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► Journal BrowserSpecial Issue "Sustainable Management of Urban Forests"
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Forestry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 December 2021.
Special Issue Editor
Interests: management of urban forest; valuation methods of urban trees; public participation; agroforestry; landscape; forest engineering; environmental engineering; higher education
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The planning stages of urban green infrastructures, together with the public and private management of urban greenery and the evaluation of multiple aspects of green spaces and urban trees, are key elements in meeting the sustainability objectives of urban forests.
Alongside its main environmental component, sustainability must also offer social and economic considerations. This renders interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches essential in research.
Contemporary green infrastructure planning challenges require engineering solutions that ensure sustainability. The main current challenge is to create resilient, multifunctional green spaces that optimize land use, provide ecosystem benefits, achieve economic and cultural value and improve social well-being. In this context, planning practices rely increasingly on nature-based solutions.
Both public and private urban greenery management requires the quantification of costs and benefits, not just economic but also environmental. Currently, urban green valuation methods with an increasing presence of environmental criteria are analysed and reformulated in multiple scientific studies. The number of studies in which decision making includes public participation is also growing.
The evaluation of green spaces and urban trees involves asset valuation methods, as well as facets such as the proper use of space, health benefits, contribution to social well-being, education and cultural development. The analysis of biophilia and its relevance in the design of urban environments is an innovative approach in urban greenery appraisal.
The objective of this Special Issue is to showcase scientific research, work and experiences capable of providing a deeper understanding of sustainability issues in urban greenery, using multidisciplinary and innovative solutions at ecological, social and economic levels in order to meet contemporary urban needs. The collaboration of a wide range of disciplines and organisations interested in urban areas, including local governments, will make it possible to translate scientific knowledge into practice, obtaining significant economic benefits and improving the quality of life required by urban dwellers.
Prof. Ayuga-Téllez Esperanza
Guest Editor
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 papers will be 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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 1900 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 forests
- sustainable urban development
- green infrastructure
- urban resilience
- ecosystem services
- social services
- cultural services
- economic benefits
- public participation
- nature-based solutions
Planned Papers
The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.
Title: Analysis of pollen concentrations from various tree pollen types and their possible interrelation with concentrations of different airborne pollutants
Authors: Javier Chico-Fernández; Esperanza Ayuga-Téllez
Affiliation: Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Abstract: The aim of this article is to analyse the possible influence of various airborne pollutants (ozone, particles – PM10 and PM2,5 –, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide) in the pollen grains of Cupressaceae, Olea, Platanus, Pinus, Ulmus and Populus. This was done taking as a geographic reference the Madrid Region, and specifically the 11 areas around the stations in the Madrid Region's pollen monitoring network (Palinocam Network). This network covers areas with high rates of airborne pollution (mainly the city of Madrid), and other areas which, given their geographic situation and low population density, may be assumed a priori to have lower air pollution rates (more rural areas such as the towns of Collado Villalba and Aranjuez). Cases of allergic pathologies caused by pollen in recent years and even decades has continued to rise inexorably, not only in the Madrid Region but also in Europe and in other parts of the world. This has a negative effect on the quality of life of an ever greater number of people. As evidenced by other studies, the interaction between airborne pollutants – both gaseous and particulate – and pollen grains can lead to increased pollen allergenicity, and thus augment and exacerbate in the incidence of pollinosis, all of which represents a major public health problem. It is therefore essential to have knowledge of this interaction in order to promote environmental policies, and particularly to combat the rise in the emissions of airborne pollutants and aid the correct planning, location and extension of green urban areas – in the form of parks and gardens – and ensure the progressive readiness and improvement in the care of trees in the city's streets and avenues. This knowledge is also important for the proper management of trees in rural areas, and for reforestation, maintenance, and the promotion of environmental education in order to encourage respect for and conservation of our trees.