Urban greenbelts are considered a key instrument for shaping sustainable urban growth and protecting the environment in a large number of cities in the world. In most cities, there is a widely shared belief that urban greenbelts are beneficial to the natural environment. By contrast, there is little understanding of the underlying economic impacts of greenbelts and other green space configurations in fast growing cities. The unprecedented rate and scale of urbanisation in the emerging economies has brought the role of greenbelts into an even sharper focus. In cities within these fast growing economies, the urban population is expected to double in the coming decades, which means that greenbelts are under great pressures to adapt to the large forthcoming growth. Few existing urban models are capable of addressing the dynamic nature of the urban transformations and predicting the impacts of urban greenbelts in the developing world. This prompts us to develop a new modelling method that is capable of assessing the impacts of different configurations, scales and locations of green spaces. We then use it to examine alternative futures to the greenbelt through a case study of Greater Beijing. The method we developed is a new variant in the land use-transport interaction (LUTI) model family. This model is capable of addressing the non-equilibrium nature of urban land use and transport development and the equilibrium nature of the day-to-day adaptations made by businesses and citizens. This LUTI model aims to answer the following questions: what are the short-term and long-term economic impacts of a greenbelt on a fast growing city? Which alternative green space configuration performs better in terms of economic well-being and travel costs? Where and how much should the greenbelt land be progressively reshaped or released as the city grows? The new LUTI model is calibrated and validated using data collected for 1990, 2000 and 2010 for Greater Beijing, The model is first tested retrospectively through revisiting the past greenbelt policies in Beijing from 1990 to 2010. Then the impacts of different future green space configurations from 2010 to 2030 are predicted and assessed through quantifying economic costs/benefits and travel costs for socio-economic groups. The model results suggest that under rapid transformative urban change, the configuration, scale and location of a greenbelt have a significant impact on a city’s economic efficiency. Such impacts will transcend the greenbelt boundary, and even the boundary of Beijing Municipality, onto the entire city region. A narrow greenbelt launched in the early age of urban expansion could lead to spatial mismatch of residents and jobs. A wide and strictly controlled ring-shaped greenbelt is not the highest performing intervention either, in terms of economic well-being. The green-wedges configuration is a remedial policy that balances the economic efficiency and environmental benefits. Intensive development around metro/rail stations in the designated greenbelt could reduce spatial costs and promote sustainable travel modes. This implies that a careful siting of new development within existing designations of the greenbelt can be beneficial in terms of economic well-being and sustainable transport.

The forest avian community of the Ray Roberts Greenbelt (Denton Co., Texas) was characterized for two years using point count station sampling, from fall 1998 to summer 2000. Richness data for both breeding seasons were correlated with two-spatial metrics: width of the riparian forest and distance to the nearest edge. There were significant correlations between forest interior species richness and both spatial metrics, for both breeding seasons. Based on these data, a minimum riparian forest width threshold of 400-meters is suggested to provide habitat for forest interior species, which have lost considerable habitat through forest fragmentation. Partners in Flight breeding bird priority concern scores were used to create a habitat priority index for the Trinity River bottomland hardwood forest system

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi investigar a relação entre a urbanização e os terrenos sedimentares e cristalinos na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo (RMSP). Para isso se intentou identificar uma área de caráter urbano e demais áreas de caráter natural. A primeira devendo ser aquela que abriga toda ou grande parte de uma forma espacial, a mancha urbana, ocorrendo sobre a maior parte dos terrenos sedimentares e cristalinos associados (de aplainamento generalizado). Já as segundas seriam as caracterizadas pelo predomínio do cinturão verde que envolve a mancha urbana, ocorrendo sobre os terrenos cristalinos não associados aos sedimentares, que não possuem aplainamento generalizado, nem abrigam pacotes sedimentares que poderiam facilitar a urbanização nos mesmos. Outro objetivo foi demonstrar que tal organização é reproduzida por ações de cunho espacial, estabelecimento e proposições de unidades espaciais ao longo do tempo. Identificada e demonstrada tal organização, intentou-se também utilizar a mesma para sugerir a divisão da RMSP em setores com diferentes prioridades para a conservação do cinturão verde. Para isso se articulou o Método Regional de Richard Hartshorne (1978), que propõe uma relação entre a Geografia Idiográfica e Nomotética, com a utilização de amostras espaciais localizadas no Município de São Paulo, bem representativas de toda a transição e diferenciação entre ambiente associado à mancha urbana e ao cinturão verde. Em cada amostra se realizou integrações espaciais específicas, da comparação das mesmas identificou-se um parâmetro associado à ocorrência da mancha urbana, e o mesmo foi associado à delimitação e configuração espacial da organização espacial pretendida. A cota 800 m correspondeu a esse parâmetro, dessa forma, as terras baixas de significância regional foram associadas à área urbana e as altas às áreas naturais. Demonstrouse que ações de cunho espacial, o eixo Leste-Oeste de expansão urbana induzida pelo poder público desde a década de 1970, bem como as unidades de proteção ambiental de diversas categorias de conservação presentes na RMSP, reproduzem tal organização espacial, a corroborando, podendo-se ainda identificar aquelas que concordaram com a mesma e poderiam ser justificadas na lógica da sociedade e não só na científica ou ambiental. Tal análise permitiu a identificação de uma organização espacial complementar que associa a expansão urbana a tipos climáticos e justifica socialmente a presença de grande parte das unidades de proteção ambiental localizadas em área de caráter urbano na RMSP. Baseado em tal conhecimento se sugeriu setores desde os mais vulneráveis à conservação do cinturão verde, aqueles constituídos de unidades de proteção ambiental dadas em área de caráter urbano, aos com vulnerabilidade menor, de unidades de proteção ambiental dadas em área de caráter natural. Foram sugeridos também os mais adequados e em que se prognostica a intensa expansão urbana e aqueles em que podem ser estabelecidos parques urbanos metropolitanos, ambos cumprem o papel de atender as necessidades da metrópole e amenizar a ocupação dos setores que devem ter conservação prioritária. Concluiu-se que na RMSP a organização espacial vislumbrada só não é válida para os trechos de escarpa das Serras do Mar e de Paranapiacaba e que a realidade pode ser abordada sob o ponto de vista da área das formas espaciais, sendo que a partir desse tipo de análise é possível sugerir setores espaciais que visem contribuir ao planejamento de determinados territórios, seja sob o foco ambiental ou social. / The goal of this research was to investigate the relationship between the urbanization and the sedimentary and crystalline lands in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (MRSP). In order to achieve this, two types of areas were identified: an area with urban character, and areas with natural character. The first is the one which contains all or most of a specific spatial shape, the metropolitan area, occurring in the majority of the sedimentary and associated crystalline lands (with widespread planning). The latter are characterized by the predominance of the greenbelt, which surrounds the metropolitan area, occurring on the crystalline lands not associated to the sedimentary ones. The greenbelt areas neither have widespread planning, nor contain sedimentary lands that could facilitate their urbanization. Another goal was to demonstrate that such organization is reproduced through actions of spatial character, which are here understood as the establishment and proposition of spatial units over time. Once such organization was identified and demonstrated, it was used as a base to propose the division of the MRSP in sectors with different priorities for the greenbelt conservation. In order to do so, the Regional Method of Richard Hartshorne (1978), that proposes a relationship between the Idiographic and Nomothetic Geography, was articulated. This approach involved the utilization of spatial samples located in the City of São Paulo, well representative of all the transition and differentiation between environments associated to the metropolitan area and to the greenbelt. In every sample, specific spatial integrations were performed, and from their comparison it was identified a parameter associated to the occurrence of the metropolitan area. This parameter was associated to the delimitation and configuration of the intended spatial organization. The elevation of 800 meters corresponded to this parameter, thus, the lowlands with regional significance were associated to the urban area, and the higher ones to the natural areas. It was demonstrated that actions of spatial nature, the east-west axis of urban expansion induced by the government since the 1970s, as well as the environmental protection units of several categories of conservation located in the MRSP, reproduce such spatial organization, and corroborate it. It was also possible to identify actions which agreed with this spatial organization and might be justified in the societys logic, and not only in the scientific or environmental logic. Such analysis allowed the identification of a complementary spatial organization that associates the urban expansion to climatic types and socially justifies the presence of a great part of the environmental protection units located in the urban area in MRSP. Based in such knowledge, it were suggested sectors ranging from the most vulnerable ones for the greenbelt conservation, which are constituted of environmental protection units situated in the area with urban character, to the less vulnerable ones, with environmental protection units situated in the areas with natural character. It was also suggested the most suitable sectors in which it is prognosticated the intense urban expansion, and those in which metropolitan parks can be established. Both of them fulfill the role of answering the needs of the metropolis and mitigate the occupation of sectors that must have priority conservation. It was concluded that in MRSP the spatial organization glimpsed is not valid only for the escarpment areas of Serra do Mar and Paranapiacaba, and that the reality can be approached from the point of view of the area of the spatial shapes. From this type of analysis its possible to suggest spatial sectors that aim to contribute to the territorial planning,under the environmental or social focus.

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi investigar a relação entre a urbanização e os terrenos sedimentares e cristalinos na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo (RMSP). Para isso se intentou identificar uma área de caráter urbano e demais áreas de caráter natural. A primeira devendo ser aquela que abriga toda ou grande parte de uma forma espacial, a mancha urbana, ocorrendo sobre a maior parte dos terrenos sedimentares e cristalinos associados (de aplainamento generalizado). Já as segundas seriam as caracterizadas pelo predomínio do cinturão verde que envolve a mancha urbana, ocorrendo sobre os terrenos cristalinos não associados aos sedimentares, que não possuem aplainamento generalizado, nem abrigam pacotes sedimentares que poderiam facilitar a urbanização nos mesmos. Outro objetivo foi demonstrar que tal organização é reproduzida por ações de cunho espacial, estabelecimento e proposições de unidades espaciais ao longo do tempo. Identificada e demonstrada tal organização, intentou-se também utilizar a mesma para sugerir a divisão da RMSP em setores com diferentes prioridades para a conservação do cinturão verde. Para isso se articulou o Método Regional de Richard Hartshorne (1978), que propõe uma relação entre a Geografia Idiográfica e Nomotética, com a utilização de amostras espaciais localizadas no Município de São Paulo, bem representativas de toda a transição e diferenciação entre ambiente associado à mancha urbana e ao cinturão verde. Em cada amostra se realizou integrações espaciais específicas, da comparação das mesmas identificou-se um parâmetro associado à ocorrência da mancha urbana, e o mesmo foi associado à delimitação e configuração espacial da organização espacial pretendida. A cota 800 m correspondeu a esse parâmetro, dessa forma, as terras baixas de significância regional foram associadas à área urbana e as altas às áreas naturais. Demonstrouse que ações de cunho espacial, o eixo Leste-Oeste de expansão urbana induzida pelo poder público desde a década de 1970, bem como as unidades de proteção ambiental de diversas categorias de conservação presentes na RMSP, reproduzem tal organização espacial, a corroborando, podendo-se ainda identificar aquelas que concordaram com a mesma e poderiam ser justificadas na lógica da sociedade e não só na científica ou ambiental. Tal análise permitiu a identificação de uma organização espacial complementar que associa a expansão urbana a tipos climáticos e justifica socialmente a presença de grande parte das unidades de proteção ambiental localizadas em área de caráter urbano na RMSP. Baseado em tal conhecimento se sugeriu setores desde os mais vulneráveis à conservação do cinturão verde, aqueles constituídos de unidades de proteção ambiental dadas em área de caráter urbano, aos com vulnerabilidade menor, de unidades de proteção ambiental dadas em área de caráter natural. Foram sugeridos também os mais adequados e em que se prognostica a intensa expansão urbana e aqueles em que podem ser estabelecidos parques urbanos metropolitanos, ambos cumprem o papel de atender as necessidades da metrópole e amenizar a ocupação dos setores que devem ter conservação prioritária. Concluiu-se que na RMSP a organização espacial vislumbrada só não é válida para os trechos de escarpa das Serras do Mar e de Paranapiacaba e que a realidade pode ser abordada sob o ponto de vista da área das formas espaciais, sendo que a partir desse tipo de análise é possível sugerir setores espaciais que visem contribuir ao planejamento de determinados territórios, seja sob o foco ambiental ou social. / The goal of this research was to investigate the relationship between the urbanization and the sedimentary and crystalline lands in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (MRSP). In order to achieve this, two types of areas were identified: an area with urban character, and areas with natural character. The first is the one which contains all or most of a specific spatial shape, the metropolitan area, occurring in the majority of the sedimentary and associated crystalline lands (with widespread planning). The latter are characterized by the predominance of the greenbelt, which surrounds the metropolitan area, occurring on the crystalline lands not associated to the sedimentary ones. The greenbelt areas neither have widespread planning, nor contain sedimentary lands that could facilitate their urbanization. Another goal was to demonstrate that such organization is reproduced through actions of spatial character, which are here understood as the establishment and proposition of spatial units over time. Once such organization was identified and demonstrated, it was used as a base to propose the division of the MRSP in sectors with different priorities for the greenbelt conservation. In order to do so, the Regional Method of Richard Hartshorne (1978), that proposes a relationship between the Idiographic and Nomothetic Geography, was articulated. This approach involved the utilization of spatial samples located in the City of São Paulo, well representative of all the transition and differentiation between environments associated to the metropolitan area and to the greenbelt. In every sample, specific spatial integrations were performed, and from their comparison it was identified a parameter associated to the occurrence of the metropolitan area. This parameter was associated to the delimitation and configuration of the intended spatial organization. The elevation of 800 meters corresponded to this parameter, thus, the lowlands with regional significance were associated to the urban area, and the higher ones to the natural areas. It was demonstrated that actions of spatial nature, the east-west axis of urban expansion induced by the government since the 1970s, as well as the environmental protection units of several categories of conservation located in the MRSP, reproduce such spatial organization, and corroborate it. It was also possible to identify actions which agreed with this spatial organization and might be justified in the societys logic, and not only in the scientific or environmental logic. Such analysis allowed the identification of a complementary spatial organization that associates the urban expansion to climatic types and socially justifies the presence of a great part of the environmental protection units located in the urban area in MRSP. Based in such knowledge, it were suggested sectors ranging from the most vulnerable ones for the greenbelt conservation, which are constituted of environmental protection units situated in the area with urban character, to the less vulnerable ones, with environmental protection units situated in the areas with natural character. It was also suggested the most suitable sectors in which it is prognosticated the intense urban expansion, and those in which metropolitan parks can be established. Both of them fulfill the role of answering the needs of the metropolis and mitigate the occupation of sectors that must have priority conservation. It was concluded that in MRSP the spatial organization glimpsed is not valid only for the escarpment areas of Serra do Mar and Paranapiacaba, and that the reality can be approached from the point of view of the area of the spatial shapes. From this type of analysis its possible to suggest spatial sectors that aim to contribute to the territorial planning,under the environmental or social focus.

After South Africa’s democratisation in 1994, the areas which had been deemed “only for whites” within the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality (CoJ) were opened to all citizens. These changes attracted a high in-migration of people seeking better living in the CoJ. This influx not only challenged the provision of employment but also impacted negatively on the availability of land and housing and on the maintenance of safety and security by the police. Lack of accommodation forced immigrants to squat in the open spaces (including in the greenbelts) within the CoJ. A literature review provided an understanding of this problem locally and internationally. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with the affected stakeholders. The findings showed that the measures needed to combat the causes of illegal squatting are beyond police control. The involvement of departments such as Human Development, Labour, Home Affairs and Environmental Management is needed for a successful solution to the problem. / Police Practice / M. Tech.(Policing)

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After South Africa’s democratisation in 1994, the areas which had been deemed “only for whites” within the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality (CoJ) were opened to all citizens. These changes attracted a high in-migration of people seeking better living in the CoJ. This influx not only challenged the provision of employment but also impacted negatively on the availability of land and housing and on the maintenance of safety and security by the police. Lack of accommodation forced immigrants to squat in the open spaces (including in the greenbelts) within the CoJ. A literature review provided an understanding of this problem locally and internationally. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with the affected stakeholders. The findings showed that the measures needed to combat the causes of illegal squatting are beyond police control. The involvement of departments such as Human Development, Labour, Home Affairs and Environmental Management is needed for a successful solution to the problem. / Police Practice / M. Tech.(Policing)