Pub Date : 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2026.105580
Jihwan Kim , Toshinori Tanaka
{"title":"Beyond protected areas: Optimizing conservation planning through integrated ecosystem services and connectivity assessment in Okinawa, Japan","authors":"Jihwan Kim , Toshinori Tanaka","doi":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2026.105580","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2026.105580","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":54744,"journal":{"name":"Landscape and Urban Planning","volume":"269 ","pages":"Article 105580"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145962544","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2026.105583
Xiaodi Wang , Yufei Sun , Danyun Jin , Bochuan Zhao , Zimeng Zhang , Yong Chen , Xianfeng Li , Liang Xiong
Climate change, by altering precipitation and potential evapotranspiration, and urbanization, through reducing soil pore and infiltration capacity, both undermine soil water retention and increase flood risks. However, little is known about the combined impact of these factors on soil moisture dynamics. We assessed soil moisture dynamics in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area from 1985 to 2022. A flood resilience map was developed using a robustness index based on soil moisture. The findings indicate that urbanization has significantly reduced soil moisture in urban areas (β = −0.11). Regional soil moisture showed a slight increasing trend, and the estimated coefficients for precipitation and potential evapotranspiration were 0.33 and −0.37, respectively. Urbanization primarily reduced soil moisture in urban areas, while climate change increased soil moisture in regional and natural areas. Meanwhile, notable fluctuations were observed across urban cores, urban boundaries, and coastal areas, indicating the system’s low robustness. The flood resilience risk space exhibited a three-tiered structure, comprising high-risk cores, medium-risk belts, and low-risk points. The three-tier spatial planning framework is proposed to enhance flood resilience: (1) managing compact urban form with a compactness index range of 1.60–1.65, (2) developing a 6.5 km resilient sponge network within the urban boundary where the built-up area fraction remains below 41%, and (3) restoring permeable substrates along coastal areas. This framework evaluates regional resilience through the spatiotemporal dynamics of soil moisture, assessing regional robustness and mapping flood risk for high-density urban agglomerations facing extreme climate events.
{"title":"Impacts of climate change and urbanization on soil moisture dynamics have reduced regional flood resilience","authors":"Xiaodi Wang , Yufei Sun , Danyun Jin , Bochuan Zhao , Zimeng Zhang , Yong Chen , Xianfeng Li , Liang Xiong","doi":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2026.105583","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2026.105583","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change, by altering precipitation and potential evapotranspiration, and urbanization, through reducing soil pore and infiltration capacity, both undermine soil water retention and increase flood risks. However, little is known about the combined impact of these factors on soil moisture dynamics. We assessed soil moisture dynamics in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area from 1985 to 2022. A flood resilience map was developed using a robustness index based on soil moisture. The findings indicate that urbanization has significantly reduced soil moisture in urban areas (<em>β</em> = −0.11). Regional soil moisture showed a slight increasing trend, and the estimated coefficients for precipitation and potential evapotranspiration were 0.33 and −0.37, respectively. Urbanization primarily reduced soil moisture in urban areas, while climate change increased soil moisture in regional and natural areas. Meanwhile, notable fluctuations were observed across urban cores, urban boundaries, and coastal areas, indicating the system’s low robustness. The flood resilience risk space exhibited a three-tiered structure, comprising high-risk cores, medium-risk belts, and low-risk points. The three-tier spatial planning framework is proposed to enhance flood resilience: (1) managing compact urban form with a compactness index range of 1.60–1.65, (2) developing a 6.5 km resilient sponge network within the urban boundary where the built-up area fraction remains below 41%, and (3) restoring permeable substrates along coastal areas. This framework evaluates regional resilience through the spatiotemporal dynamics of soil moisture, assessing regional robustness and mapping flood risk for high-density urban agglomerations facing extreme climate events.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54744,"journal":{"name":"Landscape and Urban Planning","volume":"269 ","pages":"Article 105583"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145956875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-12DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2025.105576
Michelle Stuhlmacher , Jieun Kim
This study examines the environmental trajectories—in terms of overall greenness, tree canopy coverage, and new park space—in formerly redlined communities in Chicago between 2010 and 2020. Unlike prior research that examines green space disparities at a single point in time, we adopt a longitudinal approach to document post-redlining green investments. We find that neighborhoods with lower redlining grades (C and D) often showed greater increases in greening, although these increases declined in the latter half of the study period (2015–2020). Divergent greening patterns were also observed within C- and D-graded areas: census tracts characterized by an increase in homeownership after redlining showed higher greening investment than those where homeownership declined between 1940 and 2020. Overall, these results show substantial heterogeneity in greening trajectories among formerly redlined neighborhoods with the neighborhoods that continued to experience the strongest impacts of discriminatory housing practices receiving the least green investment.
{"title":"The divergent environmental trajectories of formerly redlined communities: a time series analysis of green investment in Chicago","authors":"Michelle Stuhlmacher , Jieun Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2025.105576","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2025.105576","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the environmental trajectories—in terms of overall greenness, tree canopy coverage, and new park space—in formerly redlined communities in Chicago between 2010 and 2020. Unlike prior research that examines green space disparities at a single point in time, we adopt a longitudinal approach to document post-redlining green investments. We find that neighborhoods with lower redlining grades (C and D) often showed greater increases in greening, although these increases declined in the latter half of the study period (2015–2020). Divergent greening patterns were also observed <em>within</em> C- and D-graded areas: census tracts characterized by an increase in homeownership after redlining showed higher greening investment than those where homeownership declined between 1940 and 2020. Overall, these results show substantial heterogeneity in greening trajectories among formerly redlined neighborhoods with the neighborhoods that continued to experience the strongest impacts of discriminatory housing practices receiving the least green investment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54744,"journal":{"name":"Landscape and Urban Planning","volume":"269 ","pages":"Article 105576"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145950135","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Urban green spaces are vital components of city landscapes, yet the role of visible greenery in promoting park use remains poorly understood due to limitations of static, correlational evidence. This study provides quasi-experimental evidence linking visual green exposure (VGE) to urban park engagement, specifically visit duration and physical activity intensity, using large-scale human mobility data and panoramic imagery across Tokyo’s 23 special wards. Employing propensity score matching (PSM), inverse probability weighting (IPW), and overlap weighting (OW), the analysis reveals that park visits with average VGE exceeding 30% are result in 3.36 min longer stays and 116.95 m additional walking distance relative to lower-exposure visits. However, these effects exhibit systematic spatial and temporal heterogeneity. Spatially, urban density mediates VGE’s impact, high VGE boosts engagement in dense city centers but shortens walking distance in peri-urban areas. Temporally, the positive influence of VGE on stat duration is most pronounced on weekends and during morning to midday hours, while declines in evenings. Seasonally, spring and fall amplify the influence of VGE’s on physical activity, while winter shows minimal effects despite year-round accessibility. These findings demonstrate VGE is influential yet context-dependent driver of park usage. By translating visibility into quantifiable engagement metrics, this study offers actionable guidance for planners, including optimized canopy placement and strategic vegetation configuration, to enhance public interaction with nature in dense urban settings.
{"title":"Seeing green, staying longer? A causal analysis of visual green exposure and urban park engagement using mobility and panoramas data","authors":"Yichun Zhou , Xiyuan Ren , Takahiro Yabe , ChengHe Guan","doi":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2026.105579","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2026.105579","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Urban green spaces are vital components of city landscapes, yet the role of visible greenery in promoting park use remains poorly understood due to limitations of static, correlational evidence. This study provides quasi-experimental evidence linking visual green exposure (VGE) to urban park engagement, specifically visit duration and physical activity intensity, using large-scale human mobility data and panoramic imagery across Tokyo’s 23 special wards. Employing propensity score matching (PSM), inverse probability weighting (IPW), and overlap weighting (OW), the analysis reveals that park visits with average VGE exceeding 30% are result in 3.36 min longer stays and 116.95 m additional walking distance relative to lower-exposure visits. However, these effects exhibit systematic spatial and temporal heterogeneity. Spatially, urban density mediates VGE’s impact, high VGE boosts engagement in dense city centers but shortens walking distance in <em>peri</em>-urban areas. Temporally, the positive influence of VGE on stat duration is most pronounced on weekends and during morning to midday hours, while declines in evenings. Seasonally, spring and fall amplify the influence of VGE’s on physical activity, while winter shows minimal effects despite year-round accessibility. These findings demonstrate VGE is influential yet context-dependent driver of park usage. By translating visibility into quantifiable engagement metrics, this study offers actionable guidance for planners, including optimized canopy placement and strategic vegetation configuration, to enhance public interaction with nature in dense urban settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54744,"journal":{"name":"Landscape and Urban Planning","volume":"268 ","pages":"Article 105579"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145939352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2026.105577
Jiayun Zhang , Yexiang Sun , Zihan Li , Lisha Xu , Jingjing Hu , Jie Qiu , Xinhan Zhang , Zongming Yang , Zhanghang Zhu , Yonghao Wu , Yixing Wang , Hongbo Lin , Zhiqin Jiang , Liming Shui , Mengling Tang , Mingjuan Jin , Feng Tong , Kun Chen , Jianbing Wang
Background
Previous studies have suggested an inverse association between residential greenness and anxiety incidence, whereas exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and outdoor light at night (LAN) may elevate risk of anxiety. Nonetheless, their combined impacts, along with potential confounding, interaction, and mediation effects, merit further investigation.
Methods
This prospective cohort study was conducted in Yinzhou, China, comprising 27,882, participants aged over 18 years. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI) were used to characterize greenspace around each participant’s residence. A land use regression (LUR) model was developed to estimate NO2 concentrations, and outdoor LAN was assessed using satellite-derived images. Cox proportional hazards models were employed to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CIs), and restricted cubic splines (RCS) were utilized to depict exposure–response curves. Additionally, we applied a cumulative risk index (CRI) to quantify joint effects of co-existing exposures and explored both additive and multiplicative interactions as well as mediating effects.
Results
Over a median follow-up of 5.10 years, a total of 3,272 incident anxiety cases were identified. In single-exposure models, HRs (95 % CIs) per interquartile range (IQR) increment were 0.73 (0.70, 0.77) for NDVI 250 m, 1.20 (1.10, 1.30) for NO2, and 1.21 (1.17, 1.24) for LAN, respectively. Both greenness and LAN exhibited notable deviations from linearity. Furthermore, the highest joint hazard ratio (JHR) of 1.42 (95 % CI: 1.30, 1.55) was observed when participants were simultaneously exposed to reduced greenness and elevated NO2. Additive and multiplicative interactions were observed between greenness and NO2, as well as between NO2 and LAN. Mediation analyses revealed that 28 % (95 % CI: 14 %, 45 %) of the relationship between NDVI 250 m and anxiety was mediated by reduced LAN.
Conclusions
Residential greenness was inversely associated with anxiety incidence, whereas exposure to NO2 and LAN may elevate risk of anxiety. The detrimental effects of NO2 may be alleviated by increased greenspace but exacerbated by greater exposure to nighttime illumination. Our findings underscore the urgency of integrating greening initiatives and curtailing NO2 and LAN within urban planning agendas to foster resilient and mental health-supportive cities worldwide.
{"title":"Concomitant exposure to residential greenness, nitrogen dioxide, and outdoor light at night in association with incident anxiety","authors":"Jiayun Zhang , Yexiang Sun , Zihan Li , Lisha Xu , Jingjing Hu , Jie Qiu , Xinhan Zhang , Zongming Yang , Zhanghang Zhu , Yonghao Wu , Yixing Wang , Hongbo Lin , Zhiqin Jiang , Liming Shui , Mengling Tang , Mingjuan Jin , Feng Tong , Kun Chen , Jianbing Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2026.105577","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2026.105577","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Previous studies have suggested an inverse association between residential greenness and anxiety incidence, whereas exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO<sub>2</sub>) and outdoor light at night (LAN) may elevate risk of anxiety. Nonetheless, their combined impacts, along with potential confounding, interaction, and mediation effects, merit further investigation.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This prospective cohort study was conducted in Yinzhou, China, comprising 27,882, participants aged over 18 years. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI) were used to characterize greenspace around each participant’s residence. A land use regression (LUR) model was developed to estimate NO<sub>2</sub> concentrations, and outdoor LAN was assessed using satellite-derived images. Cox proportional hazards models were employed to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CIs), and restricted cubic splines (RCS) were utilized to depict exposure–response curves. Additionally, we applied a cumulative risk index (CRI) to quantify joint effects of co-existing exposures and explored both additive and multiplicative interactions as well as mediating effects.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Over a median follow-up of 5.10 years, a total of 3,272 incident anxiety cases were identified. In single-exposure models, HRs (95 % CIs) per interquartile range (IQR) increment were 0.73 (0.70, 0.77) for NDVI 250 m, 1.20 (1.10, 1.30) for NO<sub>2</sub>, and 1.21 (1.17, 1.24) for LAN, respectively. Both greenness and LAN exhibited notable deviations from linearity. Furthermore, the highest joint hazard ratio (JHR) of 1.42 (95 % CI: 1.30, 1.55) was observed when participants were simultaneously exposed to reduced greenness and elevated NO<sub>2</sub>. Additive and multiplicative interactions were observed between greenness and NO<sub>2</sub>, as well as between NO<sub>2</sub> and LAN. Mediation analyses revealed that 28 % (95 % CI: 14 %, 45 %) of the relationship between NDVI 250 m and anxiety was mediated by reduced LAN.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Residential greenness was inversely associated with anxiety incidence, whereas exposure to NO<sub>2</sub> and LAN may elevate risk of anxiety. The detrimental effects of NO<sub>2</sub> may be alleviated by increased greenspace but exacerbated by greater exposure to nighttime illumination. Our findings underscore the urgency of integrating greening initiatives and curtailing NO<sub>2</sub> and LAN within urban planning agendas to foster resilient and mental health-supportive cities worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54744,"journal":{"name":"Landscape and Urban Planning","volume":"268 ","pages":"Article 105577"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145939108","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-08DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2026.105581
Jing Yang , Bo Qin
The relationship between depression and urban environments is well-documented in existing literature, but less is known about the nuanced associations between varying degrees of depression severity and different types of urban environments. We analyzed data from a large-scale social survey of 5,346 urban participants in China in 2021 to examine the relationship between depression severity and urban built and natural environments. Depression was classified into five levels: no, mild, moderate, moderately severe, severe. Built environments were assessed using the indicators aligned with New Urbanism principles, while natural environments were measured by air pollution and greenspace morphology. We employed analysis of variance, multiple comparisons, and multinomial logistic regression, adjusting for individual-level and weather-related covariates. The results revealed non-linear associations. Built environments were primarily associated with moderate depression, showing both protective effects from higher urban density and land-use mix, and adverse effects from greater road density. Specifically, each 1% increase in urban density and land use mix reduced the relative risk of moderate depression by 9.0% and 10.0%, respectively, while higher road density increased it. In contrast, natural environments were mainly linked to moderately severe and severe depression, exhibiting adverse effects from long-term air pollution exposure but protective effects from largest patch index of greenspaces. A 1% increase in long-term air pollution exposure raised the relative risk of moderately severe depression by 34.8%, whereas a 1% increase in the largest patch index of greenspace reduced the risk of severe depression by 34.3%. These findings highlight nuanced, non-linear associations between depression severity and built and natural environments, lend support to the environmental sensitivity theory, and provide evidence-based guidance for health-oriented urban planning.
{"title":"Associations between depression severity and urban built and natural environments: An analysis of nationally representative data from China","authors":"Jing Yang , Bo Qin","doi":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2026.105581","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2026.105581","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The relationship between depression and urban environments is well-documented in existing literature, but less is known about the nuanced associations between varying degrees of depression severity and different types of urban environments. We analyzed data from a large-scale social survey of 5,346 urban participants in China in 2021 to examine the relationship between depression severity and urban built and natural environments. Depression was classified into five levels: no, mild, moderate, moderately severe, severe. Built environments were assessed using the indicators aligned with New Urbanism principles, while natural environments were measured by air pollution and greenspace morphology. We employed analysis of variance, multiple comparisons, and multinomial logistic regression, adjusting for individual-level and weather-related covariates. The results revealed non-linear associations. Built environments were primarily associated with moderate depression, showing both protective effects from higher urban density and land-use mix, and adverse effects from greater road density. Specifically, each 1% increase in urban density and land use mix reduced the relative risk of moderate depression by 9.0% and 10.0%, respectively, while higher road density increased it. In contrast, natural environments were mainly linked to moderately severe and severe depression, exhibiting adverse effects from long-term air pollution exposure but protective effects from largest patch index of greenspaces. A 1% increase in long-term air pollution exposure raised the relative risk of moderately severe depression by 34.8%, whereas a 1% increase in the largest patch index of greenspace reduced the risk of severe depression by 34.3%. These findings highlight nuanced, non-linear associations between depression severity and built and natural environments, lend support to the environmental sensitivity theory, and provide evidence-based guidance for health-oriented urban planning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54744,"journal":{"name":"Landscape and Urban Planning","volume":"268 ","pages":"Article 105581"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145939269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2025.105575
Zhangqian Ye , Yue Cao , Yunshuang Feng , Ming Yam Chan , Haimeng Liu , Xiaoqing Xu , Chengzhao Wu , Bin Chen , Le Yu , Zhicong Zhao , Pei Wang , Shiquan Zhao , Steve Carver
Protected areas (PAs) are vital for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services, but their benefits are unevenly distributed. However, the extent of this inequality remains unclear. A quantitative accessibility–availability framework is developed to evaluate the spatial equality of PAs in China. Using data on 3,710 PAs, a county-level spatial distribution index is constructed by combining road-network accessibility (distance to the nearest PA) and availability (PA quantity and coverage) across 2,859 county-level divisions. Distributional equality is summarized with the Gini coefficient, supplemented by spatial clustering and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR). Results reveal four main patterns: (i) approximately one-third of county-level divisions lack any PA sites, and PA quantity is more unevenly distributed than coverage rates; (ii) accessibility analysis shows an average road distance of 56.57 km to the nearest PA (maximum 503.45 km), with half of all county-level divisions located within 40 km; (iii) pronounced regional asymmetries emerge—eastern, northeastern, and central China host 62.9% of PA sites but only 8.3% of total PA area, whereas western China contains 37.1% of sites and 91.7% of area—indicating fragmented, small PAs in the east versus large, sparse PAs in the west; and (iv) GWR identifies population, road length, GDP per capita, and biodiversity value as the dominant correlates of spatial equality, reflecting the combined demographic, infrastructural, economic, and ecological determinants shaping inequality. Policy implications for PA system planning: (i) integrating spatial equality into PA planning objectives; (ii) prioritizing new PAs near urban and densely populated regions; (iii) enhancing connectivity and gateway infrastructure in remote regions; (iv) supporting small and community-based PAs; and (v) integrating public health into PA planning. Embedding the Gini-based accessibility–availability metric in national and provincial planning can advance an inclusive, just, and ecologically effective PA system.
{"title":"Towards spatial equality in China’s protected area system: An assessment framework integrating accessibility and availability","authors":"Zhangqian Ye , Yue Cao , Yunshuang Feng , Ming Yam Chan , Haimeng Liu , Xiaoqing Xu , Chengzhao Wu , Bin Chen , Le Yu , Zhicong Zhao , Pei Wang , Shiquan Zhao , Steve Carver","doi":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2025.105575","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2025.105575","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Protected areas (PAs) are vital for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services, but their benefits are unevenly distributed. However, the extent of this inequality remains unclear. A quantitative accessibility–availability framework is developed to evaluate the spatial equality of PAs in China. Using data on 3,710 PAs, a county-level spatial distribution index is constructed by combining road-network accessibility (distance to the nearest PA) and availability (PA quantity and coverage) across 2,859 county-level divisions. Distributional equality is summarized with the Gini coefficient, supplemented by spatial clustering and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR). Results reveal four main patterns: (i) approximately one-third of county-level divisions lack any PA sites, and PA quantity is more unevenly distributed than coverage rates; (ii) accessibility analysis shows an average road distance of 56.57 km to the nearest PA (maximum 503.45 km), with half of all county-level divisions located within 40 km; (iii) pronounced regional asymmetries emerge—eastern, northeastern, and central China host 62.9% of PA sites but only 8.3% of total PA area, whereas western China contains 37.1% of sites and 91.7% of area—indicating fragmented, small PAs in the east versus large, sparse PAs in the west; and (iv) GWR identifies population, road length, GDP per capita, and biodiversity value as the dominant correlates of spatial equality, reflecting the combined demographic, infrastructural, economic, and ecological determinants shaping inequality. Policy implications for PA system planning: (i) integrating spatial equality into PA planning objectives; (ii) prioritizing new PAs near urban and densely populated regions; (iii) enhancing connectivity and gateway infrastructure in remote regions; (iv) supporting small and community-based PAs; and (v) integrating public health into PA planning. Embedding the Gini-based accessibility–availability metric in national and provincial planning can advance an inclusive, just, and ecologically effective PA system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54744,"journal":{"name":"Landscape and Urban Planning","volume":"268 ","pages":"Article 105575"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145939270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-31DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2025.105574
Hartmut Fünfgeld , Andreas Christen , Ferdinand Briegel , Simon Schrodi , Alexandra Speidel , Christiane Felder , Jasper Hoffmann , Lina Irscheid , Dominik Merkle , Johannes Meyer , Dirk Schindler , Jonas Wehrle , Cathrin Zengerling
Confronted with increasing urban heat stress risks, local governments need to reconcile expanding green infrastructure for urban cooling with urban densification goals. However, the impacts of incremental urban development in established neighborhoods on urban heat stress risks remain poorly understood. We demonstrate how decision support tools using Artificial Intelligence (AI) can assist complex urban land use and climate adaptation planning. Our findings are based on an inter- and transdisciplinary research project that developed and combined novel AI-supported simulation and prediction methods, namely 3D semantic models, AI-based outdoor thermal comfort models, and optimization and scenario-based AI models. Tool development was combined with transdisciplinary research to assess the real-world application potentials of AI-supported approaches in the City of Freiburg, Germany. The article demonstrates how AI-supported methods can aide and expedite urban land use and adaptation planning to support complex decision-making that needs to balance different strategic goals and interests.
{"title":"Optimizing urban greening and densification in the context of outdoor heat: Opportunities for AI-supported urban adaptation","authors":"Hartmut Fünfgeld , Andreas Christen , Ferdinand Briegel , Simon Schrodi , Alexandra Speidel , Christiane Felder , Jasper Hoffmann , Lina Irscheid , Dominik Merkle , Johannes Meyer , Dirk Schindler , Jonas Wehrle , Cathrin Zengerling","doi":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2025.105574","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2025.105574","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Confronted with increasing urban heat stress risks, local governments need to reconcile expanding green infrastructure for urban cooling with urban densification goals. However, the impacts of incremental urban development in established neighborhoods on urban heat stress risks remain poorly understood. We demonstrate how decision support tools using Artificial Intelligence (AI) can assist complex urban land use and climate adaptation planning. Our findings are based on an inter- and transdisciplinary research project that developed and combined novel AI-supported simulation and prediction methods, namely 3D semantic models, AI-based outdoor thermal comfort models, and optimization and scenario-based AI models. Tool development was combined with transdisciplinary research to assess the real-world application potentials of AI-supported approaches in the City of Freiburg, Germany. The article demonstrates how AI-supported methods can aide and expedite urban land use and adaptation planning to support complex decision-making that needs to balance different strategic goals and interests.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54744,"journal":{"name":"Landscape and Urban Planning","volume":"268 ","pages":"Article 105574"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145883994","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-29DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2025.105570
Maximilian Nawrath , Bart Immerzeel , David N. Barton , Isabel Seifert-Dähnn
Urban sustainability efforts increasingly rely on blue-green infrastructure (BGI) to deliver essential ecosystem services in response to climate change, urbanisation, and declining public health. However, the ecosystem service outcomes of private developers using cost-effectiveness as a paradigm to design BGI measures remains poorly understood, particularly in operational urban planning contexts. This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of BGI measures within Oslo’s Blue-Green Factor (BGF), a planning tool that mandates minimum ecological performance requirements for new developments. We combined cost-effectiveness analysis with expert-based weighting of ecosystem services for 12 common BGI measures.
Our findings demonstrate substantial heterogeneity in cost-effectiveness across BGI measures in relation to ecosystem services, driven largely by cost variation and expected lifespan. Measures with simple vegetation layers (e.g. lawns, sedums) emerged as most cost-efficient due to low implementation costs and long lifetimes but delivered limited ecosystem service benefits. In contrast, structurally complex measures, such as green walls, intensive green roofs, and rain gardens performed better in regulating air pollution, reducing runoff, and supporting biodiversity, albeit at higher costs. Sensitivity analyses revealed cost variation as the dominant factor influencing cost-effectiveness.
Importantly, our cost-effectiveness analysis highlights that the current BGF framework may bias design choices towards low-cost, lower-performing BGI. To more accurately reflect ecosystem service contributions, Oslo’s BGF could benefit from revised weightings and spatially differentiated performance criteria tailored to local socio-ecological priorities. This study provides the first assessment of the BGF’s incentive effects and offers guidance for improving urban BGI planning tools.
{"title":"Challenges in incentivising ecosystem services in urban planning: Oslo’s Blue-Green factor biases blue-green infrastructure design towards low-cost measures","authors":"Maximilian Nawrath , Bart Immerzeel , David N. Barton , Isabel Seifert-Dähnn","doi":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2025.105570","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2025.105570","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Urban sustainability efforts increasingly rely on blue-green infrastructure (BGI) to deliver essential ecosystem services in response to climate change, urbanisation, and declining public health. However, the ecosystem service outcomes of private developers using cost-effectiveness as a paradigm to design BGI measures remains poorly understood, particularly in operational urban planning contexts. This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of BGI measures within Oslo’s Blue-Green Factor (BGF), a planning tool that mandates minimum ecological performance requirements for new developments. We combined cost-effectiveness analysis with expert-based weighting of ecosystem services for 12 common BGI measures.</div><div>Our findings demonstrate substantial heterogeneity in cost-effectiveness across BGI measures in relation to ecosystem services, driven largely by cost variation and expected lifespan. Measures with simple vegetation layers (e.g. lawns, sedums) emerged as most cost-efficient due to low implementation costs and long lifetimes but delivered limited ecosystem service benefits. In contrast, structurally complex measures, such as green walls, intensive green roofs, and rain gardens performed better in regulating air pollution, reducing runoff, and supporting biodiversity, albeit at higher costs. Sensitivity analyses revealed cost variation as the dominant factor influencing cost-effectiveness.</div><div>Importantly, our cost-effectiveness analysis highlights that the current BGF framework may bias design choices towards low-cost, lower-performing BGI. To more accurately reflect ecosystem service contributions, Oslo’s BGF could benefit from revised weightings and spatially differentiated performance criteria tailored to local socio-ecological priorities. This study provides the first assessment of the BGF’s incentive effects and offers guidance for improving urban BGI planning tools.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54744,"journal":{"name":"Landscape and Urban Planning","volume":"268 ","pages":"Article 105570"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145883995","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-27DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2025.105572
Maximilian Nawrath, Ingvild Skumlien Furuseth, Line Barkved, Isabel Seifert-Dähnn
In response to rapid urbanisation, climate breakdown, and biodiversity loss, blue–green infrastructure (BGI) has emerged as a key strategy for addressing urban sustainability challenges. However, widespread adoption on private land remains limited, partly due to implementation barriers. Policymakers increasingly use incentive programs to overcome these barriers, yet their effectiveness is not well understood. This study addresses five research questions: (1) which types of incentives have been examined in the literature, either through model-based experiments and/or practical implementation, to promote BGI on private property; (2) how has the effectiveness of these programs been assessed; (3) who are the primary providers and target groups; and (4) which BGI types and ecosystem services are most frequently incentivised? We conducted a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines, searching Web of Science and Scopus, which yielded 67 studies describing 104 incentive programs that met our inclusion criteria. The reviewed literature indicates a strong geographical bias towards North America and Europe, with limited evidence from low- and middle-income countries. Economic and fiscal instruments dominate the literature, while cooperative, agreement-based, and knowledge and communication instruments are less frequently examined. Publications further suggest that impact assessments often remain narrow in scope, with few studies evaluating long-term, social, or ecological outcomes. Evidence from the reviewed studies shows that private residential property owners were the most common target group, reflecting their central role in urban land management. The analysed publications reveal critical gaps in both geographic coverage and methodological rigour. We recommend that future research integrates more diverse incentive types and adopts standardised evaluation frameworks to strengthen the evidence base and support more effective BGI incentive design.
为了应对快速城市化、气候崩溃和生物多样性丧失,蓝绿基础设施(BGI)已成为应对城市可持续性挑战的关键战略。然而,在私人土地上的广泛采用仍然有限,部分原因是实施障碍。决策者越来越多地使用激励计划来克服这些障碍,但其有效性尚未得到很好的理解。本研究解决了五个研究问题:(1)通过基于模型的实验和/或实际实施,文献中考察了哪些类型的激励措施来促进私有财产上的华大基因;(2)如何评估这些项目的有效性;(三)谁是主要提供者和目标群体;(4)哪些大基因类型和生态系统服务最常受到激励?我们根据PRISMA指南进行了系统的回顾,检索了Web of Science和Scopus,得出了67项研究,描述了104项符合我们纳入标准的激励计划。文献综述表明,北美和欧洲存在强烈的地理偏见,来自中低收入国家的证据有限。经济和财政手段在文献中占主导地位,而合作、基于协议的以及知识和交流手段较少受到审查。出版物进一步表明,影响评估的范围往往很窄,很少有研究评估长期、社会或生态结果。检讨研究的证据显示,私人住宅物业业主是最常见的目标群体,反映他们在城市土地管理中的核心作用。经过分析的出版物揭示了地理覆盖范围和方法严谨性方面的重大差距。我们建议未来的研究整合更多样化的激励类型,采用标准化的评估框架,以加强证据基础,支持更有效的华大基因激励设计。
{"title":"Incentives for the implementation and maintenance of urban blue-green infrastructure: A systematic review","authors":"Maximilian Nawrath, Ingvild Skumlien Furuseth, Line Barkved, Isabel Seifert-Dähnn","doi":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2025.105572","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.landurbplan.2025.105572","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In response to rapid urbanisation, climate breakdown, and biodiversity loss, blue–green infrastructure (BGI) has emerged as a key strategy for addressing urban sustainability challenges. However, widespread adoption on private land remains limited, partly due to implementation barriers. Policymakers increasingly use incentive programs to overcome these barriers, yet their effectiveness is not well understood. This study addresses five research questions: (1) which types of incentives have been examined in the literature, either through model-based experiments and/or practical implementation, to promote BGI on private property; (2) how has the effectiveness of these programs been assessed; (3) who are the primary providers and target groups; and (4) which BGI types and ecosystem services are most frequently incentivised?<!--> <!-->We conducted a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines, searching Web of Science and Scopus, which yielded 67 studies describing 104 incentive programs that met our inclusion criteria. The reviewed literature indicates a strong geographical bias towards North America and Europe, with limited evidence from low- and middle-income countries. Economic and fiscal instruments dominate the literature, while cooperative, agreement-based, and knowledge and communication instruments are less frequently examined. Publications further suggest that impact assessments often remain narrow in scope, with few studies evaluating long-term, social, or ecological outcomes. Evidence from the reviewed studies shows that private residential property owners were the most common target group, reflecting their central role in urban land management. The analysed publications reveal critical gaps in both geographic coverage and methodological rigour. We recommend that future research integrates more diverse incentive types and adopts standardised evaluation frameworks to strengthen the evidence base and support more effective BGI incentive design.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54744,"journal":{"name":"Landscape and Urban Planning","volume":"268 ","pages":"Article 105572"},"PeriodicalIF":9.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}