Interpolated Stand Properties of Urban Forest Parks Account for Posted Facial Expressions of Visitors

Joint effects of air PM2.5 and socioeconomic dimensions on posted emotions of urban green space visitors in cities experiencing population urbanization: A pilot study on 50 cities of East China

People may perceive and expose negative sentiments in days with PM_2.5 pollutions, but evidence is still insufficient about the joint effects of PM_2.5 and socioeconomic factors on human sentiments. In this study, a total of 8032 facial photos of urban green space visitors were obtained from Sina Weibo in 50 cities of East China and rated for happy, sad, neutral scores and net positive emotion index (NPE; happy minus sad). Seasonal air PM_2.5 concentrations were collected from days when people exposed faces in cities that were categorized to medium, large, outsize, and mega sizes according to resident populations (RPs). In summer, people posted lower sad score (11.28 %) than in winter (13.51 %; P = 0.0357) and higher NPE (35.86 %) than in autumn (30.92 %; P = 0.0009). Multivariate linear regression on natural logarithms revealed that factors of gross domestic product per capita (parameter estimate: 0.45), RP (0.59), non-production electricity consumption (0.34), and length of road transport (0.34) together generated positive contributions to posted happy score, while the total retail trade of consumer goods (-1.25) and PM_2.5 (-0.50) were perceived as joint depressors on NPE. Overall, cities with more rich households and activated retail sales attracted more people who exposed smiles in weathers with PM_2.5 compared to cities where local economy is reliable on heavy industry. The summertime in mega cities will be recommended to enjoy a higher frequency to perceive satisfaction due to exposure to low PM_2.5.

Mapping seasonal sentiments of people visiting blue spaces in urban wetlands: A pilot study on inland cities of China

To evoke positive human emotions is a critical goal of blue spaces in urban wetland parks. However, information is still scarce on how people self-express across the spatiotemporal spectrum when they come across wetlands which include varying levels of elevation in a single landscape and microclimate. In this study, 30 urban wetland parks were selected from 17 cities in Central China, where a total of 1,184 portrait photos of visitors were obtained from a social media platform (Sina Weibo) to analyze their expressed sentiments by rating facial expression scores of happy and sad emotions and net positive emotion index (NPE; happy-score minus sad-score) in 2020. Landscape metrics were remotely evaluated for every wetland park, and microclimatic factors were obtained for the days when the photos were taken. Based on regressions of park-level data, blue-space areas could be perceived as a positive driver to trigger happiness in spring (regression coefficient [RC] of 0.20), but it triggered negative emotions in autumn (RC of −2.98). The higher elevation areas triggered positive emotions in summer and autumn (RC of 1.35 × 10−3), but extreme daily temperature, air humidity, and wind velocity together triggered sadness (RC of 0.11, 0.03, and 0.51, respectively). Mapped distribution of the area and corresponding emotions showed that visiting blue space evoked more smiles in wetland parks of northern Hunan, southern Hubei, and eastern Anhui in spring. Blue spaces in Shanxi and northwestern Hebei evoked better moods in autumn. Smaller blue spaces in wetlands located at higher elevations were recommended for nature enthusiasts in warm seasons to overcome the prevalent sadness characteristic of that time of the year and location.

Science and Citizen Collaboration as Good Example of Geoethics for Recovering a Natural Site in the Urban Area of Rome (Italy)

Natural sites in urban spaces can have a key role in citizen well-being, providing fundamental ecosystem services to the population and assuring a multitude of benefits. Therefore, cities should guarantee a number of green areas and their conservation in time as an essential part of urban architecture. In this framework, cooperation between scientists, decision makers and citizens is critical to ensure the enhancement of green public spaces. Social and scientific communities are called to work in a tuned way to combine scientific knowledge and methods to local socio-economic contexts, driven by the values of geoethics. The Bullicante Lake case study, discussed in this work, represents an example of application of geoethical values, such as inclusiveness, sharing, sustainability and conservation of bio- and geodiversity. This urban lake in Rome appeared following illegal excavation works in 1992 and remained closed until 2016 favouring re-naturalization processes. Over time, this site was often threatened by pending actions for building. The aim of this study was to highlight how fruitful cooperation between science and citizens is able to transform a degraded urban area into a place of knowledge, recreation, enjoyment and eco-systemic preservation. Moreover, on the basis of this experience, the authors proposed a generalised approach/strategy to be developed and applied in other contexts. The active involvement of citizens and the cooperation among scientists, artists and institutions were able to redress opportunistic behaviours well by preventing site degradation and its improper use, favouring environmental safeguarding and making possible the site’s recognition as a natural monument. The results of these actions led to the improved quality of citizen life, showing an excellent example of virtuous cooperation between science and society.