Strategic Planning of Urban Green Space at Large Spatiotemporal Scales

Urban green spaces play a crucial role in enhancing the quality of life by providing ecological, social, and economic benefits. However, as urban development continues to encroach on green spaces, their area decreases, and their structures become fragmented, leading to declines in a range of ecosystem services. In order to achieve more resilient cities and higher quality, equitable human habitats, the ecosystem services provided by green spaces need to be identified and protected, while service efficiency and equity need to be improved. Therefore, research on assessment, mapping, and planning methods and technologies for urban green spaces at large spatiotemporal scales is urgently needed.

This Special Issue aims to address these pressing challenges by presenting a collection of research papers that explore innovative approaches and solutions for the strategic planning of urban green spaces. It includes 15 papers, all focusing on urban green spaces, exploring their ecological value, usage efficiency, or planning and design approaches, which can be broadly categorized into three areas:

• Assessing the spatiotemporal dynamics of ecosystem services provided by urban green spaces and enhancing their benefits. You can find an overview of the relevant research in “Section 1. Evaluating and Enhancing Urban Green Spaces’ Ecosystem Services”.
• Developing new technical methods to support large-scale spatiotemporal green space network planning and ecological security. An overview of the relevant studies can be found in “Section 2. Innovative Methodologies for Urban Green Space Planning”.
• Exploring urban green space planning from the users’ perspective to enhance service equity and efficiency. “Section 3. Equity and Efficiency in Urban Green Space Planning to Meet Diverse Needs” includes a summary of the relevant findings in this area.

1. Evaluating and Enhancing Urban Green Spaces’ Ecosystem Services

Urban green spaces play a crucial role in providing ecosystem services. Measuring, mapping, and enhancing these green spaces using various methods has long been a key focus of research. Urban forests are one of the most ecologically significant parts of urban ecosystems. Zhao et al. [1] evaluated the benefits of urban forests in large cities using the i-Tree Eco model, focusing on carbon sequestration and oxygen release, energy savings, stormwater retention, and air quality improvement. Their findings provide significant insights into quantifying the economic value of urban ecosystems. Urban green spaces, especially urban forests, also offer solutions to the heat island effect. Huang et al. [2] investigated the relationship between urban green space configuration and surface temperature using spatial autocorrelation analysis and causal inference. Their study provides insights for enhancing the cooling effects of green spaces and building cooler cities. From a cultural services perspective, natural elements like mountains, lakes, and rivers play a vital role in the well-being of city dwellers. Gao et al. [3] investigates how historical urban green spaces impact the subjective well-being of specific groups. Their findings uncover the intangible benefits of landscapes, shedding light on the historical value of urban green spaces and offering insights for urban managers. Meanwhile, the decline in biodiversity due to urban expansion is concerning. Chen et al. [4] assessed habitat quality changes across 30 Chinese provinces, conducting a spatial analysis to identify variations and exploring influencing factors and driving mechanisms. Their findings offer valuable insights for assessing and enhancing habitat quality in different regions of China. Birds, as biodiversity indicators in urban environments, are sensitive to habitat changes. Wang et al. [5] introduces a framework that prioritizes habitat restoration by identifying critical bird hotspots and assessing the relationship between bird diversity and habitat quality. Research in Shanghai validates the effectiveness of this framework, offering a basis for strategic biodiversity conservation in the region.

2. Innovative Methodologies for Urban Green Space Planning

Enhancing the service capacity of urban green spaces requires identifying the risks and threats faced by urban ecosystems at large temporal and spatial scales, exploring new technological approaches for green space network planning. These studies can provide scientific support for urban green space planning. In early urbanized areas, Zhang et al. [6] effectively identified critical habitat patches using redundancy theory and mRMR + SVM in ecological networks. This research enhances our understanding of ecological networks and provides methodological support for urban development and ecological conservation decision-making. Ecological corridors, as crucial components of the landscape’s ecological network in metropolitan areas, serve as bridges connecting ecological sources. Shen et al. [7] focuses on enhancing the landscape structure of hybrid land use within ecological corridors in metropolitan regions. Their paper introduces a Comprehensive Benefit Index to establish a functional relationship between agricultural and constructed land areas, with the aim of determining their optimal conversion into ecological lands, enhancing urban ecological security by balancing stakeholder benefits and ecological corridor planning in metropolitan areas. Protecting key green spaces during urban development remains challenging due to the absence of functional connectivity information. Lin et al. [8] introduce a novel spatial optimization model that combines Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA) with an ecological importance evaluation. This model is applicable to conservation area planning in urbanized areas, showcasing enhanced spatial pattern optimization compared to conventional approaches. The above innovative methods provide valuable tools for urban green space planning, enhancing ecological network connectivity, optimizing land use, and ultimately improving urban ecological security.

3. Equity and Efficiency in Urban Green Space Planning to Meet Diverse Needs

Urban green spaces are often seen as a means to improve residents’ well-being. With urbanization, the equity and efficiency of these services have garnered significant attention. Zhang et al. [9] reveals that the Chinese National Forest City (NFCC) policy indicators reflect the national government’s commitment to achieving environmental equity. The unequal distribution of NFCCs is closely linked to disparities in urban green space resources, offering valuable insights for national policy formulation and implementation to promote the elimination of environmental inequities. From the perspective of enhancing efficiency, matching the supply and demand of urban green spaces is one way to achieve a greater service value. Zhao et al. [10] uncovers supply and demand disparities in ecosystem services across the municipal, provincial, and national spatial scales, indicating undersupply and unequal distribution at the municipal level. Their research recommends that future cities should focus on the development of regional green spaces, offering insights to enhance urban green space construction. Zhao et al. [11] investigated this issue with 286 Chinese cities as a sample, analyzing the clustering patterns in urban green spaces from 2010 to 2020. Their research categorized and explored the impact mechanisms behind these patterns, revealing a decreasing contribution rate of supply and demand mismatch in green spaces from coastal to inland areas, aiding in the efficient allocation of urban green space resources nationwide. Rakhmatullina et al. [12] analyzed the distribution, levels of greening, and accessibility of green spaces in Ufa’s administrative districts using open geographic tools and spatial data, comparing them with government standards. Their findings indicate inadequate access to public areas in specific building areas, highlighting the necessity of ensuring fair access to green spaces for a more balanced urban environment.

Focusing on users’ perceptions and actual needs is also an important dimension for enhancing the efficiency of urban green space services. Fan et al. [13] analyzed the characteristics and influencing factors of daily urban green space use through social media text data, including daily activities, the intensity of optional and social activities, and the daily touring experience, revealing the factors influencing daytime and nighttime use of urban green spaces, and providing important insights for promoting human leisure activities. Field surveys are vital for understanding residents’ perceptions of urban green spaces. Kim et al. [14] collected 536 questionnaires to study the levels of green place imagery and its correlation with different types of green spaces, emphasizing attraction and retention. Their research proposed a balanced approach that prioritizes attraction, retention strategies, and the integration of natural and built facilities. Furthermore, the needs of vulnerable populations should also be considered. Zhang et al. [15] provides insights into improving urban park accessibility for the elderly and disabled, highlighting the importance of balancing urban development with their social needs. The above studies underscore the critical importance of the equitable distribution and efficient utilization of urban green spaces. By addressing disparities and focusing on the actual needs of diverse populations, these research efforts provide valuable insights for national policy formulation and urban green space planning.

This Special Issue focuses on the pressing challenges posed by urbanization and explores innovative approaches and solutions for the strategic planning of urban green spaces. By assessing and enhancing the ecosystem services of urban green spaces, developing new technical methods for large-scale spatiotemporal green space network planning, and exploring green space planning from the users’ perspective to improve service equity and efficiency, these studies provide scientific support and innovative solutions for urban green space planning. We look forward to seeing these methodologies and findings applied in future urban green space planning and management.