Xiaolan Tang

Urban watershed and drainage infrastructure and networks provide cities with a wide range of benefits, solving a myriad of problems facing urban settlements. Due to the neglect of the wetlands over the years, this study examines the application of hydrological assessment through landscape modeling to uncover environmental problems facing the densely populated Lagos metropolis. Data for the study were collected through direct surveys, remote sensing, and physical observation of the 145.68 km² study area and green corridor. The adoption of Geographical Information System (GIS) analysis to identify flood direction, peaks, and depressions, as well as watersheds, aims to develop a spatial model that identifies and prioritizes this waterway corridor, thereby improving landscape connectivity within the metropolis. The study obtained topographical data reports using a simple kriging predictor to determine the geostatistics and spatial analysis used to examine rainfall threats, flood hazards, and susceptibility, which was conducted at the community levels following the highlights of six zones. Aligning the study with established Flood Risk Index (FRI) ranging from 0 to 100%, the Urban River Restoration Index (URRIx), ranging from 0 to 1 and flood factor risk score ranging from 1 to 10 which shows that whenever it is equal to zero (on the scale of 0–1), there are no risk and threat whatsoever and 1/10 risk score indicates that there are minimal risk. The continuous decrease in watershed biodiversity due to an increase in anthropogenic activities has disrupted the integrity of habitats and the environmental sustainability of the metropolis, as well as areas susceptible to high flood impacts. The conclusion called for immediate restoration action by policymakers, stakeholders, and researchers to prioritize waterways for sustainable development and metropolitan transitioning, considering the findings that maintaining a balance between human–nature connectivity in urban areas where natural ecosystems are quickly replaced by human activities is worrisome.

The urban heat island (UHI) effect has emerged as a growing ecological challenge in compact urban environments. Although urban vegetation plays a vital role in mitigating thermal extremes, its cooling performance varies depending on vegetation type and urban morphological context. This study explores the extent to which compact urban development—quantified using the Mixed-use and Intensive Development (MIXD) index—modulates the cooling responses of different vegetation types in Nanjing, China. A combination of landscape metrics, regression-based interaction models, and XGBoost with SHAP analysis is employed to uncover vegetation-specific and structure-sensitive cooling effects. The results indicate that densely planted trees exhibit reduced cooling effectiveness in compact areas, where spatial clustering and fragmentation tend to intensify UHI effects, particularly during nighttime. In contrast, scattered trees are found to maintain more stable cooling performance across varying degrees of urban compactness, while low-lying vegetation demonstrates limited thermal regulation capacity. Critical thresholds of MIXD (approximately 28 for UHI area and 37 for UHI intensity) are identified, indicating a nonlinear modulation of green space performance. These findings underscore the importance of vegetation structure and spatial configuration in shaping urban microclimates and offer mechanistic insights into plant–environment interactions under conditions of increasing urban density.

The primary goal of a green corridor is to efficiently connect ecosystems, providing animals with a readily accessible path between their habitats. Recently, the wetlands on the University of Lagos’s campus have experienced issues including flooding, deforestation, excessive sedimentation, obstructed streams, misuse, overuse, and wetland invasion. The green corridor behind the faculties of law and management science was chosen as a model supported by sustainability principles. It is an exemplary foundation for the university’s campus landscapes. The study aims to explore the potential for conserving biodiversity, the green open spaces eco-benefits, and the sustainable restoration strategies for wetlands. Direct survey techniques and qualitative data analysis were employed using the Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) matrix to analyze data obtained from primary sources. The study revealed threats to the wetlands, including habitat loss, overuse of resources, pollution, invasive species, disease, hunting, and climate change impacts. The study concludes that adaptive landscape planning, the design and construction of wetlands with physical features such as off-road bike lanes, nature walking trails, and raised hardwood platforms are ecologically sustainable and have low carbon emissions.

Cities are characterized by high population density, modern amenities, and urban infrastructure. Considering the rate of urban growth around the suburbs, peri-urban regions are those located outside major cities, presenting a combination of urban and rural features, which means they are places with low population density that prioritize agribusiness, communal activities, and unspoiled landscapes. These lowland communities and the rapidly growing Lagos-Ogun floodplain demand strategic landscape design due to the widespread effects of floods and related risks in Southwest Nigeria. Due to their proximity to the Lagos shoreline and the urban infrastructure connecting them to the Lagos metropolis, these rising settlements need the regional and strategic physical design of the towns that are now known as “new Lagos Cities.” These settlements, located in Northern Lagos and also known as Development Pressure Areas (DPAs), are facing considerable development pressure from the nearby suburbs. The present study assessed the current characteristics of a few chosen residential and agricultural communities in DPAs, as well as the flood catastrophes that occurred between April and November 2023. The purpose of this article is to provide a regional conceptual framework and appropriate landscape planning as a means of reducing flood threats. The on-site data concerning the research were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The study area is made up of five Local Government Areas (LGAs) and the three recognized ecological zones within them. They were mapped out and examined to determine the extent, impacts, and effects of the recurring flooding. Three town planners, one surveyor, one trainee surveyor, two landscape architects, and five freshmen from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning from different universities in Southwest Nigeria conducted the on-site assessments. The analysis took into account the following urban elements: population; land use; economic, physical, and social infrastructure; urban migration indexes regarding inhabitants and farmers; and other recognized urban traits associated with growing cities. The conclusion emphasized the urgent need for prompt action from governmental bodies, agencies, and professionals in urban and ecological planning to develop robust and sustainable solutions for reducing the effects of water damage and runoffs on the local population, on waterway networks, and on physical development in a city or region.

Purpose – Sustainable tourism development and outdoor activities are linked to the effective utilization of open spaces and green corridors within the city. The regeneration and revitalization of this landscape are vital for the emergence of a smart, resilient, and biophilic city for the health and well-being of both the residents and the tourists. This area is part of the urban fabric and is essential for the transportation network development and interconnectivity within the metropolitan space. The wetland and green corridor comprise marshes and canal drainage routes located within the setbacks of the Ikeja, Ojodu, Agidingbi, Opebi, Oregun, Maryland, Yaba, and Iwaya rivers floodplain. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative and descriptive analysis of the on-site data collection, observations, and evaluations, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were utilized to map out the developmental and adaptive strategies through GIS-based network mapping. This involved randomly selecting twenty-six (26) points that are landmarks and notable hubs within the city at approximately 750m intervals aligned within the 20km corridor of the waterways and wetlands of the selected study area. Findings – Through a variety of on-site observations, assessments, interviews, and inferential methods, people’s perceptions of the use of off-road bike lanes, and its economic and social information were gathered. Research limitations/implications – A healthy ecosystem, less reliance on fossil fuels, more green space, habitat restoration, clean water and air, and increased green space are all important for a city's overall well-being. Practical implications – This study suggested off-road non-motorized transportation connectivity, and other strategically adapted alternatives for resilient and sustainable city growth, in addition to carbon sequestration through restoration and preservation of already-existing wetlands. Originality/value – The restoration of urban desolate spaces, improvement of sanitation, governance of floodplains, recreation, and cultural values within metropolitan areas.

The system of protected areas in China has been initially established, but the effectiveness of ecological protection and restoration remains limited. Conducting an evaluation of ecological protection and restoration effectiveness, identifying priority protected areas, and implementing a regional management model are crucial for regional sustainable development. This study focuses on the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration, integrating multiple dimensions, including ecosystem patterns, quality, function, and social-ecological feedback, to develop a framework for evaluating ecological protection and restoration effectiveness. Furthermore, we identified key ecological areas and the spatial distribution of priority protected areas. The results showed that: Significant differences in the ecological protection and restoration effectiveness of protected areas across various indicators. Overall, from 2018 to 2022 indicators such as landscape connectivity (+2.17%), vegetation cover (+9.38%), biodiversity (+5%), soil conservation capacity (+4.91%), and carbon sequestration and oxygen release function (+4.46%) achieved an excellent level, while public satisfaction (+2.56%) reached a good level. However, indicators such as important ecological land area (-1.04%), air quality (-16.85%), water conservation capacity (-16.17%), and human footprint (+7.83%) showed a poor level. A total of 21 priority protected areas were identified in the study area, mainly distributed in the Taihu Lake Basin, Northern Zhejiang, and Northern Anhui. Based on the research results, a regional management model of "3-Core Dynamic (3CD)" was proposed, comprising zonal control, node linkage, and dynamic optimization. This study provides scientific references for regional ecological protection, restoration, and sustainable development.

Extremely urbanized areas have withstood numerous urban disputes, disturbances, and catastrophes related to urbanization, affecting tourism. This study adopted the European Environment Agency's (EEA) urban greening framework. It aims to create an urban open space conducive to city dwellers and tourists. One of the key features is creating a healthy ecosystem and ensuring that the needs of the park users are considered. A quantitative research methodological approach was used, and five hundred (500) copies of the questionnaire were sent out to respondents, who included park users, tourists/visitors, homeowners, and traders. A total of 422 correctly completed copies of the questionnaire were retrieved and used for analysis. Thus, an 84,4% questionnaire administration and retrieval success rate was achieved. The data collected were analyzed using simple percentages and frequency counts for demographic, building type, income, employment, and risk impact information about the respondents and the proposed urban intervention. On-site assessment of the urban area was captured using Google Maps to acquire updated land use data and aerial imagery of the study area. The study identifies five open spaces within the settlement, and the challenges and tourism possibilities, such as maintaining its historic urban character and reviving the streets and neighborhood parks, were uncovered. The study concluded that policies for landscape and urban design that incorporate green infrastructure into the open spaces for sustainable urban revitalization and tourism development. It recommended innovative and adaptive urban design strategies to boost tourism through effective streetscaping using nature-based greenery and beautification.

A theoretical framework for agricultural landscape pattern transitions in rural areas is proposed to fill the gap of current research with an empirical study in the Alabata farm settlement in Ogun State, Southwest Nigeria. Adopting the use of ArcGIS 10.8 and Surfer 27.3 the surface area and volume of the ground surface degraded and exposed to harsh weather conditions due to both natural and man-made anthropogenic activities causing runoffs and continuous soil erosion were calculated, which have affected agricultural production and sent some of the farmers packing, abandoning their farmlands. The farm settlement within the total sampled frame area of 1.50 km² covers a total distance of 5.11 km. The sample frame was divided into 36 frames with similar ecological microclimates, topographical features, terrain, and soil types that fell into either of the two identified soil types: 1 and 2. The study involved the completion of a questionnaire onsite using three major criteria and only 23 farmers responded positively to the few questions as farmers who were either living on the farm or working as hired laborers on-site at the time of the visit. The transition characteristics of agricultural landscape patterns as represented in abandoned, degraded farmlands and orchards are analyzed from a local perspective.

Adotando metodologia de design analítico e qualitativo, as características ambientalmente amigáveis, como colinas, cumes, bosques, cursos de água, pântanos e pequenas ilhas, observam que paisagens sagradas são áreas do terreno que têm significado ou transcendência particular para os povos indígenas. No estado de Ogun, Nigéria, a Redemption City está rapidamente se tornando uma atração de peregrinação bem conhecida. Ecossistemas de pântanos com alta diversidade biológica compreendem aproximadamente 20% da área total de terra que atravessa o corredor de pântanos de 20,4 km e avaliam os potenciais de regeneração biofílica e revitalização focados nas pessoas do ambiente natural. A pesquisa é baseada em repensar as paisagens periurbanas e rurais para entender os benefícios e serviços ambientais intrínsecos, uma avaliação da biodiversidade conduzida ao longo do rio e os quatro principais tributários que formam a primeira fase da restauração.