The proportion of people over 65+ is expected to increase in the future. The elderly is one of the most frequent users of open public space. One type of open public space is urban green space, which is a recurring appreciated element for the elderly population. Despite this, cities are often considered to neglect the needs and wants of the elderly population regarding design and shape. What we need and want in urban green areas differs among different age- and culture groups. Therefor it is important to shed light upon elderly’s experience linked to the use and needs of urban green space to get a better understanding of how these areas are perceived. Which this study aims to do based upon elderly living the city of Umeå. The paper takes a qualitative approach to answer the research questions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 7 informants living in the Umeå urban area. Results show that many of the elderly informant’s values urban green space with a high perceived naturalness which is also considered to be lacking in many Umeås central parks. However, what types of greenery which contributes to the perceived naturalness can vary. Woodlands as well as smaller leafy and heavily green influenced areas can equally result in a high perceived naturalness. Areas with a high perceived naturalness also enables elderly’s motives for being in areas of greenery to a greater extent. Like the daily walk, relaxing and socializing with friends. All open green space in the city is not sought-after by the elderly informants. Further factors that make some of the elderly informants seek out different open green areas are lack of amenities and the feeling of inaccessibility.

In recent times urban flooding has become more frequent and more complex due to the effects of increasing urban areas and climate change. In some established urban areas the existing drainage infrastructure is unable to cope with the volume of surface runoff and flooding events are more frequent, therefore new approaches to create more space for water within developments are required. This research was conceived in that context. It aims to investigate the potential for integrating green space planning with water planning and to develop a framework for the same in order to reduce the risk of flooding. An extensive literature review was carried out in the areas of urban planning, water planning, planning legislations, and issues related to integrating green space and water planning. The review identified the need for an inclusive framework which could integrate aspects of green space and storm water planning more holistically to achieve greater spatial planning efficiency. To satisfy this need, a conceptual framework was developed which took into consideration the opinions of various stakeholders. The conceptual framework included green spaced planning for SUDS, recreational and storm water indicators and a mechanism for integrated evaluation of SUDS for recreation and storm water management. The conceptual framework provided a joint approach where both engineers and planners will need to work together for the development of integrated storm water and green space plans. The framework showed processes for both disciplines and also indicates how spatial planning and water planning interfaced so that there was clarity of roles. In order to evaluate integrated plans, an ‘integrated evaluation tool’ was developed which uses indicators from both the areas of green space planning and water planning. The evaluation tool also contained a scoring system which can be used to select storm water management options with more recreational potential. The tool provides a mechanism to balance the requirements of recreation and storm water management so that more holistic solutions can be developed by teams of engineers and planners. The conceptual framework and the integrated evaluation tool were applied to two case study catchments. Results from the case studies showed the relationship of spatial planning and flooding. It further tested whether recreational aspects could be integrated into storm water planning. A number of drainage options were tested to show the application of the evaluation tool under various scenarios. This results of the research showed that the conceptual framework was appropriate in both case study areas even though the areas had different patterns of development. It is therefore proposed that the approach has potential for wider application in other geographical areas. Results from the two areas also showed that the integrated approach established in this research could enhance the recreational aspects associated with urban storm water management. The framework presented in this thesis will potentially be of use to a wide range of stakeholders such policy makers, local authorities, water companies, consultants and researchers. It could also be useful in informing the evolution of planning policies and technical guidance associated with water and green space planning.

The primary objectives of this study are to understand if and how cities are adapting to heat and water stress and to characterize their understanding of the potential tradeoffs associated with vegetation-based strategies. I address these objectives using two approaches: a comparative analysis of climate adaptation and sustainability planning documents in cities vulnerable to heat and water stress and an in-depth case study of the response to heat and water threats in Los Angeles. The comparative analysis of city plans builds a broad understanding of how cities are planning to adapt to heat and water stress and the degree to which they articulate an understanding of, and mitigate the potential for, maladaptive measures. The Los Angeles case study provides the opportunity to more deeply trace how the process of adapting to heat and water stress has unfolded in a single city. To do so, I locate the city’s contemporary policies in an historical continuum with previous municipal environmental policy efforts, in local patterns of urban development and their entailing political and economic foundations, and in regional, state, national, and international environmental policy hierarchies.

Equal accessibility to green space for urban residents is not a given. This thesis research has aimed to identify how urban residents that move using a wheelchair organise their visits to various types of green space located at different distances, focussing on the use value and synergy between such green spaces. A qualitative approach has been applied to address this aim, using the yet rather unestablished photo elicitation method to explore the experience of wheelchair users in green space. The data demonstrated that wheelchair users have a standard set of green spaces that are frequently visited, which can be organised in the portfolio of natural places framework. Furthermore, the findings identify the accessibility of green space for wheelchair users as an environmental justice issue, proposing implications for inclusive green spaces of varying type and located at different distances. This study forms a way forward to the integration of disability studies and environmental justice literature, has generated a better understanding of the accessibility and use value of green space for wheelchair users and can serve as a springboard for further studies in urban planning that consider an integrated approach to green space, shifting the focus beyond people’s direct residential environment.

Previous research has revealed that green spaces provide numerous benefits to human beings. One such benefit is the proven ability of green spaces to restore individuals’ attention capacities. However, there exists very little literature that examines these benefits in the context of tertiary education campuses. University campuses are hubs where full-time students spend many hours daily during the course of their studies and are therefore exposed to the benefits of the landscaping on their campuses. This study therefore aimed to determine the manner in which students at the University of Pretoria perceive the on-campus green spaces, specifically in terms of the restorative properties of these areas. Quantitative data collection strategies were utilised, yielding a final sample size of 286 participants. A survey was employed as the research design, and included both closed and open-ended questions. Results indicated a generally positive perception of the green spaces on campus. Students tend to enjoy spending time in green spaces and find all green spaces that were addressed restorative. The Manie van der Schijff Botanical Garden was rated as the most restorative green space on campus. Future research includes exploring the link between attention restoration and academic achievement of students in order to better understand the role green spaces play in this regard. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lk2014 / Psychology / MA / Unrestricted

The presence of green spaces in cities has been increasingduring recent years. The aim of this thesis is to understand the importance of these areas in the city through the ecosystem services approach, and to provide an example on how that approach is undertaken in two different European cities: Madrid and Stockholm. By using Geographic Information Systems, interviews with planning representatives in both countries, and planning documents, it was found that even though this approach is known and mentioned in both cases, the outcome in the distribution and accessibility of these areas varies widely from one study area to another.

Syfte: I dagens samhälle pågår en urbanisering som leder till en ökad förtätning i våra städer. Ökad förtätning kan leda till att ny mark i redan befintlig stadsmiljö behöver tas i anspråk. Denna mark är ofta grönytor eller parkeringsplatser. Det finns tidigare studier som visar på naturens positiva effekter på människans mående och den sociala hållbarheten. Däremot finns begränsat med tidigare forskning som visar på hur grönområden hanteras vid förtätning av städer. Målet med denna fallstudie är att bidra med ny kunskap om hur den sociala hållbarheten kan bevaras i ett område där förtätning planeras. Metod: För att uppnå det uppsatta målet har fallstudien genomförts med dokumentanalys samt en litteraturstudie som legat till grund för intervjuerna. Efter att ett välarbetat intervjuunderlag tagits fram genomfördes sex intervjuer. Tre stycken på två olika kommuner, två med arkitekter och en med en byggherre.   Resultat: Kommunernas och övriga aktörer ser det som viktigt med ett bra samarbete mellan inblandade aktörer. Det som driver arbetet idag är tjänstemännens kompetenser. Kommunerna försöker arbeta med inkludering, trygghet och segregation för en social hållbarhet. Detta genom att arbeta med multifunktionella ytor samt mötesplatser. Det är också något som övriga aktörer försöker arbeta med. Aktörerna försöker också ge utemiljöerna större fokus men menar att ambitionsnivån beror på hur omgivningarna ser ut. Kommunerna anser att man måste ha en hög ambitionsnivå från start då man inte alltid når hela vägen vid det färdiga resultatet. Arkitekterna upplever att de har olika mycket inflytande vid olika typer av projekt. Konsekvenser: Efter genomförandet av arbetet kan konstateras att ämnesområdet är komplext. Urbaniseringen påverkar dagens stadsplanering och är något som involverade aktörer måste arbeta med. Faktorer som påverkar hur frågan om social hållbarhet arbetas med är bland annat kunskap, engagemang och ekonomi. Slutsatser som kan dras är att om engagemang och kunskap saknas så arbetas inte området med och byggnationens ekonomiska vinning prioriteras högst. Rekommendationer är: Tydligare och mer detaljerade krav gällande grönområden behövs för att ämnet ska arbetas med utan att aktörers engagemang driver frågan. Krav på uppföljning gällande genomförande av planerat grönområde för att det inte ska kunna prioriteras bort på vägen. Naturen behöver få ett ekonomiskt värde så att det blir tydligt vad det kostar samhället att naturen inte prioriteras.  Begränsningar: Arbetet är begränsat till att behandla grönområden vid förtätning och inte övriga delar av förtätning. Det är också begränsat till att behandla den sociala hållbarheten och inte övriga hållbarhetsaspekter. Även en begränsning till svenska kommuner med ett invånarantal på 50 000 till 120 000 samt aktörer involverade i projekteringsfasen finns. / Purpose: Urbanization is taking place in today´s society, leading to an increased densification in our cities. Increased densification may lead to new land being claimed in the urban environment. This land is often green spaces or parking lots. Previous studies show the positive effects of nature on human well-being and the social sustainability. However, there is limited previous research which shows how green space are handled during city densification. The aim of this case study is to contribute with new knowledge about how social sustainability can be preserved in an area where densification is planned. Method: To accomplish the purpose of the case study, a document analysis has been made and a literature study has been conducted which formed the foundation of the interviews. 6 interviews were carried out after producing a well-worked interview guide. 3 interviews with two different municipalities, 2 with architects and 1 with a developer. Findings: Both the municipalities and the other actors find it important with a well-functioning cooperation between all actors involved in the process. Today it is the officials’ competencies which leads the work forward. The municipalities are working with inclusion, security, and segregation to achieve social sustainability. This by focusing on making areas multifunctional and creating meeting spaces. This is also something the other actors are working with. The architects and the developer are also trying to give the outdoor environments bigger focus however the level of ambition depends on the opportunities in the surroundings. The municipalities believe that one must have a high level of ambition at the beginning since the finished result not always fulfil what is planned. The architects experience different possibilities to impact in different kinds of projects. Implications: After completion of the case study, it can be stated that the subject area is complex. The densification affects the urban planning and is something that the actors must involve in their work. Factors affecting the work with social sustainability is knowledge, commitment, and economics. Conclusions that can be made is that if commitment and knowledge is lacking, the subject area is not worked with and the economic gain of the construction is given the highest priority. Recommendations is: Clearer and more detailed requirements regarding green space is needed if the subject is going to be worked with without the commitment of actors involved. Requirements of monitoring implementation of planned green space to ensure that it is not de-prioritized during the construction process. Nature must be given an economic value to make sure the cost for the society, if nature is not prioritized, is clear. Limitations: This case study is limited to treating green space in densification and no other parts of the densification. It is also limited to social sustainability and not the other sustainability aspects. There is also a limitation to Swedish municipalities with a population between 50 000 and 120 000 and actors involved in the design phase.

Syfte: Den kraftiga urbaniseringen medför att mentala sjukdomarna och depressioner ökar hos befolkningen då den naturliga miljön försvinner från de tätbebyggda städerna. Vilket även minskar möjligheten för de boende i staden att kunna se och höra djur och växter. Grönytefaktorn är ett verktyg kommunerna kan använda för att bygga täta städer men ändå utforma staden så att ekosystemtjänsterna får en bra plats i samhället. Målet med den här studien är att undersöka hur den vertikala växtligheten kan användas i grönytefaktorn, samt dess möjligheter att öka rekreationsvärdet i stadsdelar med lite grönska. Detta för att skapa en attraktivare stadsmiljö och på så sätt bidra till en bättre hälsa hos invånarna. Hur arbetar Jönköpings kommun kring vertikal växtlighet? Hur uppfattas den vertikala växtligheten ur ett rekreationsperspektiv? Hur kan vertikal växtlighet användas i grönytefaktorn för att öka rekreationsvärdet? Metod: Arbetet har utförts med en kombination av kvalitativa och kvantitativa metoder. Dokumentanalys har utförts för att undersöka hur kommunerna kan använda sig av grönytefaktorn och hur de använder sig av vertikal växtlighet. Semistrukturerade intervjuer utfördes med sakkunniga i Malmö stad och Jönköpings. Även en upplevelsestudie utfördes i form av en inventering om hur besökare skulle kunna uppleva vertikal växtlighet utfördes på Hoppes torg i Jönköpings. Där en illustration av en vertikal växtlighet visades för besökande i området och de bedömde sedan illustrationen efter 10 miljökvaliteter. Resultat: Resultatet utifrån studien visar att Jönköpings kommun inte använder sig av den vertikala växtligheten så mycket. Från upplevelsestudien visar det sig att en vertikal växtvägg uppfattas som positiv med en återhämtande effekt och kan ge ett högre rekreationsvärde där den placeras. Inventeringen på Hoppets torg visade en betydande positiv effekt för 6 av de 10 miljökvaliteterna för den vertikala växtligheten. Konsekvenser: Studiens slutsats är att den vertikala växtligheten kan bidra till ett rekreativt värde. Vid användandet av den vertikal växtlighet så bör det beaktas om växtligheten är grön under en längre period av året, samt hur lång tid det tar för växtligheten att breda ut sig över det tänkta området. Begränsningar: Resultatetförarbetetvisarendastderekreativavärdetavenväxtvägg. Studien har begränsats till Jönköpings och Malmös kommun trots detta är studien allmänt giltig för alla platser där en vertikal växtvägg kan implementeras. I undersökningsstudien användes endast en bild för att visa en växtvägg på platsen vilket minskar reliabiliteten för studien och ett annat resultat hade kanske visat sig om de besökande hade kunnat bedöma en miljö med en växtvägg.

This thesis sets out to explore how immigrant women encounter urban green spaces in Istanbul and Stockholm in their everyday lives. Underlying this focus is the importance of urban green spaces’ in providing a sustainable future and a healthy life for all and inequalities in accessing these spaces. Considering a lack of focus on gender and power dynamics in the environmental perception studies and urban green spaces, this thesis inductively explores how women encounter and experience urban green spaces and how power shapes these experiences by adopting a feminist epistemology and methodology through the use of in-depth interviews and qualitative GIS. Using Google Earth as a qualitative GIS method allows for non-verbal expressions to come forward during the interviews and creates a more collaborative and inclusive research process in line with a feminist methodology adopted in this thesis. My findings further contribute to how to practically design inclusive urban green spaces. The findings show that the cultural and gendered constructions of urban green spaces shape how these spaces were experienced by the women participants. The findings also show that body is an important source of knowledge in understanding how women encounter and experience these spaces. Through understanding the role of gender and culture in shaping these spaces and hence the experiences, my findings contribute to scholarship on the accessibility of urban green spaces. How my research participants experience green spaces in the case study locations highlighted the need to understand accessibility beyond physical proximity

The paper reports on a study of how urban gardening can be implemented in the urban planning for the area, how urban gardening can be used as a tool for a more sustainable city, as well as to understand the role of cafes in encouraging the residents of the Stockholm, both directly and indirectly, to engage in sustainable consumption practices. This project will look at how urban gardening tools can be used within Stockholm to increase sustainable consumption practices. The final outcome, of which, will be a mobile herb garden that travels to different cafes in urban areas of Stockholm, with suggestions as to what could be included in the area to maximize the environmental and economical benefits. Through participatory design approach a range of urban gardening practices has been included in the suggested plans including mobile gardens, community gardens, and growing local foods to maximize the benefits for both the residents and the planet. As a designer and discerning consumers I tried to start to look beyond the pure surface in this project and reveal the potential of urbanization especially by looking closer at “what is” in this case, the impact of cafes can play on encouraging citizens to sustainable consumption and that can be shared as surplus in an urban area in central Stockholm which can be prototyped and be read as a case study to “ what if “.