The Role of Urban Green Spaces in the Transformation of Community Ecosystem in Developing Countries (original) (raw)
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Chapter 10. The Role of Urban Green Spaces in the Transformation of Community Ecosystem in Developing Countries, 2019
This chapter aims to analyze the review the existing literature on some important features of urban green spaces such as the components, functions, services, community involvement, initiatives, and actions from an ecosystem perspective. The analysis begins from the assumption that urban green spaces are ecosystems of vital importance in enhancing the quality of life in an urban environment and supplying ecosystem services such as biodiversity and climate regulation. Meeting the needs of users is related with the functions and services that urban green spaces provide to communities. The methods employed in this analysis are the empirical literature and documents review, analysis of existing data on uses and users, interviews with authorities, and more detailed examination of a case specific data. Also, as some concluding remarks, some wider environmental, economic, and social initiatives for local authorities and communities are suggested that can justify initiatives by all represented and involved stakeholders. Finally, the study advances some opportunities, challenges, and further research.
The Role of Urban Green Spaces in the Transformation of Community Ecosystem in Developing Countries, 2020
This chapter aims to analyze the review the existing literature on some important features of urban green spaces such as the components, functions, services, community involvement, initiatives, and actions from an ecosystem perspective. The analysis begins from the assumption that urban green spaces are ecosystems of vital importance in enhancing the quality of life in an urban environment and supplying ecosystem services such as biodiversity and climate regulation. Meeting the needs of users is related with the functions and services that urban green spaces provide to communities. The methods employed in this analysis are the empirical literature and documents review, analysis of existing data on uses and users, interviews with authorities, and more detailed examination of a case specific data. Also, as some concluding remarks, some wider environmental, economic, and social initiatives for local authorities and communities are suggested that can justify initiatives by all represented and involved stakeholders. Finally, the study advances some opportunities, challenges, and further research.
Urban Green Spaces as a Component of an Ecosystem Functions, Services, Users, Community Involvement, initiatives and Actions, 2018
This paper aims to analyze the review the existing literature on some important features of urban green spaces such as the components, functions, services, community involvement, initiatives and actions from an ecosystem perspective. The analysis begins from the assumption that urban green spaces are ecosystems of vital importance in enhancing the quality of life in an urban environment and supplying ecosystem services such as biodiversity, climate regulation. Thus, the urban green space is an important component of an ecosystem in any community development. Meeting the needs of users is related with the functions and services that urban green spaces provide to communities. Community involvement, engagement and development require mechanisms to ensure meeting the needs and aspirations of local users in the community. The methods employed in this analysis are the empirical literature and documents review, analysis of existing data on uses and users, interviews with authorities and more detailed examination of a case specific data. Also, as some concluding remarks, some wider environmental, economic and social initiatives for local authorities and communities are suggested that can justify initiatives by all represented and involved stakeholders. Finally, the study advances some opportunities, challenges and further research.
Urban Green Spaces as a Component of an Ecosystem
Handbook of Engaged Sustainability, 2018
This chapter is aimed at analyzing a review of the empirical literature on some important features of urban green spaces such as the components, functions, services, community involvement, initiatives, and actions from an ecosystem perspective. The analysis begins from the assumption that urban green spaces are ecosystems of vital importance in enhancing the quality of life in an urban
Urban Ecosystem services on the local level: Urban green spaces as providers
Ekologia, 2013
Breuste J., Schnellinger J., Qureshi S., Faggi A.: Urban ecosystem services on the local level: Urban green spaces as providers. Ekológia (Bratislava), Vol. 32, No. 3, p. 209-304, 2013. Ecosystem services are provided at different spatial and service/functional scales. The local level is the basic unit for ecosystem services, especially when it comes to the human dimension of urban landscapes. These services are provided by green elements (patches) or basic complex ecosystems (green areas) which differ from their neighbourhoods through their structures and functions. This study reviews the generally available knowledge on urban green functions and services at the site level and explains them by using own studies in five different cities in three different continents related to distinct ecosystem services. This allows the development of a methodology to evaluate and compare ecosystem services at the site level. The methodology is based at two levels, patch and green space, and includes the relationship with the surrounding green and built-up space. Different urban green space types are characterized by their internal structures of vegetation, size, shape and location in relation to at least a semi-quantitative scaling of their urban ecosystem services. The evaluated urban green spaces are public urban green spaces. The urban ecosystem services assessed include climate regulation, biodiversity, nature experience, recreation and health. The actual urban challenges, such as land use change, adaptation to climate change, demographic change and urban cultural diversity, demand a systematic and very concrete monitoring of urban ecosystem services at the site level.
Pockets of green space in cities can provide important ecosystem services for urban residents. As naturalistic spaces in urban areas become increasingly sparse, communities are beginning to co-manage existing incidental pockets of land towards the creation of communal natural resources. Such green commons can be productive in terms of ecosystem services through targeted management such as in the case of urban agriculture. Although some work has been done to explore the motives behind and potential benefits of informal green space management, further research is required to understand those characteristics of site management and community input which contribute to the enhancement of site-specific ecosystem service production. A case study of ten examples of community-managed green space was undertaken to evaluate the contributory factors relating to site character and management which influenced productivity as defined by the cumulative provision of four urban-relevant ecosystem services. The analysis revealed that the level of community involvement, measured as intensity of volunteer hours, was highly instrumental in the productivity of sites. Food production also proved to be catalytic for the enhancement of ecosystem services whereas extent of vegetative cover and increasing site size were, counter-intuitively, detrimental to overall site productivity. The study therefore supports the promotion of participatory approaches to the management of ecosystems services in urban areas, particularly those which take small-scale urban agriculture as a primary practice.
Green space in urban areas: a methodological approach based on ecosystem services
2013
Green spaces in urban areas provide multiple and diverse functions like the contribution to the preservation of biodiversity, the rapprochement of the nature to the population, promoting this way the health and well-being. The aim of this study is to develop a methodological approach that provides a basis for planning and management of urban green spaces in order to identify the goods and services that urban green spaces can provide to the urban areas and their citizens. The proposed methodology consists on a set of criteria that express the goods and ecosystem services-local climate regulation, recreation, economic valuation of goods and services, citizen involvement in local planning and management, etc.-and their indicators to make possible its operation. The application of the indicators in urban park of Quinta das Conchas and Lilases makes possible an operationalization of the developed methodology. After the application of the indicators, the results are collected in the matrix which expresses the actual condition of each good and service, systematizing information that makes possible support decisions about the need for action in each urban green space analyzed.
Urban Green Spaces for Sustainable Community Development
Advances in Electronic Government, Digital Divide, and Regional Development
This chapter aims to analyze the strategic management innovation in sustainable management of urban green spaces for neighborhood and community development. The report is intended to review the available theoretical and empirical literature on urban green spaces in the main related topics of community and neighborhood development, sustainable management, and strategic management innovation. The research methods employed are the analytical from a functionalist approach moving later into the critical analysis and finally from a holistic or integrative point of view. Finally, this chapter adopts a provocative and prescriptive strategic management approach of urban green spaces by presenting some research gaps and suggesting future research.
Ecosystem services of urban green spaces in African countries — perspectives and challenges
2013
The concept of ecosystem goods and services is increasingly used to describe how biodiversity and ecosystems are linked to human well-being and that it should be placed at the core of sustainable urban development. Predictions of a tremendous future increase of urbanization in Africa necessitate an investigation into the research on ecosystem goods and services in the urban green infrastructure of Africa. Ecosystem goods and services (ES) are described as the benefits humans derive directly or indirectly from ecosystem functions and are classified as supporting, provisioning, regulating and cultural services. A literature study focusing on journal papers was conducted. Additionally a case study based on two masters studies was further refined. ES studies in African cities are biased towards South Africa and include assessments and economic valuations in which several different methods were used to determine direct consumptive and non-consumptive and indirect use values. Emphasis was placed on the multifunctional nature of ES. The main objectives of these studies were to sensitize policy makers, planners and the general public about the importance of biodiversity and ES. Ecosystem-based adaptation is discussed as the most appropriate approach in terms of applying knowledge about ES and their values in African cities as many residents still rely on ES from natural areas, but the major ecological, economic and political challenges are acknowledged. A case study focusing on domestic gardens (private green spaces) have indicated that the demand and supply of certain ES differ along a socio-economic gradient due to poor service delivery and smaller plots in the poorer areas mainly due to the legacy of separate development of the past. Where provisioning services are mainly outsourced in cities, it was found that plant species useful as food, medicine, etc. were more frequent in the gardens of poorer residents than in those of more affluent areas. The tendency to pay more for residential properties close to public open spaces, as in Europe, could not be statistically proven in the more affluent areas of a South African city, although the property values in proximity of public open spaces in some of the areas studied were lower than further away. Urban Ecosyst