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1. Possibilities of applying the concept of “winter city” in the Russian Arctic (on the example of the city of Nadym).

   https://doi.org/10.25283/2223-4594-2021-2-291-303  

   Fedorov, Roman Y ; Sizov, Oleg S ; Kuklina, Vera V ; Lobanov, Andrei A ; Soromotin, Andrei V ; Pechkin, Alexander S ; Pechkina, Yulia A ; Esau, Igor N ( April 2021 , Arctica)

   null (Ed.)

   On example of the city of Nadym, located in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area, the authors consider the socio-ecological problems of the development of green, blue and white open urban spaces. The research approach presented in the article is based on the study of a multifaceted complex of urban social and natural systems in their integrated unity, not just as public places, but as biomes — highly integrated urban ecosystems. A posteriori the researchers based on the materials of interviews conducted in 2020 with experts who in different years took part in the study or planned the development of the open urban spaces in Nadym, as well as on the analysis of available publications on this topic and publicly available data. The study found that factors such as the short summer, during which many residents leave the city, as well as the prevalence of freezing temperatures for almost eight months, in fact, transform the green and blue spaces of Nadym into white. This situation indicates the advisability of a more active appeal to the concept of a “winter city” in the development of the city urban environment. The application of the concept principles can be in demand in the process of creating more comfortable living conditions and spatial mobility of the Nadym residents, as well as for developing the recreational opportunities of the city open spaces and integrating them into the natural environment surrounding the city, which in general can be considered as one of the factors for the sustainable development of the city and the formation of post-industrial features in its socio-economic life. 

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2. Green spaces as an indicator of urban sustainability in the Arctic cities: Case of Nadym

   https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polar.2021.100672  

   Kuklina, Vera ; Sizov, Oleg ; Fedorov, Roman ( March 2021 , Polar science)

   null (Ed.)

   Green spaces have recently received wide acknowledgement for urban sustainability benefits and are mentioned in the Sustainable Development Goals SDGs Target 11.7. The article aims to address the knowledge gap on indicators used for assessment of green spaces for urban sustainability in the Arctic using an example of Nadym, Russia which is illustrative of compact cities built during the Soviet time using a system of microrayons. Different indicators implemented by international organizations for assessment of green spaces are compared with indicators used in Russia. Utilizing very high-resolution WorldView-3 satellite image and open source data, the quantity and quality of green spaces are estimated with high accuracy. In addition to traditionally used indicators of share of green space per capita, share of public spaces for common use within walking distance to assess availability and accessibility of green spaces, the paper suggests importance of taking into account governance, distribution, and composition using analysis of historic legacies, municipal budget allocation for green space maintenance, and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index values. Such detailed view can enrich discussions about green spaces as sources for resilience both at the local and global levels, in comparison with other cities and across countries. 

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3. Urban ambient air temperature estimation using hyperlocal data from smart vehicle-borne sensors

   Yin, Y ; Hashemi, N ; Grundstein, A ; Mishra, D. R ; Ramaswamy, L ; Dowd, J ( July 2020 , Computers environment and urban systems)

   High-quality temperature data at a finer spatio-temporal scale is critical for analyzing the risk of heat exposure and hazards in urban environments. The variability of urban landscapes makes cities a challenging environment for quantifying heat exposure. Most of the existing heat hazard studies have inherent limitations on two fronts; first, the spatio-temporal granularities are too coarse, and second, the inability to track the ambient air temperature (AAT) instead of land surface temperature (LST). Overcoming these limitations requires developing models for mapping the variability in heat exposure in urban environments. We investigated an integrated approach for mapping urban heat hazards by harnessing a diverse set of high-resolution measurements, including both ground-based and satellite-based temperature data. We mounted vehicle-borne mobile sensors on city buses to collect high-frequency temperature data throughout 2018 and 2019. Our research also incorporated key biophysical parameters and Landsat 8 LST data into Random Forest regression modeling to map the hyperlocal variability of heat hazard over areas not covered by the buses. The vehicle-borne temperature sensor data showed large temperature differences within the city, with the largest variations of up to 10 °C and morning-afternoon diurnal changes at a magnitude around 20 °C. Random Forest modeling on noontime (11:30 am – 12:30 pm) data to predict AAT produced accurate results with a mean absolute error of 0.29 °C and successfully showcased the enhanced granularity in urban heat hazard mapping. These maps revealed well-defined hyperlocal variabilities in AAT, which were not evident with other research approaches. Urban core and dense residential areas revealed larger than 5 °C AAT differences from their nearby green spaces. The sensing framework developed in this study can be easily implemented in other urban areas, and findings from this study will be beneficial in understanding the heat vulnerabilities of individual communities. It can be used by the local government to devise targeted hazard mitigation efforts such as increasing green space, developing better heatsafety policies, and exposure warning for workers. 

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4. Urban park visitor preferences for vegetation – An on‐site qualitative research study

   https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10188  

   Talal, Michelle L. ; Santelmann, Mary V. ; Tilt, Jenna H. ( March 2021 , PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET)

   With more than half of the human population living in cities, urban parks are some of the most significant places for human–nature interactions and their vegetation can provide a range of ecosystem services; however, the vegetation may not always meet the preferences of visitors. By conducting qualitative semi‐structured interviews with visitors at a range of urban park types interspersed throughout a city, we explored vegetation preferences that may be used to improve park planning, design, and maintenance, as well as educate and engage visitors.

   Urban parks provide numerous cultural and ecological benefits, but may not always meet diverse visitor preferences. There is a need for additional on‐site research, which has the potential to gauge vegetation preferences in a more authentic and multi‐sensory context. We asked: how does vegetation in urban parks currently meet visitor preferences?

   We performed on‐site semi‐structured interviews with visitors at 15 different parks of three general types (i.e., natural‐passive use, recreational‐active use, and multi‐use parks), using a case study of Portland, Oregon, a mid‐sized city in North America with a temperate climate. We transcribed the interviews and coded them for themes and patterns of meaning.

   Visitors across demographics groups discussed trees, size, and diversity/variety as some of their favorite aspects of the vegetation. Trees were important for visitors, particularly for their large size/shade, but vegetation preferences tended to vary across park type and slightly more than half of participants suggested changes. Many recreational‐active and multi‐use park visitors desired more flowers, color, grass, middle growth, trees, and food‐bearing plants, as well as improved placement, while visitors to natural‐passive use parks preferred additional invasive/harmful plant removal.

   Integrating visitor vegetation preferences into plant selection, layout, and maintenance has the potential to increase ecosystem services of urban parks. The incorporation of colorful, native flowers for visitors can also provide habitat for native species. Visitors across park types also desired to learn more about plants, and so additional interpretive signs/labels and multi‐sensory gardens can help to engage and educate visitors.

    

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5. Parks are Critical Urban Infrastructure: Perception and Use of Urban Green Spaces in NYC During COVID-19

   https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202008.0620.v1  

   Lopez, B. ( August 2020 , Preprints)

   null (Ed.)

   Urban green spaces provide a range of environmental and health benefits, which may become even more critical during times of crisis such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. However, with a radical shift in mobility, additional concerns over safety, and access temporarily restricted during the implementation of social distancing policies, the experience and use of urban green spaces may be reduced. This is particularly concerning for densely populated cities like New York, considered the first U.S. epicenter or vanguard of the outbreak. To better understand the impact of COVID-19 on the perception and use of urban green spaces, we conducted a social survey during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic in New York City (May 13 - June 15, 2020). The results of the survey show respondents continued to use urban green spaces during the pandemic and consider them to be more important for mental and physical health than before the pandemic began. However, the study revealed a pattern of concerns residents have about green space accessibility and safety, and found key differences between the concerns and needs of different populations, suggesting a crucial role for inclusive decision-making, support for additional management strategies, and urban ecosystem governance that reflect the differential values, needs and concerns of communities across the City. As urban centers face looming budget cuts and reduced capacity, this study provides some empirical evidence to illustrate the value of urban green spaces as critical urban infrastructure, and may have implications for funding, policy, and management, of urban green spaces in NYC, with potential applications to other cities, particularly during times of crisis. 

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