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Browsing by Subject "urban environment"

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  • Examining the impacts of dog urine in urban environments 
    Järvinen, Riikka (2022)
    Urban greenspaces are valuable resources for humans and are an integral part of the urban landscape. They are also popular sites for various social and cultural activities, such as dog walking. Dog ownership rates are increasing globally at a rapid rate, hence increasing the dog populations within urban cities. The increasing number of dogs could potentially have negative consequences to the quality of urban parks. Furthermore, there is a lack of research on the impacts of dogs on urban environments. The aim of this study is to gain a better understanding of the impacts of dogs on path-side soils in urban greenspaces. Soil samples were collected from both Helsinki and Lahti. The impact of dog urine was studied by comparing path-side soil samples between areas with high dog activity (i.e., parks) and similar areas with low to no dog activity (i.e., cemeteries). Soil samples were collected three times during the growing season in 2021 at three different treatments: close by 1) an evergreen tree, 2) a lamppost, and 3) a lawn area. The samples were analyzed for soil pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, soil moisture, NO3--N, and NH4+-N. Net N mineralization and net nitrification rates were also calculated. The results indicated that dog urine is a significant contributor to the input of nitrogen in urban parks. Soil NO3-N and NH4+-N concentrations were significantly higher in parks than in cemeteries and exhibited clear seasonal trends. Soil pH was generally lower and electrical conductivity higher in parks than in cemeteries. Poles and trees exhibited the greatest concentrations, suggesting that the impact of dog urine is highly localized around path-side objects. None of the treatments in cemeteries showed little to no changes throughout the growing season. Lastly, the net nitrification rates were significantly higher in parks during spring and summer. In contrast, net mineralization rates were generally higher in cemeteries than parks. These results confirm that urban planners need to take into consideration the impact of dogs to mitigate any potential negative consequences to the quality of urban parks.
  • Resilient urban housing business ecosystem and role of nature-based solutions : “Nature becomes one with the city, and city with the nature” 
    Harmanen, Janina (2024)
    The objective of this thesis is to study resilient urban housing business ecosystems and the role and use of nature-based solutions (NBS) in these ecosystems. Thesis aims to gather knowledge on how nature-based solutions are perceived in urban residential building and planning regime and how these solutions are valued to increase urban resilience. Thesis aims to provide knowledge on who are the actors in key role in designing, implementing, or using nature-based solutions in the case cities urban built environment and residential buildings of the business ecosystem. The benefits from nature-based solutions are presented and challenges hindering the mainstreaming of nature-based solutions as well as ways to overcome them are addressed. This thesis is a qualitative study with an empirical research approach. The empirical part of the study consists of data collected from 11 expert interviews, and two expert workshops. Altogether the empirical data corpus consisted of 15 transcripts. The interviews were semi-structured, thematic interviews where experts from different organizations of urban planning and construction industry were interviewed. Two separate workshops were held during August of 2023 in both case cities Helsinki and Turku. Workshops consisted of researcher presentations and focus group work, and the expert participants represented versatility of the field. Study applies reflexive thematic analysis method for qualitative data analysis. It is a systematic and flexible method that is used for identifying, analysing, and reporting meaning-based multifaceted and conceptual patterns within data by generating codes and themes. Several actor groups and key actors were identified based on the analysis. Also, an open role for a champion was recognized from the analysis. Several benefits derived from NBS and barriers for mainstreamed use were identified. Multiple solutions such as land use planning, urban governance practices including green factor, and economical incentives help to increase use of NBS in urban settings, and to answer the future of more resilient city. Urban resilience can be increased through inclusion of NBS and the associated delivery of ecosystem services in urban areas. Urban greenery and green spaces are highly relevant for well-being of residents. A holistic approach for urban planning and residential housing building is called for with increase in implementation of NBS. City should be designed for people as well as to other species. Experts share a vision of greener and more sustainable city where nature becomes one with the city, and city with the nature. There is still need for more research on long-term review of follow-ups and next steps taken from pilot projects to answer how nature-based solutions could be transferred from experimentations for everyday use and how this knowledge could be transferred for wider audiences.

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