Search Results (423)

Implementing nature-based solutions (NbSs) for wildfire risk management and other hazards has been challenging in emerging economies due to the high costs, the lack of immediate returns on investment, and stringent inclusion criteria set by organizations like the IUCN and domain experts. To address these challenges, this exploratory study proposes a new concept: green/blue initiatives. These initiatives represent intermediate steps, encompassing small-scale, community-driven activities that can evolve into recognized NbSs over time. To explore this concept, experiences related to wildfire prevention in the Biobío region of Chile were analyzed through primary and secondary source reviews. The analysis identified three initiatives qualifying as green/blue initiatives: (1) goat grazing in Santa Juana to reduce fuel loads, (2) a restoration prevention farm model in Florida called Faro de Restauración Mahuidanche and (3) the Conservation Landscape Strategy in Nonguén. They were examined in detail using data collected from site visits and interviews. In contrast to Chile’s prevailing wildfire policies, which focus on costly, large-scale fire suppression efforts, these initiatives emphasize the importance of reframing wildfire as a manageable ecological process. Lastly, the challenges and enabling factors for adopting green/blue initiatives are discussed, highlighting their potential to pave the way for future NbS implementation in central Chile. Full article

This paper presents the Green Watershed Index (GWI) methodology, focusing on the 17 sustainability indicators selected in the Razey watershed, NW Iran. Field surveys and data collection have provided the possibility of field inspection and measurement of the present condition of the watershed and the indicators taken. Based on the degree of compliance with the required process, each indicator was scored from 0 to 10 and classified into three categories: unsustainable, semi-sustainable, and sustainable. Using the Entropy method to assign weight to each indicator and formulating a proportional mathematical relationship, the GWI score for each sub-watershed was derived. Spatial changes regarding the selected indicators and, consequently, the GWI were detected in the study area. Development of water infrastructure, particularly in the upstream sub-watersheds, plays a great role in increasing the GWI score. The highest weight is related to environmental productivity (0.26), and the five indicators of water footprint, knowledge management and information quality system, landscape attractiveness, waste recycling, and corruption control have approximately zero weight due to their monotonous spatial distribution throughout sub-watersheds. Only sub-watershed R1 has the highest score (5.13), indicating a semi-sustainable condition. The rest of the sub-watersheds have unsustainable conditions (score below 5). Concerning the GWI, the watershed is facing a critical situation, necessitating the implementation of management and conservation strategies that align with the sustainability level of each sub-watershed. Full article

The global escalation of organic waste generation, coupled with rising protein demand and environmental pressure, necessitates innovative, circular approaches to resource management. Hermetia illucens (Black Soldier Fly, BSF) has emerged as a leading candidate for integrated waste-to-resource systems. This review examines BSF biological and genomic adaptations underpinning waste conversion efficiency, comparative performance of BSF bioconversion versus traditional treatments, nutritional and functional attributes, techno-economic, regulatory, and safety barriers to industrial scale-up. Peer-reviewed studies were screened for methodological rigor, and data on life cycle traits, conversion metrics, and product compositions were synthesized. BSF larvae achieve high waste reductions, feed-conversion efficiencies and redirect substrate carbon into biomass, yielding net CO₂ emissions as low as 12–17 kg CO₂ eq ton⁻¹, an order of magnitude below composting or vermicomposting. Larval biomass offers protein, lipids (notably lauric acid), micronutrients, chitin, and antimicrobial peptides, with frass serving as a nutrient-rich fertilizer. Pathogen and antibiotic resistance gene loads decrease during bioconversion. Key constraints include substrate heterogeneity, heavy metal accumulation, fragmented regulatory landscapes, and high energy and capital demands. BSF systems demonstrate superior environmental and nutritional performance compared to conventional waste treatments. Harmonized safety standards, feedstock pretreatment, automation, and green extraction methods are critical to overcoming scale-up barriers. Interdisciplinary innovation and policy alignment will enable BSF platforms to realize their full potential within circular bio-economies. Full article

Urban green spaces (UGSs) and forests play a vital role in shaping sustainable and livable cities, offering not only ecological benefits but also spaces that are essential for human well-being, social interactions, and everyday life. Understanding the landscape features that resonate most with public preferences is essential for enhancing the appeal, accessibility, and functionality of these environments. However, traditional approaches—such as surveys or single-data analyses—often lack the nuance needed to capture the complex and multisensory nature of human responses to green spaces. This study explores a cross-modal methodology that integrates natural language processing (NLP) and deep learning techniques to analyze text and image data collected from public reviews of 19 urban parks in Nanjing. By capturing both subjective emotional expressions and objective visual impressions, this study reveals a consistent public preference for natural landscapes, particularly those featuring evergreen trees, shrubs, and floral elements. Text-based data reflect users’ lived experiences and nuanced perceptions, while image data offers insights into visual appeal and spatial composition. By bridging human-centered insights with data-driven analysis, this research provides a robust framework for evaluating landscape preferences. It also underscores the importance of designing green spaces that are not only ecologically sound but also emotionally resonant and socially inclusive. The findings offer valuable guidance for the planning, design, and adaptive management of urban green infrastructure in ways that support healthier, more responsive, and smarter urban environments. Full article

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are increasingly adopted in urban settings to restore ecological functions and enhance biodiversity. This study evaluates the effects of NbS interventions on bird, insect, and plant communities in the Cavalum Valley urban green area, Penafiel (northern Portugal). Over a three-year period, systematic field surveys assessed changes in species richness, abundance, and ecological indicators following actions such as riparian restoration, afforestation, habitat diversification, and invasive species removal. Results revealed a marked increase in bird overall abundance from 538 to 941 individuals and in average pollinator population size from 9.25 to 12.20. Plant diversity also improved, with a rise in native and RELAPE-listed species (5.23%). Functional group analyses underscored the importance of vegetative structure in supporting varied foraging and nesting behaviours. These findings highlight the effectiveness of integrated NbS in enhancing biodiversity and ecological resilience in urban landscapes while reinforcing the need for long-term monitoring to guide adaptive management and conservation planning. Future work could evaluate ecological resilience thresholds and community participation in citizen science monitoring. Full article

(1) Background: Urban parks play a critical role in conserving biodiversity within city landscapes, yet the effects of fine-scale microhabitat heterogeneity remain poorly understood. This study examines how land cover and vegetation unit type within parks influence butterfly diversity. (2) Methods: From July to September 2019 and June to September 2020, adult butterflies were surveyed in 27 urban parks across Beijing. We classified vegetation into units based on vertical structure and management intensity, and then applied the patch–matrix framework and landscape metrics to quantify fine-scale heterogeneity in vegetation unit composition and configuration. Generalized linear models (GLM), generalized additive models (GAM), and random forest (RF) models were applied to identify factors influencing butterfly richness (Chao1 index) and abundance. (3) Results: In total, 10,462 individuals representing 37 species, 28 genera, and five families were recorded. Model results revealed that the proportion of park area covered by spontaneous herbaceous areas (SHA), wooded spontaneous meadows (WSM), and the Shannon diversity index (SHDI) of vegetation units were positively associated with butterfly species richness. In contrast, butterfly abundance was primarily influenced by the proportion of park area covered by cultivated meadows (CM) and overall green-space coverage. (4) Conclusions: Fine-scale vegetation patch composition within urban parks significantly influences butterfly diversity. Our findings support applying the patch–matrix framework at intra-park scales and suggest that integrating spontaneous herbaceous zones—especially wooded spontaneous meadows—with managed flower-rich meadows will enhance butterfly diversity in urban parks. Full article

Urban vacant land can provide important habitat for birds, especially in cities with high concentrations of residential vacancy. Understanding which vegetation features best support urban biodiversity can inform greening strategies that benefit both wildlife and residents. This study addressed two questions: (1) How does bird species composition reflect the potential conservation value of these neighborhoods? (2) Which vegetation structures predict bird abundance across a fine-grained urban landscape? To answer these questions, we conducted avian and vegetation surveys across 100 one-hectare plots in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. These surveys showed that species richness was positively associated with canopy cover (β = 0.32, p = 0.003). Canopy cover was also the strongest predictor of American Robin (Turdus migratorius) and Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) abundance (β = 1.9 for both species). In contrast, impervious surfaces and abandoned buildings were associated with generalist species. European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) abundance was strongly and positively correlated with NMS Axis 1 (r = 0.878), while Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) abundance was negatively correlated (r = −0.728). These findings underscore the significance of strategic habitat management in promoting urban biodiversity and addressing ecological challenges within urban landscapes. They also emphasize the importance of integrating biodiversity goals into urban planning policies to ensure sustainable and equitable development. Full article

Despite the importance of Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) as a provider of multiple Ecosystem Services (ESs), some concerns have been raised regarding Ecosystem Disservices (EDs) associated with UGI design and management, namely, the link between Urban Green Spaces’ (UGSs) attributes and invasion spatial patterns. This research takes the UGI of Coimbra, a medium-sized Portuguese city, as a case study to explore the relationships between UGS attributes and the occurrence of invasive plant species. The methodology involved aerial photo-interpretation and full patch survey to collect data about UGSs types, maintenance level and occurrence of invasive plant species, and landscape metrics analysis. Our results showed that the UGI of Coimbra exhibits a large prevalence of small UGSs with regular maintenance and the occurrence of invasive plant species in a low number of patches (17%). Although these patches correspond to 64% of the UGI. The area of recent sprawl (zone 2) registers higher occurrence of invasive plant species across different UGSs types, with higher prevalence in patches with no or low maintenance. Mapping the occurrence of invasive plant species in UGS is of utmost importance to implement appropriate maintenance practices, allowing medium-sized cities like Coimbra to optimize ESs associated with UGI and minimize potential EDs. Full article

Urbanisation and land-use change are among the main pressures on soil health in periurban areas, but the multifunctionality of grassland soils is still not sufficiently recognised. In this study, the physical and chemical properties of soils under grassland, forest and croplands in the periurban area of Zagreb were investigated in a two-year period. Grasslands consistently exhibited multifunctional benefits, including high organic matter content (4.68% vs. 2.24% in cropland), improved bulk density (1.14 vs. 1.24 g cm⁻³) and an active carbon cycle indicated by increased CO₂ emissions (up to 1403 kg ha⁻¹ day⁻¹ in 2021). Forest soils showed the highest aggregate stability (91.4%) and infiltration (0.0006 cm s⁻¹), while croplands showed signs of structural degradation with the highest bulk density and lowest water retention (39.9%). Temporal variation showed that grassland was particularly responsive to favourable climatic conditions, with soil porosity and water content improving yearly. Principal component analysis showed that soil structure, biological activity and moisture regulation were linked, with grassland plots favourably positioned along the axes of resilience. The absence of tillage and the presence of permanent vegetation cover contributed to their high capacity for climate and water regulation and carbon sequestration. These results emphasise the importance of protecting and managing grasslands as an important component of urban green areas. Practices such as mulching, minimal disturbance and continuous cover can maximise the ecosystem services of grassland soils. In addition, the results highlight the potential risk of trace metal accumulation in cropland and grassland soils located near urban and farming infrastructure, underlining the need for regular monitoring in periurban environments. Integrating grassland functions into urban planning and policy is essential for improving the sustainability and resilience of periurban landscapes. Full article

Livestock farming has been identified as a significant contributor to atmospheric pollution, underscoring the necessity for the design and management of housing systems to adopt mitigation strategies. In the context of civil engineering, green wall systems are proving to be effective solutions for air filtration and purification. Nevertheless, research related to their application in livestock buildings is limited. This study focuses on the design, implementation, and performance evaluation of a modular, mobile green wall system that has been specifically developed to test PM2.5 concentrations’ reduction in naturally ventilated, free-stall dairy barns in the Mediterranean region. To this end, PM2.5 concentrations and climatic parameters have been measured before and after the application of the green wall system. Based on one-way analysis of variance, PM2.5 concentrations after the application were significantly lower (p < 0.001) than those before the mitigation strategy. The results of this study showed that the overall efficacy of the green wall reached 44%. The implementation of green wall systems offers a promising strategy to improve air quality in livestock facilities and to design aesthetically pleasing barns with a positive impact on the surrounding landscape. Full article

Urban environments pose challenges for pollinators due to habitat loss and limited floral resources. However, green infrastructure, particularly street and ornamental trees, can play a critical role in supporting urban pollinator communities. In this study, we evaluated nectar volume, sugar content, and amino acid composition across eight urban tree species commonly planted in South Korea. Using standardized productivity metrics at the flower, tree, and hectare scales, we compared their nutritional contributions. Our results revealed substantial interspecific differences in nectar quantity and composition. Tilia amurensis, Heptacodium miconioides, Aesculus turbinata, and Wisteria floribunda exhibited high nectar yields or amino acid productivity, whereas species such as Cornus kousa, though lower in nutritional yield, may offer complementary value due to their distinct flowering periods or other phenological traits. These findings underscore the importance of selecting tree species not only for aesthetic value but also for ecological function, providing an evidence-based approach to pollinator-friendly urban biodiversity planning and landscape management. Full article

As an important green infrastructure, urban greenways can provide a range of socio-ecological benefits and play an important role in improving the urban ecological environment and enhancing the quality of living. Currently, the relationship between service quality and the actual benefits of greenways has not been sufficiently explored in urban greenway research. This study introduces the concept of “efficiency”, determines service efficiency and service effectiveness as the evaluation dimensions, selects 4 first-level indicators and 12 second-level indicators to evaluate the service efficiency of greenways, and constructs an evaluation model using a combination of subjective and objective assignments. This study uses the overall service effectiveness index and the efficiency–effectiveness balance index to measure the overall performance of the greenway space in the hope of revealing the key factors and reasons that affect the service effectiveness of the greenway and providing a theoretical basis for optimizing the planning and management of the greenway. Using ArcGIS network analysis technology, image semantic segmentation technology, a questionnaire survey, network text analysis, and other methods to quantify the indicators, this paper conducts an empirical study on four municipal greenways in Nanjing. This research shows that the factors affecting the service effectiveness of greenways mainly include the landscape environment, greenway functions, transportation conditions, and supporting facility factors. The contradiction between the single-function positioning and the variety of user needs is the main reason for the imbalance between the efficiency and effectiveness of urban greenways. This study provides a new path to quantify greenway service effectiveness and enriches the greenway evaluation theory. Full article

Urban green spaces are integral components of city ecosystems, supporting essential belowground microbial communities such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Understanding how green space types influence AMF communities is key to promoting urban ecological function. This study examines AMF diversity, community assembly, and co-occurrence network structures in two urban green space types—park and roadside—in Kaifeng, Henan Province, China. Soil samples were collected from both sites, and AMF community composition was assessed using high-throughput sequencing. Environmental variables, including total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK), water content, and pH, were measured to evaluate their influence on AMF communities. The results indicate marked differences between the two green space types. Park soils support significantly greater AMF species richness and more complex co-occurrence networks than roadside soils. These differences are correlated with higher nutrient levels in park soils. By contrast, AMF communities in roadside soils are more strongly associated with soil water content and pH, resulting in reduced diversity and more homogeneous community structures. Stochastic processes predominantly govern community assembly in both green space types, with roadside green spaces being more influenced by stochastic processes than park green spaces. These findings highlight the influence of urban landscape type on AMF communities and provide guidance for enhancing urban biodiversity through targeted landscape planning and soil management. In future work, we will implement long-term AMF monitoring across different green-space types and evaluate specific management practices to optimize soil health and ecosystem resilience. Full article

Urban landscapes are capable of responsive urban development that optimises the quality of Urban Green Space (UGS) for advanced function as a matter of efficient and convenient knowledge management. As a theory for positive outcomes for urban landscapes substantiated by refined wilding, functional urban biodiversity can optimise the use of cross-disciplinary knowledge sets, leading to more efficient design and policy for UGS that accommodates human health and the natural-environment in urban landscapes. This optimisation is complementary to the smart cities concept, offering convenience, efficiency, and quality of life, and can ensure that sustainable urban development advances with smart cities. The smart cities concept has, over the last decades, developed to integrate sustainability and UGS. This article suggests and finds that refined wilding could provide conceptual guidance for smart cities, as a concept, component model, and planning process, and for smart city devices and technologies, with functional biodiversity as an aim and positive outcome for different UGS types, including residential gardens, which are at an individual level of initiative, responsibility, and choice, and public UGSs which are more likely to be top–down-designed and -implemented. Using a literature review and conceptually framed analysis, functional biodiversity in UGS is found to positively contribute to the smart cities concept by encouraging the efficient use of advanced knowledge sets from various disciplines for the topic of UGS. This article finds that refined wilding supports and furthers ideas like the importance of the quality of UGS as compared to the quantity, the advantages of high-quality and advanced-function UGS as compared to the disadvantages of less functional UGS, and how wild-refined UGS furthers or complements and supports more advanced ideas for UGS. The recommendations for future directions give further examples of advances in refined wilding for sustainable smart cities. The focus on the quality of UGS and advanced function brings refined wilding for functional biodiversity to smart cities with efficiency and convenience in urban development and sustainability terms. Full article

In recent years, landscape-scale green infrastructure (LGI) has evolved from academic discussions into a critical approach to achieving sustainable development in national strategies in many countries. Since 2014, Japan has proactively integrated LGI into various policy documents; however, there is still a lack of systematic research on its policy positioning and strategic expectations. This study employs text mining, qualitative comparative analysis, and policy integration analysis to establish a comprehensive analytical framework for examining 66 screened and validated national-level policy strategy documents related to LGI in Japan. The results reveal four common core themes, four potential innovative directions, and seven topics defining the policy positioning of LGI. Additionally, the study highlights thematic preferences across different departments and temporal evolution trends. The findings indicate that Japan’s policy positioning on LGI is transitioning from a technical tool to an institutionalized management framework. However, this shift remains precarious due to the influence of competing strategic priorities. The “core–periphery” departmental coordination structure exacerbates risks of policy fragmentation to some extent. Overall, while an LGI policy system has begun to take shape in Japan, further efforts are needed in cross-level linkages and collaborative governance mechanisms. Full article