Search Results (64)

Research on commuting patterns has mainly focused on urban and metropolitan areas, and such studies are not typically applied to rural and small-town regions, where workers often face longer commutes due to limited job opportunities and inadequate public transportation. By using the Census Transportation Planning Package (CTPP) data, this research fills that gap by analyzing commuting behavior by ethnic group and industry in south-central Minnesota, which is a predominantly rural area of 13 counties in the United States. The results show that both white and minority groups in District 7 experienced an increase in excess commuting from 2006 to 2016, with the minority group in Nobles County showing a significantly higher rise. Analysis by industry reveals that excess commuting in the leisure and hospitality sector (including arts, entertainment, and food services) in Nobles County increased five-fold during this time, indicating a severe spatial mismatch between jobs and affordable housing. In contrast, manufacturing experienced a decline of 50%, possibly indicating better commuting efficiency or a loss of manufacturing jobs. These findings can help city and transportation planners conduct an in-depth analysis of rural-to-urban commuting patterns and develop potential solutions to improve rural transportation infrastructure and accessibility, such as promoting telecommuting and hybrid work options, expanding shuttle routes, and adding more on-demand transit services in rural areas. Full article

How to promote sustainable development and deal with the actual development demands in economic transformation through land-use planning is crucial for local governments. The urban sustainable development mainly relies on creativity and talents in the digital era, and talents are increasingly attracted by local people-oriented land use. However, the current planning ideology remains at meeting corporate and people’s basic needs rather than specific needs of talents, especially the increasingly emerging digital creatives. To promote the talent agglomeration and sustainable development through land planning, this paper uses micro-celebrities on Bilibili, an influential creative content creation platform among young people in China, as an example to study the geographical distribution of digital creative talents and its relationship with urban amenities by constructing an index system of urban amenities, comprising natural, leisure, infrastructure, and social and institutional amenities. The concept of borrowed amenities is introduced to examine the effects of amenities of surrounding cities. This study demonstrates that micro-celebrities show a stronger preference for amenities compared with other skilled talents. Meanwhile, social and institutional amenities are most crucial. Furthermore, urban leisure represented by green spaces and consumption spaces is also attractive. At the regional scale, with prefecture-level cities as units, the local talents agglomeration is also influenced by the borrowed amenities in the context of regional integration. It indicates that the local land use should consider the characteristics of the surrounding cities. This study provides strategic inspiration that a happy and sustainable city should first be people-oriented and provide sufficient space for consumption, entertainment, and interaction. Full article

This study investigates the nonlinear effects of air pollution on urban entertainment consumption by analyzing daily PM₁₀ levels and movie box office data across 334 Chinese cities from 2012 to 2022, resulting in a total of 1,250,339 observations. Utilizing a two-way fixed effects model and threshold regression framework, we identify three key findings: (1) elevated PM₁₀ concentrations significantly reduce movie attendance, with a 1-unit increase decreasing consumption by 0.0797 units; (2) the inhibitory effect intensifies during weekends and holidays, reflecting heightened sensitivity to pollution during leisure periods; (3) threshold effects emerge, where PM₁₀ exceeding 0.0229 μg/m³ triggers a sharp decline in attendance, while temperature moderates this relationship, amplifying pollution’s negative impact. By integrating meteorological, environmental, and socioeconomic datasets, this research reveals substitution patterns between digital and offline entertainment under pollution stress. The results underscore the necessity for region-specific pollution mitigation strategies, cinema infrastructure upgrades, and dynamic pricing policies to counteract environmental disruptions. These insights advance the interdisciplinary nexus of environmental economics and cultural consumption, offering actionable pathways for sustainable urban development. Full article

Ecological restoration and brownfield reuse are important issues in the current field of urban sustainable development and environmental protection. This paper adopts bibliometric and network analysis methods, using more than 600 literature from Web of Science (WOS) and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases as research objects, to analyze the research trends, main researchers, contributions of different disciplines, and research hotspots in ecological restoration and brownfield reuse. Based on the results of quantitative analysis, this paper reviews the main research theories, methods, and technologies of ecological restoration and brownfield reuse at home and abroad, as well as response strategies in different regions and future prospects under challenges. Among the top 10 disciplines in terms of disciplinary contribution, the discipline with the highest relevance in the research articles of CNKI is “Environmental Science and Technology”, accounting for approximately 47.24%. The discipline with the highest relevance in the research articles of WOS is “Building Science and Engineering”, accounting for approximately 61.21%. In terms of research theories and methods, emphasis is placed on the application of ecological engineering, landscape ecology, land economics, and sustainable development methods. At the same time, adaptive management methods are emphasized, aiming to achieve a balance between ecological protection and urban development. In terms of response strategies for different regions, the main strategies for ecological restoration and brownfield reuse are proposed from five main aspects: reducing soil erosion and controlling water pollution, restoring ecological communities and enhancing biodiversity, landscape reshaping and spatial transformation, tourism development, and leisure space design. Based on the current challenges in technology, law, funding, management, and society, research prospects for strengthening interdisciplinary integration, digital drive, interdisciplinary collaboration, and multi-party cooperation in the future are proposed. It can be seen that research in this field is no longer just a simple ecological issue, but a comprehensive social problem. Full article

Urban environments have incorporated sustainable development into their planning by designing more green spaces. Access to urban green space is the key to the progress of urban sustainability, not only environmentally and ecologically but also socially. Research on social sustainability in parks can be achieved through the inclusive design of park settings that encourage diverse social activities. However, previous research rarely considers how park settings can foster social sustainability for young people. Within this context, this paper employs a qualitative research approach to explore young people’s preferences and engagement with parks through art-based and visual methods to understand how they interact with parks in the context of social sustainability. The visual survey, comprising 32 park scene photos, was administered to 192 youth (ages 9–17) in the Moreton Bay Region, Queensland, Australia. These photos captured four park features: play areas and playgrounds; informal and open areas; formal spaces and pathways; and sports spaces. The findings show that young people like park environments with a balance of physical activity, socialisation, and connection to natural areas. Playgrounds were selected for their active play areas, and open spaces were selected for their social and leisure possibilities. Formal pathways, particularly those connected to natural areas, were selected for their quiet and socialising potential, and sports areas, especially those with equipment, were less preferred due to their solitary nature. The findings highlight the importance of designing parks that promote social sustainability through fostering inclusivity and social cohesion. Such insights inform urban planning policies for making public spaces to meet diverse social needs and support social interactions. Full article

Urban green space can effectively optimize the urban landscape and environment and provide residents with space for daily leisure and recreational activities. In order to realize the green development of Macau, this paper takes the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) as an example, uses the green open space occupancy rate (GOSOR) to measure the level of green open space in Macau, and researches the planning positioning of Macau City’s green development, the layout mode of urban public open space, and the integration and optimization of the space in Largo of high-density neighborhoods, so as to explore the planning paradigm of Macau’s green development. In addition, the research data show that the per capita green area of Macau Peninsula is on the low side and extremely unbalanced, and there is a disconnection between some of the large-scale green patches on Macau Outlying Island; therefore, this paper proposes that the planning layout mode of “green veins connecting green patches” is suitable for Macau Peninsula and that the planning layout mode of “greenways embedded in jade” is suitable for Macau Outlying Island. On the other hand, in order to improve the problem of poor living conditions in the high-density city of Macau, the study proposes to make use of the unutilized Macau Largo space and carry out the optimization and transformation of the Largo space from “gray to green”, so as to release a large amount of green open space and enhance the GOSOR value of the high-density street area of Macau Peninsula. Full article

Urban parks are important components of the urban green space system, providing residents with a variety of leisure options. The design’s focal point is the spatial layout of the different use scenarios within these parks. Previous studies have largely concentrated on the scene and macro layout of urban public spaces but have not thoroughly investigated the digital characteristics and corresponding parametric methods for the layout of different internal use scenes in urban green spaces. This research selected 18 urban parks from various global regions as case samples and categorized eight typical park scene space types based on common activity scene requirements in park design using AutoCAD to identify vector boundaries in each sample. To examine the digital characteristics of these scene space types, a quantitative index system was established, including spatial density and scale indicators, spatial connection relationship indicators, and spatial unit morphology indicators. The analysis of these indicators across the samples shows that the number of scene spaces is positively correlated with the total park area, while natural experience scenes constitute the largest proportion of urban parks. Different scene types exhibit distinct spatial layouts; for example, circulation spaces demonstrate high connectivity due to their role in directing visitor flow. Some spaces exhibit a more fixed scale and size, while others vary considerably. Finally, this research develops a parametric design framework using the Grasshopper platform. By taking a park in Nanjing as a case study, this paper illustrates how to utilize digital layout features to generate scene space layouts, offering insights into intelligent generative design. This approach provides a structured method to enhance urban park design through the application of digital and parametric tools, contributing to the broader field of urban park design. Full article

Parks near urban areas provide important opportunities for locals to connect with nature and enjoy outdoor leisure. Climate change planning needs in these parks are pronounced, especially given the large local populations they serve. Ecosystem services, particularly cultural ecosystem services, can frame people’s perceived benefits from these park systems and the larger region. Place attachment on park system and regional scales can differentiate the extent of perceived benefits by the strength of park and regional connection. Together, these can highlight priorities for climate action and communication. The Huron-Clinton Metroparks in densely populated southeast Michigan (US) exemplify an important urban-proximate park system grappling with climate change effects within the parks and across the region. We assisted the Metroparks in creating their Climate Action Plan, including surveying regional residents’ and Metroparks recreationists’ (n = 4069). Here, we examine associations between respondents’ prioritized ecosystem services and levels of place attachment to southeast Michigan and the Metroparks. Results show that on both geographic scales of the park system and region, the three most valued cultural ecosystem services were leisure time spent outdoors, appreciation of beauty, and physical/mental health benefits. However, place attachment level (ambivalent, moderate, or strong) on both scales surfaced ecosystem services prioritization differences and a potentially enhanced role of cultural ecosystem services related to relationships—cultural heritage, social capital, and spirituality—within the Metroparks and with the strong place attached. We discuss these patterns and their connections to the park system and regional climate action planning and communication. Full article

The underdevelopment of tourism infrastructure remains a critical barrier to the growth of the tourism sector in both the capital and regional areas. This article examines the concept and structure of tourism infrastructure, synthesizes methodological approaches for its evaluation, and identifies the strengths and limitations of these approaches. The study introduces a novel methodology for assessing the development of tourism infrastructure in the capital city. Based on the assessment, the city’s regions are categorized into four levels of infrastructure development: high, above average, average, and below average. The findings highlight the key factors driving tourism development and the obstacles limiting infrastructure progress, while also proposing strategic directions for its enhancement. Achieving optimal levels of infrastructure provision is identified as a crucial condition for advancing the tourism sector. The development of tourism infrastructure should be prioritized in regional economic policy. In line with the state’s “Concept for the Development of the Tourism Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2023–2029”, this study emphasizes the need for a streamlined and precise classification of tourism infrastructure components based on a comprehensive framework. The evaluation is conducted using an integrated indicator that captures the development level of key elements: accommodation infrastructure, international event venues, and access to leisure and entertainment. Additionally, the article provides a comparative analysis of the current state of tourism infrastructure relative to the early stages of the capital’s development and tracks the dynamics of tourism indicators from 2010 to 2024. Several interrelated challenges affecting infrastructure growth have been identified. Notably, the study reveals that hosting international events and forums has significantly boosted inbound tourism compared to regional averages in Kazakhstan, although it has also constrained the potential for tourism business growth in other regions. The practical insights derived from this study offer a comprehensive understanding of the state of tourism infrastructure in Astana, which can inform future research and policy development for tourism infrastructure in major urban areas. Full article

In-depth research on the spatial and temporal evolution of ecosystem service trade-offs and synergistic relationships, scientific identification of ecosystem service bundles, and the main factors affecting the spatial differentiation of ecosystem service bundle provisioning are crucial to enhancing the overall benefits of regional ecosystem services and human well-being. Based on the assessment of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area ecosystem service functional system, we combined the correlation analysis method, hierarchical clustering method, and principal component analysis to analyze the trade-offs/synergistic relationships of 11 indicators contained in four major ecosystem service categories of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area and explored the study of ecosystem service bundle identification and clustering spatial differentiation. The results of this study showed the following: (1) Between 2000 and 2018, Regulating and Supporting services showed a decreasing trend while provisioning and cultural services showed an increasing trend. Human interference affected the spatial differentiation of ecosystem services provision; the provision of individual ecosystem services was more random, but the geospatial distribution showed a certain degree of regularity. (2) The intrinsic connection of ecosystem services is continuously strengthened, and the other four ecosystem services except industrial products in the provisioning services easily produce synergistic relationships with regulating and supporting services, while industrial products, leisure and recreation, scientific research and education, and other ecosystem services are more likely to produce a trade-off relationship between them. The correspondence among ecosystem service trade-offs, synergistic relationships, and cold/hot spots is not uniform due to spatial scales. (3) The method of combining socio-economic statistics and the InVEST model can identify similar ecosystem service bundle classifications, but there are differences in the performance of some of the roles at different study scales and in different study areas. (4) For complex urban-natural ecosystem services, the classified ecosystem service bundles have broad similarities. The development of high-density city clusters depends on the coordinated development of the population, resources, environment, society, and economy of each city in the region. Full article

In recent years, tourism and leisure districts have become a pivotal aspect of China’s tourism development. Analyzing their spatial distribution characteristics and driving factors is essential for fostering comprehensive district tourism and promoting sustainable development, while also facilitating the profound integration of culture and tourism. This study undertakes a thorough investigation of the spatiotemporal patterns of national-level tourism and leisure districts in China, employing GIS spatial statistical analysis techniques, including the Average Nearest-Neighbor Index, Kernel Density Analysis, and Standard Deviation Ellipse. Additionally, this research identifies the principal driving factors affecting the spatial distribution of these districts through overlay analysis, buffer analysis, and geographic detectors. The findings reveal that (1) tourism and leisure districts exhibit a notable spatial clustering pattern, characterized by a predominance in the eastern regions and scarcity in the west, alongside a higher concentration in the south compared to the north, with a gradual decline in spatial density. (2) High-density tourism and leisure districts are predominantly located in the Yangtze River Delta and the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei urban agglomerations, while regions of elevated density are situated in the southwest (notably in Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, and Yunnan provinces). The centroids of the first to third batches of tourism and leisure districts have transitioned from southern to northern locations. (3) The population density factor exhibits the most substantial explanatory power regarding the distribution of tourism and leisure districts (q: 0.80528), followed by the added value of the tertiary industry (q: 0.53285), whereas the slope factor shows minimal influence (q: 0.00876). Furthermore, the distance to rivers of grade three and above, in conjunction with population density, constitutes the primary factor combination influencing the spatial configuration of tourism and leisure districts (q: 0.9101). Full article

Clarifying the driving mechanisms of ecosystem service (ES) supply and demand under urbanization is of significant importance for urban ecological planning and management. However, how the balance of ES supply and demand and its driving mechanisms vary with the degree of urbanization has been little studied. In this study, we analyzed the spatiotemporal changes and the correlations between ES supply and demand and the degree of urbanization in the Zhengzhou Metropolitan Area (ZZMA) from 2000 to 2020 and further explored the driving mechanisms behind these changes. The results showed that, (1) between 2000 and 2020, the ZZMA experienced a deficit in comprehensive ES supply and demand, and regions with rapid urbanization development were more likely to trigger imbalances in ES supply and demand; (2) the spatial mismatch between low–high ES supply and demand was primarily distributed in the built-up areas of various cities, while the high–low spatial mismatch was mostly found in forest and grassland areas; (3) the comprehensive urbanization level of the ZZMA was spatially negatively correlated with the ratio of ES supply and demand. Regions with lower ES balance were more susceptible to disturbances caused by urbanization; (4) population density was the key factor influencing the supply and demand of carbon sequestration, oxygen release, water conservation, and food provision services, while the proportions of forest land and construction areas had the greatest influence on the supply and demand of air purification and leisure services. It is important to ensure the ecological status of the northwestern, southwestern, and central mountainous and forested areas; maintain the agricultural status of the main grain-producing areas in the eastern plains; strengthen ecological restoration and green infrastructure in built-up areas; and formulate differentiated management policies to promote the sustainable supply of ES and safeguard the ecological security of the region. Full article

Analysing the spatial distribution patterns of the urban tourism and leisure industry is crucial for meeting the dual demands of residents and visitors for a better quality of life. Most existing studies on spatial distribution characteristics and the accessibility of leisure tourism have been carried out individually and lack the relationship between the tourism and leisure industry and accessibility. Based on Qingdao’s POI data, spatial visualisation methods and Geodetector are used to explore spatial distribution, accessibility, and influencing factors. (1) It is found that the overall and various types of the tourism and leisure industry in Qingdao exhibit clustered distribution, with an imbalance between coastal and inland areas. (2) There are notable spatial disparities in overall accessibility within Qingdao, with most regions falling within the 70-min isochrone. The spatial distribution of accessibility at the county level aligns with the overall accessibility patterns. (3) Various factors influence the spatial distribution of the tourism and leisure industry. Per capita disposable income is the primary factor affecting the spatial layout of Qingdao’s tourism and leisure industry. After interacting with other factors, GDP per capita and tourist trips become key influencing factors. These findings can promote the sustainable development of urban tourism in Qingdao and provide a valuable reference for other cities. Full article

Background: Prior research indicates that engagement with nature is associated with mental well-being; however, the impact of accessibility to urban green spaces (UGS) with suitable infrastructure for visitation and physical activities, like leisure or recreation, remains underexplored, particularly in developing countries. Purpose: This study delves into whether merely having green space in the neighborhood is sufficient to impact residents’ mental health in Brazilian metropolitan regions. Method: Utilizing a cross-sectional survey, data were collected from 2136 participants. The analyzed variables included the intensity, duration, and frequency of nature engagement, suitability of UGS for visitation and physical activities, and mental well-being indicators measured by the DASS-21 scale. Multivariate statistical analyses and multiple regression models were employed to verify hypothetical relationships. Results and conclusions: Higher intensity, duration, and frequency of nature engagement in UGS were significantly associated with lower depression, anxiety, and stress scores. Notably, having urban UGS in the neighborhood alone was not enough to reduce mental health issues. Practical implications: The findings point out the need for urban planning policies that prioritize the development of high-quality, accessible green spaces to maximize mental well-being benefits. These insights could inform city designs that foster healthier urban environments. Future directions: Longitudinal studies are needed to establish causality between nature engagement and mental health improvements. Further research should incorporate objective measures of nature engagement and explore more aspects of green space quality, such as biodiversity and amenities. Full article

Changzhou is a city situated in the eastern region of China and serves as a pivotal juncture of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, the Grand Canal of China. The study employed spatial syntax foreground and background network analysis to examine the cultural landscape characteristics and determinants of the urban spatial context in Changzhou, influenced by the Grand Canal, with a focus on rivers, streets, and social networks. The findings revealed that: (1) Foreground network construction: serving as the fundamental framework of urban space, street and river networks exhibited distinct functionalities in terms of structural configuration, functional organization, and potential impact. (2) Background network construction: social networks identified through spatial structure recognition demonstrated sustainable characteristics, as their layout was not directly correlated to the foreground network but contributed to the identification of the identity and the traits of social networks. (3) Dual network adaptability to contemporary urban space: it was imperative to redefine the role of river networks to augment their potential impact in shaping scenic leisure systems. This study provides novel insights into preserving and acknowledging the urban spatial context while offering valuable references for safeguarding regional cultural landscapes. Full article