Urban Forests and Green Spaces: Ecology, Socio-Economic Dynamics, and Sustainable Management
A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Urban Forestry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2027 | Viewed by 524
Special Issue Editors
Interests: urban green space planning; spatial accessibility and equity; ecosystem services; socio-economic valuation; spatiotemporal analysis; big data and artificial intelligence; nature-based solutions (NbS)
Interests: urban green space and public health; restorative environments; air pollution mitigation; urban soundscapes; biodiversity-oriented landscape design; landscape perception and preference
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Urban forests and green spaces are no longer viewed merely as esthetic amenities; they are recognized as critical natural capital that underpins the resilience and sustainability of urban ecosystems. As global urbanization accelerates and climate challenges intensify, understanding the complex nexus between urban ecology, socio-economic dynamics, and human well-being has never been more urgent.
While the ecological functions of green infrastructure are well-documented, translating these benefits into measurable socio-economic values remains a critical frontier. This Special Issue highlights the necessity of mainstreaming ecosystem service valuation and natural capital accounting into urban governance. We are particularly interested in how green spaces capitalize into local economies—such as property values and real estate markets—and how to balance this economic vitality with spatial equity to prevent environmental injustice and green gentrification.
We invite original research, systematic reviews, and methodological advancements that bridge landscape ecology with urban economics and social sciences. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Ecosystem service valuation and natural capital accounting;
- Socio-economic impacts of nature-based solutions (NbS);
- Spatial equity, accessibility, and environmental justice;
- Capitalization of green spaces in housing and real estate markets;
- Data-driven approaches (e.g., artificial intelligence, spatial modeling, big data, UAVs) for sustainable urban management.
Dr. Huilin Liang
Prof. Dr. Tian Gao
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- urban forestry
- ecosystem service valuation
- natural capital
- socio-economic dynamics
- nature-based solutions (NbS)
- spatial equity
- green gentrification
- environmental–economic accounting
- sustainable urban planning
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