User:Sprybutok/Green belt

History
Which was the first (or early) green belt? What are some of the attributes that is has and how do they differ from modern greenbelts?

Environment
Urban greenbelts promote ecological functions, also called natural services, throughout the city. These ecological function are achieved through preserving natural ecological processes and regional environments while enhancing the existing conditions of the environment. The urban green belts are proven that, over time, the natural service can provide disaster prevention and mitigation functions, changing microclimates of an urban environment, and improve air quality and lower air temperatures.

A natural service that urban greenbelts provide is disaster prevention and mitigation functions. This function is vital to the survival of the environment and is mainly sustained through the use of urban greenbelts forest parks and park complexes. The disaster prevention and mitigation function of urban greenbelts has been proven effective by withstanding many catastrophic events within the city such as explosions, fires, and earthquakes. Alongside these devastating events, urban greenbelts have been seen to be resilient to natural disasters, deeming the urban greenbelts as an “oasis of life”. Not only do the urban greenbelts resist these occurrences, but they also are able to provide shelter and transport objects in states of emergency (Hong & Guo, 2017). Urban greenbelts are imperative during catastrophes and are effective in disaster prevention and mitigation functions.

Urban greenbelts are essential in altering microclimates throughout urban environments. By allowing urban greenbelts to act as an urban corridor, natural airflow conveniently enters the inner urban areas from the suburb which can support in negating the urban heat island effect commonly found in cities. Similarly, if the urban greenbelts are located along rivers of notable width, then it can prevent the development of large heat blocks (Zhu, Ji, & Li, 2017). The shift in airflow allows for a reduction in the effects of urban heat islands, which changes the microclimate. Despite being a small change in the environment, the effects can be drastic; the space because cooler and therefore more likely to be utilized throughout the day.

A few other natural services which urban greenbelt provide are improving air quality and lowering air temperature. Recent research reveals that through urban greenbelts, there is a decrease in concentration of negative air ions and bacteria rates, which are important indicators for evaluating air quality (Zhu, Ji, & Li, 2017). When reducing the pollutants in the air and improving the air quality, a healthier environment is created. The graphs and charts presented in the research indicating the decrease has led to major environmental impacts; urban greenbelts are continuously positively affecting the environment."

Social
"Aside from being simply a means to limit urban sprawl, urban greenbelts facilitate healthy living environments for citizens by conserving the natural environment of the built city (Jeon et al., 2018; Hong & Guo, 2017).

Through simulations, it was discovered that urban greenbelts incorporate and stimulate development districts in to the center of the city; this results in preventing large-scale developments and the expansion of developments outside the city (Jeon et al., 2018). The stimulation is largely contributed to a primary purpose of urban greenbelts, which is to improve peoples’ quality of life. Because the term “quality of life” has such a broad meaning, the main effects discovered are promotion of health, entertainment and relaxation, education of different cultures, and alterations in the pattern of the urban landscape (Hong & Guo, 2017). Consequently, a strong correlation between urban greenbelts and a healthy living environment.

For urban greenbelts to effectively achieve social integration, they are reliant upon the degree of challenge for various social groups within the city to be able to attend the urban greenbelts. In other words, having easy accessibility into urban greenbelts allows a higher possibility for different social groups to interact with each other. When evaluating the connection between social groups and accessibility, there can be seen an integration of similar socioeconomic status. This mingling of groups increases the demands on noticeably alike goods within society, focusing on variables such as occupational prestige, income, and education (Hong & Guo, 2017). The mix and diversity within the social groups contributes to the potential for various groups to come together in an informal setting, which has a high influence on the social services as a whole.

Since urban greenbelts directly affect the local residents, many different lifestyle activities are encouraged throughout the community, ones of which being recreational and cultural values. The values are considered a form of education ad different cultures for the quality of life, due to its importance in society and minimal impact on the ecosystem (Jeon et al., 2018; Hong & Guo, 2017). When caution during planning is taken, recreational and cultural values can be both saved and developed. By utilizing GIS mapping, researchers are able to analyze recreational and cultural values throughout urban greenbelts, enabling them to determine parts of the urban greenbelt that are most heavily influenced by the people. These social service functions can take up the largest percentage of urban greenbelt space in some cases (Hong & Guo, 2017). This low impacting lifestyle activity is significant to the character of communities as well as urban green belts; the recreational and cultural values of the urban greenbelt identify and represent the green area from the rest of its surroundings."

Is it promoting people to be outside and want to engage with other people?

Can this be related to urban sprawl?

Economic
Is it cost efficient to implement greenbelts?

Does money return to client because you are saving money on the energy that would have been used?