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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Social Ecology and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2022) | Viewed by 29518

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Paolo Semenzato

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Guest Editor

Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agroforestali, Università di Padova, Via 8 Febbraio 1848, 2, 35122 Padova PD, Italy
Interests: urban forest ecology and management; ecosystem services of urban forests; urban forest surveying and inventories; geographic information systems

Dr. Thomas Campagnaro

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Guest Editor

Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
Interests: habitat management; biological invasions; urban forestry; landscape ecology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Worldwide research is providing strong evidence of the influence of forests on urban ecosystems, and their contribution to the sustainability of cities is now widely recognized. Urban forests include tree populations with very different origin, structure, and management, from natural or spontaneous woodlands to intensively managed park, street, and plaza trees. All these components have a role in modifying climate, air quality, rainwater runoff, and biodiversity, in addition to providing services and sometimes causing disservices to the urban population. An understanding of the ecology of urban forests; their composition, structure, and functions; and their ecological interaction with the urban environment is essential for the wise planning and management of this resource.

In this Special Issue “Urban Forestry and Ecology”, the journal Sustainability is welcoming studies reinforcing this topic, proposing innovative theoretical and methodological approaches to study and propose evidence-based applications in the planning, design, management, and preservation of the urban forest. Contributions on the following themes are of particular interest, though other relevant topics will also be considered:

Structure and functions of urban forests, including plantation, remnant, and spontaneous forests;
Structure and functions of urban tree populations;
Novel methods and tools for the study of urban greenspaces and forests ecology;
Effects of urban forests on biodiversity;
Ecological management of urban forests and trees;
Urban forest structure and functions and ecosystem services provision;
Management and mitigation of ecosystem disservices (pollen, V.O.C. emissions, etc.).

Prof. Paolo Semenzato
Dr. Thomas Campagnaro
Guest Editors

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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 2400 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
forest ecology
urban trees
ecosystem services
ecosystem disservices
urban biodiversity
green infrastructure
nature-based solutions
management options

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 5950 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study towards Integrating Secondary Forests into Future Land Use Development in Singapore for Biodiversity Objectives

by Yitong Wu

Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 2916; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15042916 - 6 Feb 2023

Viewed by 3742

Abstract

With past and continued loss of secondary forests in urban areas, this paper aims to assess the current distribution of secondary forests and evaluate the ecological values of secondary forests in terms of patch sizes, plant density and biodiversity values by using the analysis tools of GIS and FRAGSTATS. According to the analysis in this paper, over 1782 ha of secondary forest cover in Singapore has been lost due to the urbanization, such as residential and infrastructure development, in the past decade. It is estimated that about 7331 ha of secondary forests are planned to be cleared for new development. The future loss of secondary forests is about 1.2 times larger than the entire area of all parks and nature reserves in Singapore. It is shown that secondary forests became more fragmented compared with 2011, and more than 80% of patches are smaller than 1 ha. Most of the secondary forests’ patches are with high plant density and high biodiversity values in terms of ecological connection. Discussions towards the improvement of biodiversity and phase development planning for secondary forests in a tropical high-density city are addressed in this paper. There is lots of potential to integrate secondary forests into future land use developments for improving biodiversity based on the literature review and analysis results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forestry and Ecology)

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13 pages, 4167 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Estimating Carbon Budget from Growth and Management of Urban Street Trees in South Korea

by Jin-Young Kim and Hyun-Kil Jo

Sustainability 2022, 14(8), 4439; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084439 - 8 Apr 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2039

Abstract

Although street trees take up carbon by vegetation growth, they emit carbon directly or indirectly into the atmosphere due to the need for regular management, such as pruning and, irrigation, etc. This study estimates the annual carbon budget from the growth and management of urban street trees in South Korea and suggests management strategies to minimize the degree of management and annual carbon emissions. Annual carbon emissions from management practices such as pruning, irrigation, pesticide and fungicide application, and fertilization were estimated based on maintenance data, interviews with managers, and actual measurements. Annual carbon emissions from the management of urban street trees were calculated to be 2.4 kg/tree/year. From this total, pruning was the largest contributor at 91%. The average net carbon uptake for each street tree was 5.5 kg/tree/year. The street trees included in this study played an important role in carbon uptake, which was equivalent to 90–550% of the annual carbon emissions from street tree management. Based on these results, suggested management strategies include pruning, irrigation, pesticide and fungicide application, and fertilization. These study results will be useful for designing practical low-carbon landscapes with minimal management and carbon emissions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forestry and Ecology)

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22 pages, 3326 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Composition Characteristics of an Urban Forest Soil Seed Bank and Its Influence on Vegetation Restoration: A Case Study in Dadu Terrace, Central Taiwan

by Chia-Yen Lin, Min-Chun Liao, Wei Wang and Hsy-Yu Tzeng

Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 4178; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14074178 - 31 Mar 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2544

Abstract

The contributions of urban forests and green spaces to sustainable development have been confirmed. Meanwhile, cities worldwide have shown that investments in urban forestry can greatly contribute to citizens’ quality of life. This study was conducted in urban forests in the Dadu Terrace of Taichung City, central Taiwan, which were frequently disturbed by fires and had grassland severely invaded by Panicum maximum after the forest degraded. We sampled 46 plots in Dadu Terrace to understand the relationship between the soil seed bank and vegetation as well as to evaluate the feasibility of applying soil seed bank transfers for ecological restoration in Dadu Terrace. The grassland was dominated by Panicum maximum. Forest vegetation was distinguished by cluster analysis into five types, i.e., Ficus microcarpa type, Acacia confusa type, Litsea glutinosa type, Cinnamomum camphora type, and Trema orientalis type. In the aboveground survey, we recorded 141 vascular plants, including 129 seed plants and 12 ferns. There were 40 identified species of naturalized plants. A total of 29,914 seedlings were recorded in the soil seed bank, with an average seed density of 9634 seeds/m² and a total of 91 species. There were 40 species of naturalized plants, accounting for 90.9% of the total seed reserves. This showed that Dadu Terrace was severely affected by the invasion of naturalized species. The species number and seed reserves of woody plants of the Panicum maximum type were significantly lower than those of forest vegetation. The composition of the soil seed bank was dominated by naturalized plants, indicating that the high frequency of fire reduced the proportion of native species and woody plants in the soil seed bank. Acacia confusa type was the main forest type in Dadu Terrace. Although several woody species and seed reserves were in its soil seed bank, the naturalized proportions were even higher. Trema orientalis type was the secondary forest type in Dadu Terrace; it had the smallest forest area. However, it was the only vegetation type with a greater tree seed abundance than herbs and the lowest proportion of naturalized seed abundance. Trema orientalis type vegetation has a relatively high soil transfer value for ecological restoration but lacks diversity. Our results revealed that the characteristics of the soil seed bank of Dadu Terrace make it challenging to restore the grassland to the forest by natural succession. Therefore, we suggest that artificial restoration is necessary for Dadu Terrace. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forestry and Ecology)

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19 pages, 1278 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Street Tree Diversity, Structure and Protection in Planned and Unplanned Neighborhoods of Lubumbashi City (DR Congo)

by Yannick Useni Sikuzani, Alex Mpibwe Kalenga, Jonas Yona Mleci, Dieudonné N’Tambwe Nghonda, François Malaisse and Jan Bogaert

Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 3830; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14073830 - 24 Mar 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2965

Abstract

Street trees are always considered a vital part of urban green infrastructure in urbanized areas through mitigating the negative effects caused by urbanization taking part in human well-being. However, little is still known about their diversity, structure and protection, mostly in Lubumbashi city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), where the pace of urbanization is not only rapid but also unplanned. In this study, using an inventory, we have characterized the diversity, structure and protection measures of street trees along a land-use planning gradient in Lubumbashi for both planned and unplanned neighborhoods. From the results, a total of 1596 trees were encountered, comprising 40 species, 33 genera and 17 families, mostly dominated by exotic species (65%). In addition, most of the studied trees (63%) belonged to four species only (Jacaranda mimosifolia, Leucaena leucocephala, Mangifera indica, and Acacia auriculiformis) with Leucaena leucocephala and Jacaranda mimosifolia being highly represented in unplanned and planned neighborhoods, respectively. The most abundant diameter classes in the planned neighborhoods were those with at most 10 cm against the classes larger than 50 cm in the planned neighborhoods. In both neighborhoods, trees with protection equipment represent less than 35%. Furthermore, in planned neighborhoods notably, nearly half of the observed equipment is in a good condition. Despite the benefits associated with street trees, there is a need to reduce the proportion of exotic tree species by planting native utilitarian tree species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forestry and Ecology)

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14 pages, 4378 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Urban Green Space Planning, Policy Implementation, and Challenges: The Case of Addis Ababa

by Shibire Bekele Eshetu, Kumelachew Yeshitela and Stefan Sieber

Sustainability 2021, 13(20), 11344; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132011344 - 14 Oct 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 8992

Abstract

Urban forestry and green spaces have less priority in urban planning. This research intends to assess the policy and planning of urban green spaces with their potential implementation status and challenges in planning and implementation. The general objective is to assess urban green space planning, policy, and implementation strategies and challenges encountered in Addis Ababa. The primary data was collected through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and field observation; secondary data from a literature review along with examining policy and masterplans of Addis Ababa has been used. The mapping of stakeholder and institutional arrangements is analyzed using stakeholders’ consultation. Triangulation is used for data validation and analysis. Existing policy and proclamations must be supported by legislative regulations and implementation frameworks that provide the basis for concrete action plans. The incentives stipulated by the forest policy are not implemented to the required level. The 10th masterplan of the city (2017–2027) shows that the city will increase its green area development and public recreation coverage to 30% by 2020. Principles, such as multi-functionality, connectivity, green-grey interaction, and social inclusiveness, are considered in the planning of the green space development in the 10th masterplan. The research concludes that regulations and directives are not clearly drafted by responsible bodies, and low enforcement is hardly applied with respect to the green space development of Addis Ababa. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forestry and Ecology)

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13 pages, 894 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of the Diversity of Large Tree Species in Rapidly Urbanizing Areas along the Chao Phraya River Rim, Central Thailand

by Lamthai Asanok, Torlarp Kamyo, Monthon Norsaengsri, Teeka Yotapakdee and Suwit Navakam

Sustainability 2021, 13(18), 10342; https://doi.org/10.3390/su131810342 - 16 Sep 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3675

Abstract

Urban trees provide numerous ecosystem services in cities such as pollution absorption and reduced urban heat island intensity, energy use, and mental fatigue. Understanding urban tree species diversity can enhance tree planning and management in rapidly urbanizing areas. However, few studies have examined the effects of urbanization on urban tree diversity in Thailand. This study assessed the diversity of large trees in urban landscapes including 11 cities along the 372 km Chao Phraya River Rim in central Thailand. Species diversity, importance value, and distribution were evaluated in each city. Our survey documented 987 large trees belonging to 65 species, 48 genera, and 31 families. The dominant species of Dipterocarpus alatus and Hopea odorata had the highest importance and relative abundance. The highest abundance of large trees was seen in the rural city of Sing Buri, while large urban cities such as Ayutthaya and Bangkok exhibited the highest species diversity. Detrended correspondence analysis indicated that the diversity of unique species was high in large urban cities, while dominant and common species were ubiquitous in rural cities. These findings suggest that large trees are few in number but exhibit high species diversity in large rapidly urbanizing cities. Therefore, preserving good site conditions is critical for the survival of large trees in urban cities. Heritage tree registration may aid preservation efforts and enhance the benefits of these large trees in rapidly urbanizing areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forestry and Ecology)

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12 pages, 2128 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Carbon and PM_2.5 Reduction and Design Guidelines for Street Trees in Korea

by Hyun-Kil Jo, Jin-Young Kim and Hye-Mi Park

Sustainability 2020, 12(24), 10414; https://doi.org/10.3390/su122410414 - 12 Dec 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3668

Abstract

An increasing concentration of air pollutants, which negatively affect human health and living environment, present a serious environmental concern around the world. Street trees can help reduce carbon (C) and PM_2.5 in cities that lack sufficient greenspace. This study quantified C uptake and PM_2.5 deposition on street trees in the Republic of Korea and suggested sustainable design guidelines to enhance the effects of C and PM_2.5 reduction. The mean C uptake and the PM_2.5 deposition on street trees per unit area were 0.6 ± 0.1 t/ha/y and 2.0 ± 0.3 kg/ha/y, respectively. The major determining factors of the levels of C uptake and PM_2.5 deposition on street trees were the species, density, size, and layering structure of the planted trees. Street trees in the Republic of Korea annually offset C and PM_2.5 emissions from vehicles by 1.4% and 180%, respectively. Based on these results, design guidelines are suggested that can contribute to sharing the value and the importance of planting street trees for the reduction of C and PM_2.5 levels in greenspaces. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Forestry and Ecology)

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