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In this paper, mixed methods research is presented and discussed in the context of research on reflective writing for the professional development of pre-service teachers. First, we present prominent theoretical frameworks to analyze reflective writings. Second, we review relevant methodological approaches of research on reflective writings in teacher education, such as qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. Third, we present a study from our research lab combining qualitative content analysis and linguistic analyses as an example for a concurrent mixed method approach. The results of the qualitative content analysis indicated that 198 reflective writings of pre-service teachers were primarily descriptive and on a low level. Computational linguistic analyses revealed that affective and cognitive terminology utilization in reflective writing differed significantly across the different levels of reflection, with a higher frequency of such terms correlating with deeper levels of reflection. Thus, essential challenges and opportunities of implementing such a mixed method study to analyze reflective writings are illustrated and discussed. Finally, we conclude the paper by discussing on how mixed methods approaches might be further advanced in the field of reflective writing research in teacher education., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Gläser-Zikuda, Zhang, Hofmann, Plößl, Pösse and Artmann.)

Many of the outcomes of environmental plans are difficult to measure. Therefore, little is known as to whether such plans achieve their goals, whether outcomes are reached and lessons learned to influence future plans. Our study aims to address this gap by systematically evaluating the implementation of Local Environmental Action Plans (LEAPs) of 29 counties in Romania and the factors affecting it. We draw on both quantitative (official statistical data) and qualitative (planners' assessments) evaluation methods and two conceptions of plan implementation success (conformance and performance based) to assess LEAP implementation. Our findings indicate mixed levels of conformance and performance. While the implementation of LEAPs conforms with the plans from the perspective of progress of overall policy implementation, this does not conform with the plans in terms of positive changes on the ground. LEAPs perform well in mitigating local environmental problems and coordinating with other planning initiatives but badly in terms of their usefulness in the decision-making process, having little influence on lower-level plans. Furthermore, the quality of LEAPs may not be important in relation to their implementation, while investments in the capacity of planning agencies, as well as local political support and participatory approaches, may improve the implementation of LEAPs in the future. The results of our study may assist the devising bodies in enhancing the implementation of future versions of LEAPs by revealing the main opportunities and constraints influencing implementation., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Environmental action plans are important instruments intended to provide sustainable solutions for the most pressing environmental issues. As they should be updated regularly, efforts to evaluate their quality are essential for enabling incremental improvements in upcoming versions. The aim of our study was to systematically evaluate the quality of Romania's Local Environmental Action Plans (LEAPs) by following a theoretical framework that includes principles from both rational and communicative approaches to assessing plan quality. We selected 32 LEAPs and applied an evaluation protocol that enabled a comprehensive assessment of the plans. Our results showed an overall moderate quality of the LEAPs. Although most plans identify many environmental problems in need of solutions, in reality additional urgent environmental problems often exist. Furthermore, LEAPs perform only moderately in identifying tools for implementation provisions and ensuring the participation of the public in the planning process, and they are even weaker in establishing goals and achieving coordination across different governmental levels. Overall the assessment reveals that plans are rarely able to craft an appealing policy message. Our findings could be used as guidance for LEAP coordinating agencies to improve the plans in the upcoming updating processes, as they identify plan weaknesses and suggest ways to achieve high quality environmental plans. Furthermore, our novel plan assessment method based on rational comprehensive and communicative approaches to plan quality evaluation can be adapted easily to other studies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

2021Available online: https://www.wur.nl/en/show-longread/Seven-Reasons-to-Invest-in-a-Green-City.htm(accessed on 8 February 2022) 7 De Roo M.. The Green City Guidelines, Techniques for a Healthy Liveable City; The Green City: Hillegom, The Netherlands. 10.1080/17547075.2015.1051829 61 Artmann M., Bastian O., Grunewald K. Using the Concepts of Green Infrastructure and Ecosystem Services to Specify Leitbilder for Compact and Green Cities - The Example of the Landscape Plan of Dresden (Germany). 10.3389/fenvs.2020.599060 66 Van Dooren N., Leseman B., van der Meulen S. How New Food Networks Change the Urban Environment: A Case Study in the Contribution of Sustainable, Regional Food Systems to Green and Healthy Cities. [Extracted from the article]

The life cycle climate impacts of urban parks are poorly known. Whereas vegetation and soils can be carbon sinks, building products, energy use, and processes cause emissions. Several studies acknowledge the need for further assessment of urban parks, especially regarding vegetation, soil organic carbon, management and design, together with the development of supportive tools for climate-wise planning. To deepen our understanding of carbon flows of urban parks, we applied life cycle assessment (LCA) and studied the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and removals of five urban parks in Helsinki, Finland. The components of the parks were divided into four categories: site preparation, covering and surface structures, vegetation and growing media, and systems and installations. According to our findings, CO2 emissions ranged from 27.08 to 61.45 kgCO2e/m2 and CO2 removals from 11.35 to 16.23 kgCO2e/m2 with uncertainty. Planted woody vegetation and existing forested areas had the highest CO2 uptake among the vegetation types. Moreover, growing media caused on average 35% of total CO2 emissions. As significant volumes of growing media remain necessary to support the growth and establishment of plantings, finding less emission intensive alternatives to peat-based growing medium becomes essential. Other main emissions sources included transportation, and replacements of surface materials, but their dominance is highly dependent on the design, use and maintenance of the park. LCA offers a robust assessment framework for the quantification of greenhouse gas emissions and is evolving towards the including of greenhouse gas removals and storages. However, the inclusion of living organisms would require changes in the mindset of LCA. The level of maturity in the assessment methods differs significantly between the park components. Data and methods are especially lacking for nursery production, maintenance and end-of-life phases of vegetation, soils, and mulches. We also identified uncertainties regarding the estimations of CO2 uptake by woody vegetation, lawns, and meadows due to software limitations and lack of data for local context. Simulating dynamic plantings raises additional questions, together with the forecast of accurate meteorological conditions of a changing climate. This research highlights the need for more holistic life cycle assessment of urban parks to inform low-carbon landscape industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of excessive urban growth, urban green spaces face the challenge of efficiently providing ecosystem and environmental services benefits. While public green spaces (PGS) stand out for their different environmental and social benefits, their efficiency depends on the vegetated cover, which can be evaluated in relation to the area, type of polygon, and degree of equipment. In this study, the effective green cover (EGC) assessed from a geographic information system, and the level of equipment–infrastructure were evaluated in different green spaces in the metropolitan area of San Luis Potosí, Mexico. The PGS categories included park with hydrological potential, urban park, linear park, neighborhood park, local garden, residual green space, and sports area. In our results, the urban park and the park with hydrological potential indicated 69.5 and 79.5% of EGC, respectively, and a value of 0.3 of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Specifically, only in urban park, the land surface temperature (LST) decreased with the increase in the NDVI. The total green coverage of PGS was 6.7 m2 and the EGC was 5.8 m2, which is largely due to the large-sized parks. Furthermore, the provision of parks is insufficient compared to other metropolitan areas on national and international scales. In the spaces with the highest score of equipment, the outstanding elements were urban furniture, children's playgrounds, and exercise areas, which varied according to the type of green space, indicating a differentiated social use. This study suggests that EGC can be a parameter to assess the green proportion of PGS in cities. Integrating this variable in PGS planning and design can enhance ecosystem services provision in metropolitan areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until now, the contribution of soils in urban spaces has been underestimated and, as a result, the services they provide have been severely undervalued in urban planning. This article aims to address this issue through a study of Chapultepec Park in Mexico City. We provide two methodological proposals for the analysis of soil ecosystem services characterized by the interaction of natural and anthropic processes: the morpho-pedological landscapes (MpL), in which we quantify soil carbon sequestration (SOC Mg ha−1) and the comparison of two methods for the analysis of hydraulic conductivity: Pedotransfer functions (PTF) and direct measurement with a double ring infiltrometer. Among the 12 MpL, we found the highest SOC content in slopes with mixed tree vegetation and Phaeozem soils. However, SOC retention decreased by 40%–50% due to sealing surfaces. For infiltration measures, despite the diversity of soils and vegetation, direct measurements values are highly homogeneous, while values calculated using PTFs better reflect the morphopedological landscape heterogeneity. In all the MpLs, the hydraulic conductivity was higher than the maximum rainfall intensity report, indicating that the soils in Chapultepec Park, despite the differences in soils and intensity of use, provide the ecosystem service of infiltration. These results would allow the establishment of a baseline for monitoring these services and provide information to decision makers and urban planners seeking to reduce the construction of gray infrastructure that seals soils and reduces their capacity to provide these ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Walking is a sustainable, safe, and active mode of transportation. The benefits that the elderly in particular gain from outdoor walking are manifold, be it free and independent access to stores and services of all kinds or the opportunity to socialize, enjoy parks, et cetera. This article depicts one particular factor that affects outdoor walkability, namely the gradient of walking paths. Steep slopes can be a serious obstacle to walkability, primarily for older people. The evaluation of available geospatial data sources formed the basis for a geospatial analysis of walkability in the larger city of Kaiserslautern, located in southwest Germany. The concept of Walk Score was used to quantify the results obtained. The results demonstrate that the Walk Score can be refined to better address the mobility needs of older adults. The methodology was implemented for the German city of Kaiserslautern by integrating volunteered geographic information with high-quality official datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid increase in urbanization has led to a concentration of population and buildings, resulting in reduced green spaces and disrupted ecological balance. This trend negatively affects the well-being and quality of life in cities. Designing green spaces according to planning standards and protecting these areas is crucial for the sustainability of urban environments and the preservation of livable spaces for future generations. In light of these challenges, it is vital to preserve and expand green spaces for both environmental and social reasons. This study aims to evaluate the spatial distribution, size, and adequacy of existing green spaces in 16 neighborhoods of Atakum, a district in Samsun that has recently undergone intense urbanization. It also assesses the accessibility of these spaces using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The analysis of urban green spaces in Atakum was conducted through spatial and buffer zone analyses using the Spatial Analyst tool in ARCGIS 10.7, revealing the current situation of these vital areas. The findings highlight the significance of green spaces in ensuring livable and sustainable urban development, especially in rapidly urbanizing areas. The research identifies substantial disparities in the distribution and accessibility of open and green spaces in Atakum, indicating an urgent need for improved urban planning. Using GIS analysis, the study compares the availability of green spaces against the World Health Organization’s recommended standard of 10 m² per person. Results show that many neighborhoods fall short of this benchmark, a situation exacerbated by rapid urbanization and population growth. This deficit adversely impacts residents' physical and mental well-being, as adequate green space is essential for public health, social cohesion, and environmental sustainability. Additionally, the analysis reveals that existing green spaces primarily serve recreational purposes and lack multifunctionality, limiting their usability for diverse community needs. To address these deficiencies, the study recommends a multi-faceted urban planning approach, emphasizing the equitable distribution of green spaces, the design of multifunctional areas, and robust community engagement in the planning process. It also stresses the need for stronger legal frameworks to preserve and create green spaces, advocating for the integration of research and data analysis to inform evidence-based policies. In conclusion, this research contributes to understanding how urban green spaces can enhance livability, particularly in the context of climate resilience. The findings underscore the importance of strategic planning in fostering sustainable and inclusive urban environments in Atakum, offering valuable insights for future urban studies in similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores sustainable housing solutions for urban areas in the Galapagos Islands, aiming to balance human needs with ecosystem preservation by fostering co-habitation between local communities and native species. Recognising the ecological importance of the Galapagos and the challenges posed by human-driven urban expansion, the research focuses on Puerto Ayora as a case study. It addresses material and spatial configurations that support key species such as giant tortoises, land iguanas, and sea lions. Computational strategies and simulations are employed to guide architectural, structural, and material decisions, including the use of evolutionary algorithms and selection strategies based on environmental performance metrics such as temperature, humidity, and solar radiation. These algorithms enhance architectural performance, facilitating co-habitation between humans and animals, with an emphasis on modularity and adaptability in architectural morphology. The results indicate that current configurations meet the habitat requirements for giant tortoises year-round. However, adjustments are needed for other species during specific months. The study also highlights bioceramic as a novel material for environmentally aligned construction in restricted environments. Limitations include focusing only on keystone species, with recommendations for future research to address the multispecies impact and integrate desalination and waste management systems for extracting the primary chemical component of bioceramic. This work advances the understanding of multispecies architectural design in ecologically sensitive regions, positioning the Galapagos as a model for sustainable co-habitation in conservation-focused development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities worldwide are experiencing substantial urban expansion, leading to environmental degradation. Riyadh is a good example of this, growing at a rapid pace resulting in the urban sprawl becoming environmentally, socially, and economically unsustainable. Urban densification and sustainable revitalization are approaches to limit land usage, accommodate a growing population, and maintain high-quality urban areas, particularly, in the inner city. This process is complex and dynamic and necessitates the involvement of private developers whose engagement plays a critical role in facilitating property redevelopment. This research examines the barriers and drivers that impact developer participation in rejuvenating inner city neighborhoods in Riyadh. The mixed methods of a survey and focus group discussions are used to examine the perspectives of private developers. Three key themes evolved focusing on investment potential, the regulatory environment, and key enablers of urban regeneration. The findings reveal a cautiously optimistic view of these themes, with several challenges and opportunities identified. This research highlights the need for a holistic approach to urban planning for regeneration and land use management, especially in inner-city residential areas. This study adds to the scarce research on urban regeneration in the Middle East context and establishes a foundation for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study underlines the critical function of efficient urban land use planning, recommending mixed land use for improved city sustainability. The research, which is rooted in the historical context of urban renewal, attempts to harmonize theoretical frameworks with actual implementation, giving critical insights for policymakers and urban planners in constructing sustainable urban areas. The study identifies a deficit in empirical research on the spatial distribution of urban mixed land use, as well as a gap between theory and real application. Using a mixed-methods approach, it explores mixed land use planning concerns by including stakeholder input and temporal dynamics. Using theoretical frameworks, the study explores land use trends in four Addis Ababa sub-cities. When the null hypothesis of Complete Spatial Randomness is rejected, there is a significant relationship between location and land use functions (statistical chi-square value of 47.763). Finally, the study makes crucial recommendations for purposeful land use distribution in a dynamic urban setting, shedding light on the constraints of mixed land use planning in African urban growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lower reaches of the Jinsha River, serving as a vital ecological barrier in southwestern China and playing a crucial role in advancing targeted poverty alleviation efforts, remain underexplored in terms of the coupling between ecological and economic development, creating a gap in understanding the region's sustainable development potential. This study combines the remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) derived from MODIS data and the biodiversity richness index (BRI) based on land use data to create the ecological environment index (EEI) using a weighted approach. It also develops the economic development index (EDI) from economic data using the entropy weight method. By integrating the EEI and EDI, the study calculates key metrics, including the ecological–economic coupling degree (EECD), coupling coordination degree (EECCD), and relative development degree (EERDD), and examines their spatiotemporal changes from 2000 to 2020. Additionally, the study applies a geographic detector model to identify the spatial drivers of the EEI, an obstacle factor diagnosis model to pinpoint the main barriers to EDI, and a neural network model to uncover the underlying forces shaping EECCD. The results indicate that: (I) From 2000 to 2020, the overall improvement rate of the ecological and economic subsystems was greater than that of the ecological–economic coupling system. The entire region is still in the Running-In Stage, and the coordination level has been upgraded from near imbalance to marginal coordination. About 85% of the counties' EERDDs are still in the EDI Behind EEI Stage. (II) The structural composition of the EEI shows a pattern of low Dry Hot Valley Area and high in other areas, mainly driven by natural factors, although human activities had a notable impact on these interactions. (III) Originating from an impact model primarily driven by economic factors and supplemented by ecological factors, both EDI and EECCD exhibit a pattern of high in the south and low in the north, with improvements spreading northward from the urban area of Kunming. The development gradient differences between 24 poverty-stricken counties and 16 non-poverty-stricken counties have been reduced. (IV) For the six types of ecological–economic coupling development zones, it is essential to adopt localized approaches tailored to the differences in resource and environmental characteristics and development stages. Key efforts should focus on enhancing ecological protection and restoration, increasing financial support, implementing ecological compensation mechanisms, and promoting innovative models for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has increased the frequency of extreme weather events, challenging traditional flood risk assessments. New methods, like InVEST's urban flood risk mitigation model (UFRM), are crucial for assessing flood-prone areas, especially those vulnerable to pluvial flooding. This systematic review examines the utilization and limitations of the UFRM model for identifying flood-prone areas and designing adaptation plans in response to climate change, based on research articles published between 2019 and 2024. The articles were identified through Scinapse and Google Scholar using predefined criteria, including relevance to UFRM applications and publication within the specified timeframe. An analysis of the 21 selected papers using bibliometric techniques reveals geographic concentrations of the case studies that utilized the UFRM model primarily in Italy, Turkey, China, and the United States, with notable research gaps in Central Europe. The journal publication trends highlight the prominence of certain journals, such as the Journal of Land. A network analysis using VOSviewer identifies thematic clusters aligned with the UFRM research areas, including Urban Planning and Nature-Based Solutions (NBSs), Urbanization and Sustainable Development, the Economic and Social Effects of Flood Mitigation, Adaptation and Risk Management, and Resilience and Vulnerability. This review contributes to gaining a deeper understanding of the research landscape regarding the utilization of the UFRM model and provides recommendations for advancing sustainable and resilient urban development practices. The review was not preregistered in a formal registry. The finding reveals that integrating automation and optimization tools to suggest different solutions for problematic nodes in urban areas is crucial for addressing multiple issues simultaneously and optimizing adaptation plans effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing high-speed railways (HSRs) is critical for developing countries to stimulate economic growth and urbanization. This study focuses on the Lao section of the China–Laos Railway (CLR) and employs explicitly spatial remote sensing images to investigate the urban development surrounding HSR stations. Data-driven machine learning and causal inference approaches are integrated to quantify the spatial–temporal evolution and discover its driving factors. The results suggest that the CLR has had positive spatial spillover effects on the development of the surrounding urban space. These spillover effects have exhibited a distance attenuation pattern, reflecting obvious development in 2D rather than in 3D urban space. Meanwhile, the distance to stations and adjacent city centers as well as functional urban characteristics, such as land use patterns and industrialization level, have significantly influences the surrounding spatial development. Specifically, in industrial-dominated cities, the surrounding spatial changes have been most significant under the influence of the HSR. Change related to industrial and residential land use has shown significant land expansion patterns and increased utilization efficiency, reflecting that industrialization and urbanization have been the primary drivers of land demand surrounding the HSR. The findings offer valuable insights and references for developing nations to formulate and implement spatial management policies and initiatives related to HSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing urban ecological resilience (UER) is important in promoting sustainable urban development, and developing new quality productivity (NQP) is an intrinsic requirement to promote industrial change and high-quality development. The coordinated development of UER and NQP can help realize the green transformation and upgrading of various industries. This study considered 30 provinces in China as research objects, quantified their UER from nature, economy, and society, and explored the essential connotation of NQP under the guidance of Marx's productivity theory. The entropy weight-CRITIC method and TOPSIS model were used to comprehensively measure the development levels of the UER and NQP from 2011 to 2022, and their coupling coordination degree (CCD) of UER and NQP was measured by combining the coupling coordination degree model. Consequently, the Global Moran's I index and Geographical and Temporal Weighted Regression (GTWR) model were used to explore the effects of different influencing factors on the CCD from the spatiotemporal variability perspective. The results indicated the following: (1) UER and NQP improved during the study period but with large differences between the regions. (2) The overall CCD evolved from a mild imbalance to primary coordination. The average CCD values ranged from low to high in the northeastern, western, central, and eastern regions. (3) The GTWR results showed that the levels of economic development, urbanization rate, and technological innovation contributed positively to the CCD, with the urbanization rate having the strongest positive effect. Foreign investment, environmental regulations, and industrial structure generally negatively inhibit the CCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This review discusses the challenges of integrating emerging transportation technologies into existing urban environments, considering their impact on equity, sustainability, and urban design. The aim is to provide readers with strategic insights and policy recommendations for incorporating aerospace innovations into transportation systems. This narrative review draws on a wide range of publications, including books, journal articles, and industry reports, to examine the multifaceted aspects of urban aviation. The review explores the scales of aerospace transport, detailing the technologies enabling urban aviation, the necessary urban adaptations to support such a system, and the social and regulatory challenges of integrating urban air mobility into existing transportation networks. The research suggests that for urban air mobility to be successfully integrated into existing transportation systems, further research is needed on the social and regulatory implications, particularly regarding equitable access, sustainable practices, and community engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population growth in the last 30 years has generated an energy shortage and excessive consumption of products, generating a large percentage of solid waste. Urban expansion has led to a significant impact on the biodiversity of both flora and fauna. In this context, the objective of this research is to develop a design for a green corridor that optimizes ecological energy efficiency and contributes to the revaluation of the Huatanay River in Cuzco. The methodology used in this study is articulated in four stages: literature analysis; analysis of the environment through supporting data such as Climate consultant, SIGRID, and GEO Peru; results where the proposed project is carried out; and finally, the conclusions and discussions where they are contrasted with a similar bibliography. The design of the green corridor efficiently takes advantage of the natural resources available in the area, which has 70% green areas and 30% public spaces, where 13 kWh/day of energy is generated, according to the calculations made in sector 2 of the botanical garden that will later be replicated in the other sectors, derived from biodigesters for the lighting of spaces of the botanical garden. The corridor, in turn, aims to recover the ecological function of the river through the restoration of its course, the reforestation of its banks, and the creation of recreational areas. In conclusion, the green corridor aims to revitalize the Huatanay River through different elements, among which the botanical garden stands out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The escalating biodiversity crisis, coupled with the increasing frequency of droughts and anticipated water shortages due to climate change, necessitates a shift towards biodiversity-led landscape architecture, including domestic gardens. Traditionally viewed as high-maintenance spaces emphasising tidiness, domestic gardens can significantly impact urban green infrastructure and species richness. This paper explores the concept of 'savage gardens'—untamed and natural spaces representing a fourth nature approach, incorporating wild gardens and neglected areas. Despite potential challenges in public appreciation, it is argued that savage gardens offer substantial benefits, such as reduced maintenance, increased biodiversity, and enhanced resilience to climate change. By reframing the perception of 'savage' from biophobic to a reconnection with nature, savage gardens are proposed as a viable solution for balancing aesthetics, maintenance, ecosystem services, and biodiversity in domestic landscapes, promoting a more sustainable future in the face of the biodiversity emergency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]