Research Trends of Ecosystem Services From the Perspective of Landscape Planning—Summary on the 10th Ecosystem Services Partnership World Conference

The Ecosystem Services Partnership (ESP) Conference is one of the highest-level global academic conferences on ecosystem service (ES) research. Focusing on the research and practice of ES worldwide, ESP Conference offers an important way to grasp the cutting-edge knowledge for scholars and professionals. Currently, ES evaluation indicators and evaluation methods have been integrated the research and practice of landscape planning and design. This paper sorted out the break-out session themes at the 10th ESP Conference related to landscape planning and summarized the research presented in each session. It analyzed and summarized the research and practice hot spots from 3 perspectives: multiple landscape types, the application of ES in planning and management, and ES mapping and modeling. Finally, the paper offers insights on future interests of the application of ES research into landscape planning, including 1) exploring ES evaluation for multiple landscape types; 2) exploring the theoretical and practical frameworks for integrating ES Science into landscape planning; and 3) exploring integrated ES modeling and mapping tools for landscape planning and management.     

运用社交媒体探索 基于自然解决方案中的 生态系统服务感知

Natural wetlands play a vital role in maintaining regional water balance, regulating regional climate, and maintaining biodiversity. Due to urban sprawl in China, the loss of natural wetlands has been dramatic. In recent years, nature-based solutions, including wetland parks, have been advocated to compensate for this loss and to reduce vulnerability and disaster risks. As a result, inspired by natural wetlands or building on existing wetland ecosystems, hundreds of wetland parks have been created in China over the last decade. Most research on ecosystem services of wetland parks has to date focused on technical perspectives, with only a few addressing public perception; the public’s perception of wetland parks is not well understood. This research used social media (i.e. Sina Weibo) to access large volumes of data and provide temporal and geographic granularity. A semantic analysis of microblogs was performed to understand how the public perceives the ecosystem services of wetland parks in Guangzhou. This study explored the public’s perceptions and compared these with the ecosystem services as communicated by professional institutions, and probed into the factors that affect these perceptions. The results showed that the top three ecosystem services perceived by both the general public and communicated by institutions are recreation, aesthetics, and refugia / habitat. There is a strong interconnection between the perceptions of recreation and aesthetics services. Flowering plant species and colored-leaf trees are the most important stimuli affecting perceptions of aesthetics services, and birds are key to the perception of refugia / habitat services. These results provide a basis for better aligning management of projects utilizing naturebased solutions, such as wetland parks, with expectations from the public.     

基于水生态系统服务综合效能提升的城市河流生态修复研究

针对城市双修背景下河流生态修复 工作存在的3大误区与困境,通过荟萃分析 的文献定量研究,厘清了城市河流修复的生 态效应,指出河流生态修复对水生态系统服 务有着积极的提升作用,丰富物种多样性, 增加物种数量与分布密度,对调节性生态系 统服务有显著的正面影响。研究构建了城市 河流生态修复方面,水生态系统服务综合效 能提升的概念模型,包括以水质净化为基 础、生境多样性为核心、文化性服务为关键 的3个方面。     

城市绿地促进人群健康的作用途径:理论框架与实践启示

Urban green spaces can not only offer a wide range of ecosystem services, but also promote public health. Most of existing studies have effectually explored the correlation between urban green spaces and public health, but failed to dig the complex impact mechanism behind. This article firstly goes into the positive and negative impacts of urban green spaces on public health, and proposes a theoretical framework of the impact mechanism from perspectives of physical activity encouragement, stress management, social cohesion enhancement, and regulating / supporting services provision by ecosystems. On this basis, 6 health-oriented urban green space system planning strategies are proposed, including promoting the availability, improving the accessibility, enhancing the visibility, optimizing the spatial composition, constructing a network pattern of urban green spaces, and reducing the negative impacts of urban green spaces on public health. The research results can provide theoretical grounding and reference for public health promotion and sustainable urban development to exert more health benefits with limited urban green spaces.     

城市时代下的风景园林规划与设计简

城市化进程将会在世界各个领域以不同的速度发生,而且主要将发生在发展中国家。作者基于“城市的成功或失败将决定千年发展目标的实现”,在文章中讨论了以下4个方面：城市动态的类型学;将蔓生的城市作为城市实验室（以上海为例）：城市生态系统服务的重要性和衡量标准：以及在绿道和绿色基础设施中实现监控生态系统服务的方法。文章强调了当代城市发展中,风景园林设计师和城市规划师所面临的机遇和挑战。     

Exploration on Ecological Restoration Model for the Improvement of Ecosystem Services of Yellow River Floodplains —A Case Study of Zhengzhou Yellow River Floodplain Park Planning and Design

The Yellow River Basin is one of the greatest and most important ecological barrier and economic belt in China. When the Yellow River Basin is seen as an ecosystem in whole, the floodplains in the lower reaches are critical to the basin’s health and biodiversity. However, due to the extreme complexity of the natural environment of the floodplains, current flood control policies, long-term agricultural activities, and extensive rural construction and production dikes, the river ecosystem has suffered from considerable damage and a serious decline of ecosystem services. In the planning and design project of the Zhengzhou Yellow River Floodplain Park, the characteristics of the lower, intermediate, and higher floodplains have been carefully identified, site-specific ecological restoration measures for each floodplain type were implemented, highlighting the authenticity and natural qualities and improving the overall ecosystem services. In addition, a slow traffic system and innovative industries along the Yellow River are introduced to enable high-quality cultural perception and recreational experience of the improved ecosystem services, promote green production and lifestyle. These measures help make the Yellow River a river that truly benefit the locals. In the context of ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River, as a national agenda, the ecological restoration planning strategies proposed in this article provides a reference for the development of ecological management and green economy in other sections of the lower reaches of the Yellow River.     

Intangible Bonds: Cultural Ecosystem Services and Landscape Practices

This article sheds light on the complex interaction between humans and the natural world, as well as the significance of Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) in interpreting this bond. CES refers to the non-material and immaterial benefits that nature gives to human society, including nature-based tourism, landscape aesthetics, sense of place, cultural heritage, and spiritual inspiration. However, the rapid social shifts have influenced both human behaviors and the human-nature relationships, while reshaping the supply–demand relationships between CES and people. For landscape practitioners, it is necessary to use innovative approaches to comprehend and appreciate the complex cultural links between the natural ecosystem and our cultural attachments, and build a more sustainable interaction via landscape practices. The authors claim that CES can act as a bridge between landscape architecture and social shifts, offering a multidisciplinary approach to comprehending human-nature linkages and supporting sustainable development.     

Research on Evaluation and Optimization Strategies of Cultural Ecosystem Services of Rural Water Spaces in Suzhou

Suzhou City enjoys its regional water networks as a driver to promote the evolution of urban-rural landscapes, where water space is an important part of urban-rural public spaces that defines spatial characteristics, supports public health, and offers recreational opportunities. Cultural ecosystem services (CES) ranging from aesthetics, recreation, education to culture are the core public demands and a key aspect in shaping the identity and vitality of water spaces. However, along with the rapid urbanization, the historical city-water spatial pattern, social connections and relations, and regional cultural spirit have gradually faded away. Such problems can be addressed through inventory renewals and cultural revivals of water spaces based on CES enhancement. This research introduces the Importance–Performance Analysis to study CES of water spaces by examining representative water spaces of Suzhou, in order to examine the correlations between CES types and landscape elements/factors. By collecting the residents’ assessment data on the importance and performance of a series of landscape elements/factors, this research measures and evaluates the demand–supply relations of the studied water spaces, conducts a strategic zoning to identify the landscape elements/factors to maintain, of over-supply, needs no priority or to improve, respectively. Finally, the paper proposes planning strategies and construction guidance for enhancing water space CES in Suzhou in the aspects of ecological management of water network, highlighting of water town image, and planning and scheming of local projects.     

Ecological Design Across Interface: Ecosystem Restoration of Pengxi River/Reservoir in Three Gorges Reservoir Area,Chongqing

Riparian zone is a typical ecotone that connects terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. At the same time, environmental stress magnifies here and the natural regulation of rivers is extremely active. In other words, the most dynamic and vibrant interactions between rivers and landscapes occur in riparian zones. However, the construction of dams and the operation of reservoirs have turned many riparian zones into river/reservoir alternation interfaces, influenced the shaping of hydrological and water environment, and the basin ecosystem as well. By introducing the definition and ecological characteristics of river/reservoir interface, this paper proposes the strategies and technical framework for the ecological design of river/reservoir interface. By studying the ecosystem restoration project of river/reservoir interface of Pengxi River in Three Gorges Reservoir Area of Chongqing, which emphasizes the comprehensive element design, structural design, functional design, and process design, this paper aims to provide a reference for related research and practice on river ecosystem restoration. The results of ecological performance analysis showed that the restored ecosystem of the Wuyangba river/reservoir interface has an obvious increase in habitat type diversity and biodiversity, a strong ability of plant communities to adapt to seasonal water level fluctuation, and an improvement in purifying non-point source pollution. The project demonstrates the coordination and symbiosis of interface ecological restoration and waterfront landscape construction and optimization. The project offers an innovative effort in exploring ecosystem restoration design and practice of river/reservoir interfaces. The design strategies and framework can be a reference for other ecosystem restoration cases that are affected by water level fluctuation in river/reservoir interfaces.     

2000—2020年三峡库区生态系统服务时空演变及驱动力研究

三峡库区生态环境变化是影响长江流域生态安全的关键因素。本文基于PSR模型建构生态系统服务“供给—调节—支持”的功能评价方法和“状态—压力”的驱动力识别要素体系,采用地理探测器和空间相关性分析方法,揭示了三峡库区生态系统服务功能在库首、库中、库尾的互构特征及驱动机理。研究表明：三峡库区蓄水初期对生态系统服务功能影响显著,不同区位的类聚作用逐年变强;生境面积比和土地利用强度是近20年影响库区生态系统服务功能的核心指标,地形位指数也凸显对山地城市生态系统服务功能的决定性作用;库首需关注景观多样性,库尾应处理好建设空间与生态空间的平衡关系。研究结果旨在为三峡库区生态修复与生态服务功能提升提供参考。     

Development of Cultural Ecosystem Services Contributes to a Plural Perspective for Human-Nature Studies—Interview With Tobias Plieninger

Tobias Plieninger has contributed to framing Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) by his studies in Europe and Asia from forest to agricultural ecosystems. He introduced how the term of CES as a part of ecosystem services was raised by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment but largely neglected at the beginning. From his projects, he explored how to set up indicators and the development of a method Public Participation Geographic Information Systems to map cultural values in landscapes for CES assessment. Because of the limitation of CES, the new inclusive concepts like Nature’s Contributions to People arose. Plieninger gave us his perspective about the new tendency to use social media data to broaden the research scale, and shared his opinions about CES research in developing countries, like India and China. He suggested people should apply the methods not only in technocratic or purely in academic exercises, but to deal with real-world problems. He encouraged the young generation to further explore the frontier topics such as the role of CES in increasingly unstable times.     

We Cannot Lose Rural Paradises Anymore—Building New Infrastructure for Quality Residential Tourism and Three Suggestions for Guilin Towards a World-Class Tourist City

With blessed assets in natural resources, cultural legacy, and climatic conditions, a number of regions throughout China are qualified as world-class residential tourism destinations. However, for years, single-purpose tourism-oriented development modes, extensive infrastructure construction, and generic land development strategies have irreversibly destroyed a large number of vernacular natural and cultural landscapes. The author holds that with the increased urbanization level, people’s growing demand for a good life and aesthetic opportunities will boost residential tourism in the near future. To seize the opportunities in current infrastructure construction, it is necessary to plan and build a new type of infrastructure system for vast areas of China where world-class tourist and residential destinations can be created based on vernacular natural and cultural landscapes, and to develop related rural land use strategies proactively. In this essay, the author proposes Three Suggestions to Achieve a World-Class Tourist City to the Guilin Municipal Government, and advocates that in the context of the upcoming infrastructure development and the ongoing rural revitalization, it is the time to build future world-class residential tourism destinations by constructing a new type of infrastructure system. These suggestions can also provide reference for decision-makers of other areas with the same potential.     

Eco-friendly pervious concrete infrastructure for stormwater management and bicycle parking: a case study

ABSTRACT

A pervious concrete area (50 m²) was constructed for a dual purpose: stormwater management and bicycle parking. It consisted of two subareas (PC_a and PC_b) with dissimilar characteristics of pervious concrete mixes in strength, durability and permeability. To make the construction more eco-friendly and economical, coal fly ash was incorporated as a partial cement replacement by 21.4% in the PC_a pervious concrete mix. The PC_b was constructed with an industry proprietary pervious concrete mix. The subbase water storage can retain 4.1 m³ of the infiltrated stormwater before discharging excess water to a storm drain. The drainage water had an improved water quality in turbidity, organic carbon, phosphorus and fecal coliform concentrations. However, it had high pH and conductivity which might cause a negative impact on the environment. The constructed area has been in active use since its opening, accommodating ~30 bicycles at once on the safe and comfort pervious surface.     

百年残楼的复生--外滩九号"轮船招商总局大楼"外观复原与内部整饬设计

本文对上海外滩建筑群中一栋风格独特的历史建筑遗产一外滩九号"轮船招商总局大楼"的历史和现状、外部复原和内部整饬设计、以及工程施工的对策和方法进行了扼要介绍,并对使用中的历史老大楼如何获得内部空间上的再利用效果,恢复再生的活力,提出了保护性设计的策略.     

Towards a New Relationship with Nature: Research and Regenerative Design in Architecture

Here Peter Busby, Michael Driedger and Max Richter of Perkins+Will Canada (P+W) describe the office's core focus on ‘regenerative design’: an approach where each operation in a building's construction is measured by its positive impact on human and natural systems. This is supported by an in-house research team of architects, engineers and sustainability strategists that concentrates on the advancement of sustainable building practices. They describe how this is played out in projects such as the Living with Lakes Centre at Laurentian University in Sudbury and the VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre, Vancouver. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Financial and energy impacts of compact fluorescent light bulbs in a rural setting

Within the context of a national campaign to replace GLS with CFLs, a pilot study was undertaken in Niha, Lebanon to replace around 1000 light bulbs. This paper reports on the detailed savings actually obtained by this project. Energy savings were found to be 8.3%. The obtained savings were lower than the theoretical savings expected mainly due to apparent lower time of use than expected prompting a more moderate advertised yearly savings. The beneficiaries’ attitude towards CFLs was assessed and the results indicate a general satisfaction and willingness to purchase CFLs. One major drawback has been the dissatisfaction with light intensity. The impact of the campaign on other village residents was assessed and the campaign was successful in convincing one third of the population to install CFLs and two thirds said that they intend to buy CFLs in the future. A new approach in the campaign for CFL promotion is suggested.