal difference in attributes of visitors’ urban park experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban car ownership in China is fast increasing as the country's urbanization rate and purchasing power improve. Parking difficulties have become one of the key factors affecting and constraining the efficiency of urban economic and social operations. Shared parking is an efficient strategy for addressing urban parking challenges and increasing parking space use. A thorough analysis was conducted on the influencing factors of conflict events in the process of urban shared parking. Based on the conflict information feedback, a dynamic model was proposed in this study for managing and adjusting the access authorization of shared parking spaces. In urban residential settings, this model helps to optimize and reliably control the sharing rate. Furthermore, this study suggested a conflict resolution strategy based on the priority of occupancy rights in response to the main causes of different kinds of shared parking conflicts. This will help to achieve a fair resolution of shared parking conflicts, increase residents' willingness and satisfaction with the shared parking model, and ultimately support the sustainable growth of urban shared parking. The management mechanism and conflict resolution method proposed in this study offer a technological basis for the effective administration and implementation of urban shared parking. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unsheltered homelessness – in which people reside in parks or on streets – is on the rise and poses a challenge for municipal parks and recreation agencies. Simultaneously, public opinion on homelessness has softened in recent years and may be misaligned with park agency practices. This study measured public attitudes on homelessness and on park agency involvement in addressing homelessness, using intergroup contact theory. Prior experience with homelessness was related to support of homelessness solutions and positive ideology toward homelessness. Support of homelessness solutions and positive ideology toward homelessness were related to support of the involvement of parks agencies in addressing homelessness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between green and grey urban infrastructure, local meteorological conditions, and traffic-related air pollution is complex and dynamic. This case study examined the effect of evolving morphologies around a city square park in Dublin and explores the twin impacts of local urban development (grey) and maturing parks (green) on particulate matter (PM) pollution. A fixed air quality monitoring campaign and computational fluid dynamic modelling (ENVI-met) were used to assess current (baseline) and future scenarios. The baseline results presented the distribution of PM in the study area, with bimodal (PM2.5) and unimodal (PM10) diurnal profiles. The optimal vegetation height for air quality within the park also differed by wind direction with 21 m vegetation optimal for parallel winds (10.45% reduction) and 7 m vegetation optimal for perpendicular winds (30.36% reduction). Increased building heights led to higher PM2.5 concentrations on both footpaths ranging from 25.3 to 37.0% under perpendicular winds, whilst increasing the height of leeward buildings increased PM2.5 concentrations by up to 30.9% under parallel winds. The findings from this study provide evidence of the importance of more in-depth analysis of green and grey urban infrastructure in the urban planning decision-making process to avoid deteriorating air quality conditions around city square parks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of paid public parking in the city cannot be denied since the ownership and use of private vehicles is increasing, especially among the youth. At the same time, the quantity and quality of paid public parking should also be in line with current user needs. Thus, the objective of this study is to examine the youth's perception of paid public parking in the Klang Valley area. This study applies quantitative methods through the distribution of online questionnaires to youth respondents in the Klang Valley. Through factor analysis of youth respondents, it was found that paying public parking charges online is easier and saves time and that women use private vehicles more often. In addition, the use of paid public parking is very high during working hours which is for eight hours. In fact, the availability of public parking determines when users want to go out and users also feel safe when using public parking at night. The number of public parking lots is also found to be sufficient especially during peak hours and public parking charges should be subject to sales and service tax (SST). Therefore, since the demand for public parking is high, the government should offer public parking that is relevant to the needs of local residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conversion of urban montane forest resources into urban parks requires careful assessment to understand its impacts on plant diversity over time. This study aims to enhance urban biodiversity conservation strategies by analyzing how habitat type and park age affect woody plant diversity. We surveyed woody plant species in 60 sample plots across two different habitats (remnant forest vs. artificial green space) within three mountain parks in Guiyang, China, established at different times. The alpha diversity of saplings/seedlings was significantly higher in remnant forests than in artificial green spaces. Artificial green spaces exhibited more homogenous woody plant composition compared with remnant forests. Newer parks showed greater variation in plant composition between the two habitats than older parks. Indicative species in remnant forests were predominantly native, whereas those in artificial green spaces were mainly ornamental species. The transformation of karst mountainous forests into urban parks leads to the homogenization of woody plant composition and impedes the regeneration of saplings/seedlings. Therefore, it is crucial to manage these conversions carefully and strive to preserve as many native species as possible to support urban plant diversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By providing spaces for recreation, physical activity, social gatherings, and time in nature, urban parks offer physical, mental, and social benefits to users. However, many urban residents face barriers to park use. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced new potential barriers to urban park access and use, including changes to daily life and employment, closure of park amenities and restrictions to public movement, and risk from the coronavirus itself. The mixed-methods PARCS study measured use and perceptions of a large urban park in St. Louis, Missouri before, during, and after local COVID-19 contingency measures and restrictions. We examine data from 1,157 direct observation assessments of park usership, an online survey of park users (n=561), interviews with key stakeholders (n=27), four focus groups (n=30), and a community-based participatory research sub-study (n=66) to comprehensively characterize the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on park use. Park users who felt unsafe from the coronavirus experienced 2.65 higher odds of reducing park use. However, estimated park visits during COVID-19 contingency measures (n=5,023,759) were twice as high as post-contingency (n=2,277,496). Participants reported using the park for physical activity, recreation, time in nature, and socializing during the contingency period. Black, Hispanic/Latino, and young people were less likely to visit the park than others, suggesting an additional, disproportionate impact of the pandemic on minoritized and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. This study highlights the role of public spaces like parks as resources for health and sites where urban health inequities can be alleviated in times of public crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban parks provide connectedness to nature as a health resilience environment for promoting health. Virtual reality can provide opportunities for urban citizens to be exposed to natural elements with health benefits. The purpose was to explore the effects of actual and virtual parks on the quality of life and physical activity of urban residents. The study design was a cluster trial. Participants were healthy adults aged 20–50 years, recruited from three college campuses, and randomly assigned to two experimental groups (n = 30, 32) and one control group (n = 30). The intervention with virtual or actual parks was conducted for 30 min a session once a week for 12 weeks. Outcomes were measured using self-reported questionnaires, including the World Health Organization Quality-of-Life Scale-BREF and International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form. In total, 84 participants completed the interventions and post-intervention measures. Results showed that participants who experienced actual parks had significant increases in the social quality of life and light-intensity physical activity and had decreased body weight. Participants who experienced the virtual parks experienced a significant increase in their mental quality of life. Participants in the experimental groups of both kinds of parks had significant improvements in their self-rated health, physical and environmental quality of life, and sedentary time after the intervention. Urban parks are an important natural resource for citizens' health and physical activity promotion. Virtual parks can simulate actual parks and have similar health benefits and are thus are recommended for citizens who lack opportunities and motivation to go to actual parks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Urban areas with parks tend to have the best outdoor thermal comfort in regions with high urban heat island effects during summer. This study analyzed the synergistic cooling effects of 94 urban parks and the adjacent built-up areas in six districts of Xi'an City using four cooling indicators: park cooling intensity (PCI), park cooling area (PCA), park cooling effect (PCE), and park cooling gradient (PCG). The results showed that 84 out of 94 parks exhibited significant cooling effects, with an average PCI of 1.98 °C, PCA of 51.7 ha, PCE of 6.6, and PCG of 8.2 °C/km. Correlation analyses indicated that the intrinsic park attributes, external buffer zone building height, and building density were the main factors affecting the cooling effect. The park landscape configuration, building height, and density significantly influenced the PCI and PCG, while the park shape and size were crucial for the PCA (positive) and PCE (negative). The optimal park areas for improving the thermal environment were identified as 26 ha (cooling area focus, building density <13%) and 15 ha (cooling intensity focus, building height <21 m, density >32%). This study provides theoretical guidance for planning urban parks and the surrounding areas based on cooling effects, offering insights for future climate resilience planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spread of parking difficulty can be regarded as a special cascading failure process of urban parking systems. A comprehensive understanding of this process can be greatly helpful to build a more robust parking system. Parking network, a specified complex network, is proposed to model, simulate, and analyse the failure process of urban parking systems in this paper. This model is applied to the analysis of parking systems in an abstract city grid and the downtown area of Luohu, Shenzhen. The results demonstrate that the parking network can capture subtle variations among various parking cruising behaviours or strategies from a network perspective. To enhance the utility of the parking network, an auxiliary indicator named "Parking Difficulty Index" is introduced to help assess the failure degree of urban parking system, estimate the optimal timing for parking guidance intervention, and evaluate the effectiveness of various guidance strategies in mitigating parking difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban parks play a crucial role in supporting physical activities, promoting human well-being, and contributing to overall physical and mental health. However, there is often unequal access to these parks in metropolitan areas, and the quality of parks can vary, especially in middle-sized cities like Oklahoma City (OKC), where this inequality is not extensively studied. Common metrics for assessing public perspective and satisfaction with parks include park usage and sentiments. In our study, we utilized 4,531 Google Map reviews to demonstrate public ratings and sentiments regarding 94 local urban parks in OKC, aiming to identify potential drivers behind these evaluations. Additionally, we explored and compared public opinions and perceptions of parks catering to different socioeconomic levels. Our findings revealed that the diversity and quantity of park amenities and facilities significantly influence subjective ratings and qualitative sentiments derived from Google Maps reviews of local urban parks in OKC. Moreover, we observed that people discussed various topics and aspects related to parks in different income areas. However, there was a consistent focus on children’s playing environments and physical activity/recreation facilities across all discussions, such as playground and splash pads. These findings could be valuable for enhancing the design and amenities of local urban parks, ensuring they better meet the diverse needs of the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Butterflies serve as valuable indicators of urban ecosystem quality. Due to their accessibility, they also provide urban residents with essential opportunities to connect with nature, fulfilling social functions such as education and recreation, which significantly contribute to city dwellers' physical and mental well-being. Urban mountain parks are critical habitats for butterflies; analyzing their spatial and temporal distribution and the impact of plant elements is crucial for enhancing plant landscape quality and butterfly diversity. The main results were as follows: (1) A monthly butterfly survey was carried out over the course of a year in the seven urban mountain parks of Fuzhou City. This survey recorded 46 species of butterflies from 36 genera across 7 families, totaling 2506 butterflies. (2) Among the seven habitat types analyzed, TS-, T-, and SG-habitats exhibited elevated levels of butterfly diversity, richness, abundance, and evenness. There were variations in butterfly evenness, diversity, richness, and abundance observed between these habitats. With the exception of N-habitat, there was a consistent seasonal pattern in butterfly diversity across different habitat types. (3) Butterfly diversity and abundance were significantly correlated with vegetation habitat factors across the tree, shrub, and herb layers. Multiple regression modeling using the Akaike information criterion revealed that arbor layer vegetation factors were present in the top four models for butterfly diversity, richness, abundance, and evenness. (4) The quality assessment of different habitat types ranked habitats as follows: TS-habitat > SG-habitat > TSG-habitat > T-habitat > TG-habitat > G-habitat = N-habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study, based on the perspective of supply and demand coupling between parks and living circles, divides spatial units by introducing the Thiessen polygon method with urban parks as the core. Simultaneously, the coefficient of variation (CV) was used to evaluate the distribution characteristics of these spatial units. The suitability of the spatial units was comprehensively evaluated through the three indicators of park service support, functional concentration of living circle, and management and development level. The Node–Place (NP) model was used to quantify the coupling relationship between the park and the living circle, and the characteristics of the coupling units were deeply analyzed from the aspects of supply and demand services, coupling configuration relationship, development management, etc. The results are empirically applied to four national-level new areas, thereby providing a new evaluation method and perspective for urban planning and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanization has led to increasingly prominent urban heat island phenomena and social inequality. It is urgent to quantify the threshold area of urban parks from multiple perspectives to maximize the cooling effect and improve the equity of park cooling services. Using 33 urban parks in Harbin City as research objects, four indices, i.e., park cooling intensity (PCI), park cooling distance (PCD), park cooling area (PCA), and park cooling efficiency (PCE), were used to explore the park cooling effect and the threshold value of efficiency (TVoE) of the size. The OD (origin–destination) matrix model was constructed to assess the spatial accessibility from the community to the cooling range. The Gini coefficient was used to assess the equity of cooling range accessibility. The relative contribution of each influencing factor to the cooling indicator was quantified through regression modeling. The results showed that the average PCI was 3.27 ℃, the average PCD was 277 m, the average PCA was 115.35 ha, and the average PCE was 5.74. Gray space area was the dominant factor for PCI, PCD, and PCA (relative contributions of 100%, 31%, and 19%, respectively). Park area was the dominant factor for PCE (relative contribution of 28%). The TVoE of park sizes based on PCA and PCE were calculated as 82.37 ha and 2.56 ha, respectively. 39.2% and 94.01% of communities can reach cooling ranges within 15 min in walk mode and transit mode, respectively. Approximately 18% of neighborhood residents are experiencing severe inequities in cooling range accessibility. This study can guide park design that maximizes cooling effects, as well as inform city planners on more equitable allocation of urban park resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban parks are vital to enhance human well‐being and encourage sustainable urban development. However, the supply–demand match between the layout of urban parks and various social groups needs to be addressed. Therefore, this study quantitatively evaluates urban park accessibility using house‐level data from the social equity perspective in Hefei, China. A real‐time navigation route measurement based on the Amap application programming interface was taken advantage of to calculate green space travel time costs‐accessibility, and a combination of the Gaussian‐based two‐step floating catchment area method and measurement model to analyze supply–demand accessibility. On the other hand, housing price was used to indicate dwellers' socioeconomic status. The Gini coefficient, Lorenz curve, and bivariate correlation were adopted to explore the inequality of green space accessibility among residential communities. The results reveal a spatial inequality of green space between communities in the central portion of the Hefei and those in peri‐urban areas. We further found a spatial mismatch between green space resources and population distribution. At the same time, there is a significant correlation between green space accessibility and housing prices, which means the disadvantaged urban strata with low economic income face a supply shortage, while wealthier communities benefit more from green space accessibility. Hence, based on the evaluation results, the author proposes feasible optimization strategies for constructing urban parks in Hefei and can inform policy decisions regarding future park construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco 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.)

While war memorials and monuments are generally easily recognized, peace art and spaces dedicated to peace are not. This is often because we both define and remember “peace” in ambiguous and sometimes contradictory ways. This article discusses the International Peace Garden (Manitoba/North Dakota) and Bangor City Park (Bangor, Wisconsin). Both are dedicated to “peace,” but reveal the complicated ways our understandings of peace shape our surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the programming period of 2021–2027, the European Union (EU) encourages and supports cities and towns across the community to take action to enlarge their green infrastructure and develop and improve urban green spaces. As the provision of equal opportunities is a horizontal principle of the EU, the needs of vulnerable and disabled people are crucial to consider in developments. Using survey data from 102 respondents in Hungary, this paper explores and assesses blind and visually impaired people’s perceptions of urban green spaces and factors that support or hinder them from accessing and using the parks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quite a large number of Iraqi – Iran war victims as well as casualties of Kurdish revolution since 1961 now making a noticeable ratio of the disablers population in Kurdistan of Iraq. In fact, recent uprising also did contribute in raising the number of the injured and handicaps within Kurdish community. Actually, all these people almost got no easy way for participating in entertainment within this park, or any similar parks in Erbil (Hawler). All these are because of lack of suitable road and even special gates within such parks. In fact, even babies and nurseries are in need to such gate and ways that is absent so far. A review of the actual design and pointing out the stages of establishing points in this respect will be the goal of the present study for such and other parks in the region in order to reduce the existing gaps in designing, planning and in constitution of any parks. Present study is concentrating on the effect on disablers, the psychological and physical effects on crippled individuals, and the effects on disability institutions. Sami Abdulrahman Park is one of Erbil's largest parks, present study's primary goal is to build a system that addresses issues with disabled people's access to these parks. According to studies, the existence of inaccessibility is routed, and cities are referred to eliminate it; design measures with interior locations are then used to suggest presenting options. Using sketches, photos, and interviews, researchers record the park's landscape design sites—entrances, streets, pedestrian crossings, parking lots, ramps, urban furniture, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of urban parks for improving the quality of life of residents is becoming increasingly clear as people interact less and less with nature. Urban parks should be designed to have a profound impact on the mental health and well-being of citizens through the provision of high-quality facilities and services. Nevertheless, there are differences in the infl uencing factors in urban parks. Nowadays, urban parks as the lungs of cities are considered important destinations for citizens to get rid of stress and mental fatigue. Therefore, it is important to understand what factors contribute to people feeling mentally better and improving their well-being. Based on people’s experiences and opinions, the present study aims to investigate how urban parks as nature-based solutions in Marivan City, Iran, especially the green infrastructure and its elements in Shano and Zaribar Parks, contribute to respondent’s mental health and overall well-being. The necessary data for this study were collected from 277 respondents using a questionnaire. The questionnaire was randomly distributed both in person and online. The questions were categorized based on 3 indicators directly related to mental health and well-being: perceptual, visual, and functional. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling in Smart-PLS software. Results indicate that the perceptual, visual, and functional indicators in Marivan’s urban parks have a signifi cant impact on the mental health and well-being of residents. Among these indicators, the visual indicator has shown the highest level of infl uence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aging population has brought increased attention to the urgent need to address social isolation and health risks among the elderly. While previous research has established the positive effects of parks in promoting social interaction and health among older adults, further investigation is required to understand the complex relationships between perceptions of the park environment, social interaction, and elderly health. In this study, structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to examine these relationships, using nine parks in Wuhan as a case study. The findings indicate that social interaction serves as a complete mediator between perceptions of the park environment and elderly health (path coefficients: park environment on social interaction = 0.45, social interaction on health = 0.46, and indirect effect = 0.182). Furthermore, the results of the multi-group SEM analysis revealed that the mediating effect was moderated by the pattern of social interaction (the difference test: the friend companionship group vs. the family companionship group (Z = 1.965 > 1.96)). Notably, family companionship had a significantly stronger positive impact on the health of older adults compared to friend companionship. These findings contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms through which urban parks support the physical and mental well-being of the elderly and provide a scientific foundation for optimizing urban park environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigation of urban parks is a particular research section in the frame of urban geology, with increasing social importance. Both natural and anthropogenic factors affect these green sites, giving special scientific importance to their investigation. Thus, the behavior of such a 'composite' system is expected to be quite complex. Based on the general circumstances, a research project was introduced in 2016 in the former Mining and Geological Survey of Hungary (now: Supervisory Authority for Regulatory Affairs). The ongoing project was focused on the behavior of urban parks. Within the frame of this research, between 2016 and 2019, field studies were started in 4 parks of Budapest. This paper is targeting one of these parks, namely Honvéd square. 0ur objective is to understand the behavior of urban parks under special conditions (e.g., during heat island effects) by getting information from well-defined positions. This can be essential to perform more sustainable water management in an urban park. Within the frame of the field works soil temperature and soil moisture measurements were being recorded manually every week in every park, at four different locations within a park. Observation points were selected to describe the different microclimates of the parks. A statistical analysis of the data reveals that the urban heat island (UHI) effect is reflected in soil temperatures at a citywide scale and that by moderating urban soil surface temperature extremes, trees and shrubs may help to reduce the adverse impacts of urbanization on microclimate, soil processes, and human health. It can be stated, that beside the manual measurements, the automated soil temperature detection was significantly influenced by soil depth at the Honvéd square park. At 100 cm below the surface, the soil temperature is relatively constant. It was approved that not only do deeper soil layers undergo less drastic seasonal temperature fluctuations but also the changes taking place lag further behind those of shallower soil layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The development of green spaces in urban parks can significantly enhance the quality of the urban and ecological environment. This paper utilizes 2021 Gaofen-7 (GF-7) satellite remote sensing images as its primary data source and uses deep learning algorithms for the precise extraction of the green space coverage within Beijing's fifth ring road. It also incorporates the park points of interest (POI) information, road data, and other auxiliary data to extract green park space details. The analysis focuses on examining the relationship between supply and demand in the spatial allocation of green park spaces from an accessibility perspective. The main findings are as follows: (1) The application of deep learning algorithms improves the accuracy of green space extraction by 10.68% compared to conventional machine methods. (2) The distribution of parks and green spaces within the fifth ring road of Beijing is uneven, showing a clear pattern of "more in the north and less in the south". The accessibility within a five-minute service radius achieves a coverage rate of 46.65%, with a discernible blind zone in the southeast. (3) There is an imbalance in the per capita green space location entropy within the fifth ring road of Beijing, there is a big difference in per capita green space location entropy (44.19), and social fairness needs to be improved. The study's outcomes unveil the intricate relationship between service capacity and spatial allocation, shedding light on the supply and demand dynamics of parks and green spaces within Beijing's fifth ring road. This insight will contribute to the construction of ecologically sustainable and aesthetically pleasing living spaces in modern megacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social equity/inequity and equal/unequal rights to the city extend beyond the distribution of urban parks and green spaces, necessitating research on equitable accessibility to encompass a broader range of public spaces. However, previous research has predominantly focused on green spaces, neglecting other types of public spaces. To address this gap, the present study takes the public space pattern of Nanjing Old City as the research object, employing the minimum distance method, the gravity potential method, and bivariate local Moran's I to evaluate the matching relationship between the demand of socially vulnerable groups and the supply of public spaces, as well as its temporal–spatial evolution from 2010 to 2020. The results reveal spatial heterogeneity in the accessibility of public spaces for vulnerable groups at the block level, with 28.1% of the total number of blocks and 22.1% of the total area of blocks experiencing a supply–demand imbalance in 2010. From 2010 to 2020, under the rapid urban development, construction of public spaces, and the general decline in population density and proportion of vulnerable populations, the supply–demand imbalance has exacerbated the distribution of public spaces at both individual and aggregate levels. This imbalance is reflected in the deteriorated accessibility of public spaces for vulnerable groups. This study reveals the mismatches between development, population movement, and public space construction in the old city of Nanjing over the past decade, providing decision-making suggestions and foundations for the future optimization of public spaces, thereby offering an effective tool for assessing and improving the accessibility and equitable distribution of public spaces based on the needs of vulnerable groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban trees enhance biodiversity, provide ecosystem services, and improve quality of life in cities. Despite their benefits, trees are not distributed equitably, and many cities exhibit a "luxury effect". Given the importance of public green space for providing access to urban tree benefits, we investigated the relationship between socioeconomic level and tree diversity and structure in 60 green areas in Santiago de Chile. Species richness and total tree abundance did not significantly vary among socioeconomic levels; however, a differential effect was found according to species origin. Introduced tree species exhibited similar abundance and species richness across socioeconomic levels, but native tree species were more abundant and richer in higher socioeconomic level areas compared to lower ones. Tree cover was higher in the high and medium socioeconomic level areas than in the low socioeconomic level area. A higher average DBH was found in the medium socioeconomic level area, which may be explained by older neighborhoods and a legacy of the luxury effect. Our findings reveal that socioeconomic groups are associated with differences in tree cover, width, and the number of native species in public green areas. Consequently, urban residents have different provisions of ecosystem services and opportunities to interact with natural heritage. Increasing the amount of tree cover and native species available to vulnerable groups will reduce disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Duzce University Journal of Science & Technology is the property of Duzce University Journal of Science & 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.)

The UK has a long history of providing and managing urban parks. The formal park and garden, developed as a morally improving 'place apart' in the city, can inform people's idea of what a park is. This paper aims to explore the legacy of this conceptualisation of the park through an extensive review of literature and policy documents. This paper examines prevailing discourses by locating them more accurately within its political, economic and social context of the times. The paper also examines why, despite being described as 'treasured assets' by national government today, UK urban parks continue to be undervalued and taken for granted? Why does the lamenting of the fate of UK urban parks sector persist in the twenty-first century? To answer this question, the paper will focus on the formal urban park by applying the analytical framework of place-keeping as a conceptualisation of long-term green space management and stewardship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid growth of urban population and unplanned urbanization are reducing the number of urban parking spaces and increase traffic congestion. In China, due to the tripling of the number of motor vehicles in the last decade, the problem of finding a parking space has become very pressing. Increased difficulties are observed with short-term parking near public urban locations such as cinemas, shopping centers, universities and hospitals. In the telecommunications industry and other related fields, learning automata have been widely employed as adaptable devices for making decisions in unknowable settings. Their use in choosing a parking spot for a little time in cities hasn't been properly researched, nevertheless. The usage of learning automata in the created LAPS (Learning Automata Parking System) parking algorithm is discussed in this study in contrast to other algorithms. More specifically, the study will gain insight into the impact of factors such as vehicle count, space between vehicle arrivals in the parking lot, time of day, and the parking area that can be used for reservations on the average waiting time for a parking space and the likelihood of finding one. The paper presents the research findings determining the parking system's effectiveness based on learning automata in the urban areas of China. The experimental part of the study was performed using Arena simulation software on the parking lot model, with the maximum parking time under simulation conditions not exceeding 4 h. The paper evaluated such parking efficiency metrics as the average parking space waiting time and the probability of getting one, measuring the influence on these indicators on such factors as the number of motor vehicles, interval between the arrival of vehicles in the parking lot, time of day, as well as the parking area that can be used for reservations. The research findings suggested that the LAPS algorithm can be recommended for development of smart packing systems software in urban areas in China and other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the supralocal role of medium to large-scale urban parks in Attica, Greece, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research includes literature review and fieldwork. A statistical sample of 783 individuals was designed to investigate the community's outlook towards urban parks in Attica. The study establishes a theoretical framework based on the available literature that focuses on factors influencing individuals' willingness to commute so as to reach urban parks. These factors may include household characteristics, green space characteristics, and local accessibility. The paper also examines engaging factors for distant park use, such as relaxation, physical exercise, and social contact. The study adds to existing knowledge on the role of medium to large scale urban parks in Attica, by providing findings on visitation patterns during the pandemic. One of the study's most important finding is the car dependent travel mode which should be taken into consideration so as to promote sustainable urban mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bangkok is a tropical metropolis subject to many human and nonhuman transformations. While Covid‐19 raged, the city's mix of precarity and oppression gave rise to a youth protest movement that opposed the junta government and sought to intervene in Thai politics‐as‐usual. At the same time, a rewilding experiment aimed at undoing environmental damage quietly was unfolding in Benjakitti Urban Forest Park. We draw on science and technology studies (STS), anthropology and urban theory to elicit the events of both park and protests as ongoing experiments in rewilding Bangkok on more‐than‐human terrain. Both involve overlapping critical zones, where encounters between many beings and practices of worlding shape an uncommons and create problems of coexistence. Such problems call for cosmoecological diplomacy, understood as the art of giving collective shape to a more‐than‐human cosmos yet to arrive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green buildings are more effective in saving energy and reducing carbon dioxide emissions than conventional buildings. However, the long-term development of green buildings depends heavily on the resilience of their supply chain. This study examines how capability factors (readiness, response, and recovery) and risk factors (technological, organizational, and environmental) interact to influence the resilience of the green building supply chain, using a third-order partial least squares structural equation model. The results indicate that response capability and technological risk significantly impact resilience, while readiness capability mitigates organizational and environmental risks. The study suggests three strategies to enhance supply chain resilience: strengthening readiness capabilities and increasing resistance to organizational or environmental risks. The findings provide green building project managers with practical insights and tools to make informed decisions that improve supply chain resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban green spaces play a crucial role in mitigating urban heat islands, providing shade, cooling, absorbing carbon dioxide, and releasing oxygen to enhance air quality. Understanding the user perceptions of residential greeneries is essential for effective planning and implementation of greening systems. This quantitative research explored user perceptions and preferences regarding residential greeneries through a structured questionnaire survey from 578 respondents. The responses from the densely populated Chennai city and the rest of Tamil Nadu, India, were analyzed. About 90% of residents are interested in having a garden, irrespective of location and residential characteristics. The most available space in Chennai's urban region is a balcony at 45%, followed by front and back gardens at 30% and vice versa for Chennai's suburban areas. The most preferred type is potted plants (30%) and climbers (20%) on balconies and near windows in Chennai. The most perceived challenges are installation and maintenance costs. The most influencing factors over the preference for greeneries and green walls are the house typology, house ownership, and site location. This study provides more insights to building designers and architects on planning and implementation of residential greeneries as per end users' preferences and perceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green infrastructure has emerged as an opportunity to balance sociocultural and ecological benefits, alongside the potential for biodiversity conservation in cities. However, key design challenges that remain unsolved including 1) how to effectively balance biodiversity conservation and sociocultural benefits, and 2) how user's perception and knowledge may affect the acceptance of conservation interventions in parks. In this study, we used a mixed methods approach in which focus groups were used to explore users' perceptions of landscape attributes, their benefits, biodiversity, climate change, and conservation interventions in parks. This was followed by face-to-face interviews with the broader general public to quantitatively assess perceptions and acceptability for conservation interventions in parks. While plant density and functional diversity were identified as key landscape attributes, trade-offs may occur with other attributes such as multi-functionality and the order of the vegetation. Most conservation interventions had high acceptance levels, where the decrease of grass in parks was the most controversial attribute. All interventions were correlated with the importance of landscape attributes and climate change concerns, but poorly associated with knowledge of native biodiversity. The results support 1) increasing the functional diversity of plants in parks as a way to balance environmental and sociocultural benefits and promote the acceptability of conservation interventions, however such an increase should be linked to designs that respect notions of order and other park uses, and 2) environmental education based on climate change may be the key to improving acceptability of these initiatives.

The scarcity of well-functioning green spaces in the rapidly growing urban centers of developing countries poses significant challenges, hindering the well-being and quality of life for urban populations. Urban parks, often referred to as the "lungs of the city," have the potential to alleviate these challenges, yet their benefits are not always evident. This study explores the challenges and opportunities faced by urban parks in developing countries through a comparative analysis of Janmeda Park and Entoto Park in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The research assesses key dimensions, including accessibility, sociability, comfort, image projection, and management/maintenance. These elements are vital for understanding how well urban parks serve their communities and contribute to urban development. While Janmeda Park, despite its historical importance, struggles with physical and operational challenges, Entoto Park’s well-designed amenities, management, and safety provide a model for future park developments. The study offers recommendations to improve urban parks, such as enhancing accessibility, fostering sociability, ensuring user comfort and safety, strengthening image projection, integrating cultural and historical elements, and improving management and maintenance. It also highlights the importance of monitoring and evaluating park performance. These recommendations aim to guide urban planners and policymakers in enhancing urban parks, thereby supporting community well-being and promoting effective urban development. The insights provided are intended to inform better practices for urban park planning and management, contributing to more vibrant and functional green spaces in developing cities.

Abstract Rapid urbanization has led to increasingly prominent urban heat island phenomena and social inequality. It is urgent to quantify the threshold area of urban parks from multiple perspectives to maximize the cooling effect and improve the equity of park cooling services. Using 33 urban parks in Harbin City as research objects, four indices, i.e., park cooling intensity (PCI), park cooling distance (PCD), park cooling area (PCA), and park cooling efficiency (PCE), were used to explore the park cooling effect and the threshold value of efficiency (TVoE) of the size. The OD (origin–destination) matrix model was constructed to assess the spatial accessibility from the community to the cooling range. The Gini coefficient was used to assess the equity of cooling range accessibility. The relative contribution of each influencing factor to the cooling indicator was quantified through regression modeling. The results showed that the average PCI was 3.27 ℃, the average PCD was 277 m, the average PCA was 115.35 ha, and the average PCE was 5.74. Gray space area was the dominant factor for PCI, PCD, and PCA (relative contributions of 100%, 31%, and 19%, respectively). Park area was the dominant factor for PCE (relative contribution of 28%). The TVoE of park sizes based on PCA and PCE were calculated as 82.37 ha and 2.56 ha, respectively. 39.2% and 94.01% of communities can reach cooling ranges within 15 min in walk mode and transit mode, respectively. Approximately 18% of neighborhood residents are experiencing severe inequities in cooling range accessibility. This study can guide park design that maximizes cooling effects, as well as inform city planners on more equitable allocation of urban park resources.