National Map of Security Threats as a Citizen Involvement Tool for Planning Safer Urban Public Spaces

The National Map of Security Threats (NMST) implemented in Poland in 2016 is a GIS-based tool for digital crime and threat mapping involving citizens in the processes of shaping local security by reporting hazards in their neighbourhood (volunteered geographic information). The map - open for external users - is a source of information about common threats to the safety of human life and health, property, and public order, taking into account their spatial distribution, in the opinion of its users. Among 26 reportable hazards, there are categories related to (1) Traffic, (2) Greenery, (3) Water, (4) Demoralisation and Vandalism, (5) Poverty, (6) Alcohol and Drugs, and (7) Animals. The study aims to investigate which threats reported by citizens are the most represented on the NMST. The study covered data collected based on public access to the map in the period from January–December 2022. The analysis of the results allowed us to conclude that the most common threats belong to the following categories: (1) Traffic, (2) Alcohol and Drugs, and (3) Greenery. While the first two categories are not a surprise for researchers, and their importance is confirmed by other studies, the category of Greenery - its condition, damage, etc. - becomes more and more important, which was not confirmed in previous studies. Recognizing this is crucial to support processes of planning and designing more secure public spaces

Garden exhibitions as a special kind of garden – the leading value in the historical perspective in relation to the present

The paper summarizes the genesis and development of garden exhibitions in the period from the  century to the present day. The role of individual gardens specialised to perform different functions is characterised. These concern the main values: educational – connected with the learning achievements of many gardening branches; commercial – connected with the development of trade; and social – connected with using rest places and adapting exhibition areas to public parks and gardens after their completion

Application of new technologies in promotion of a healthy lifestyle – selected examples

Modern society is characterized by fascination of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), physical laziness, isolation from nature and preferences to stay indoors. Despite the general acceptance and understanding of health benefits coming from recreation in open air, a change of recreational patterns of urban dwellers is observed, as they spend less time outdoors. In order to counteract such behaviours we can try to apply ICTs to enhance spending time outdoors. The performed study aimed at searching for solutions of ICT application in design of public spaces in order to enhance  and promote a healthy lifestyle. The selected examples show possible application of ICT in promoting active recreation, e.g. mobile applications for sport activities, urban games in line with the idea of Playable City, urban furniture and outdoor hotspots enabling access to the Internet. The research findings proved that the digitalisation is not only a threat for a healthy lifestyle, but it can create opportunities to improve the quality of life

Identification of Fruit Tree Compositions in Public Parks Structure. Warsaw Case Study

Fruit trees are essential components of different types of greenery, including not only private gardens but also historical and modern public parks and gardens of many other cities. The research was carried out in spring 2016 by visiting different parks. Fruit trees were identified in 22 public parks of Warsaw situated in different districts of the city and picked up randomly for preliminary study. Observations were made by photographic documentation and mapping of the fruit trees on park plans using GPS coordinates which were taken during the site visit and Google Earth maps. According to the observations, selected fruit trees compositions have been recognized in public parks of Warsaw. The compositional structures that have been observed consist of solitaire fruit trees, groups of trees (containing fruit trees, but mostly composed of fruit trees and ornamental shrubs) and linear structures of fruit trees (rows and alleys). The results of the preliminary study show that the most frequent fruit tree compositions used in the structure of selected public parks of Warsaw represent groups of trees - groups that consist of fruit trees and different species of ornamental shrubs. The undertaken study confirmed that fruit trees planted in the public parks of Warsaw have a high compositional value. They play an important role in the spatial arrangement of the parks selected, but also define the scope and borders of the selected garden interiors and create attractive sites

Designing hotspots in the public spaces and public greenery of modern cities – selected issues

The idea of smart cities is no longer just a vision of urban planners, authorities, and ordinary people – it is being implemented to an ever broader extent. Activities aimed at the accomplishment of the goals set for contemporary cities, oriented at making them “smart”, involve numerous areas, including public and green spaces. In order to increase the attractiveness of these areas and to encourage potential users to make use of them to an increasingly greater extent, it is recommended to make it possible for them to easily use wireless networks in public and green spaces, while at the same time working on the principles of organising the surroundings of the hotspots, increasing the comfort of their use. What is key in this respect is not only to adjust the parameters of the basic features of the WiFi signal, but also to take into consideration the spatial elements, such as the landform features and plant coverage. An analysis of the above-mentioned factors related to the use of Wi-Fi in the open air made it possible to formulate recommendations for shaping the hotspot space in these places. They apply to public spaces, including in particular green spaces in cities, as in these places, there is real demand for outdoor wireless Internet access

Participatory Budgeting and Placemaking: Concepts, Methods, and Practices

Participatory budgeting has arisen as an interesting form of citizen participation in urban development and, thus, as a new way of exercising placemaking and grassroots democracy. In this article, we provide an analysis of projects in Lisbon (Portugal), Valencia (Spain), and Warsaw (Poland) with a focus on three key projects concerned with improving the public realm and their contribution to enhancing the network of public open spaces. Our guiding question is: What are the potential benefits of participatory budgeting to increase green spaces and urban governance? A comparison of the three cities’ participatory budgeting programmes provides an overview of their social and political goals and the contents that provide opportunities for citizens’ participation in decision-making. The cases of Jardim do Caracol da Penha (Lisbon), the Green Street Świętokrzyska (Warsaw), and the Green Plan for the Poblats Marítims District (Valencia) pave the way for a discussion on engagement, empowerment, and connectivity with the local communities through public spaces. Using participatory budgeting as a planning and political instrument at the municipal level, as the three cases show, can be a useful way to enhance and enrich the communities’ engagement with their environments. One aspect that emerged is the communication strategies implemented in the three cases. The analysis shows that the use of media and social networks to disseminate information and gather supporters for their ideas and this growth in political influence seems to be essential for participatory budgeting. The study is backed by desk work (comprehensive understanding of the local programmes) and field work to better identify the changes in loco

Fungal diseases of trees and shrubs growing in Siberian Square in Warsaw

A good condition of trees and shrubs growing in urban green areas is one of the key aspects of management. Plant monitoring, including recognition of symptoms of diseases caused by pathogenic fungi and prevention of their spread, is one of the ways of supporting the process of maintenance of green areas. The aim of the study was to conduct preliminary investigations of plants growing in Siberian Square in Warsaw infected by phytopathogenic fungi. The research carried out in 2017-2019 in Siberian Square in Warsaw revealed that the most common diseases observed on the trees and shrubs were caused by powdery mildew fungi infecting maples, poplars, apple trees, and barberry shrubs. Sawadaea tulasnei, Erysiphe adunca, Erysiphe berberidis, and Podosphaera leucotricha (Erysiphales) were identified as the causal agents of powdery mildew. Pathogens causing leaf spots and leaf lesions were identified as Venturia inaequalis on Malus x purpurea ’Ola’ and Rhytisma acerinum on Acer platanoides. Rust caused by Melampsora laricis-populina (Pucciniales) and basidiomata of Pleurotus ostreatus were detected on infected Populus nigra ‘Italica’ tree

Outdoor hotspots as a tool for enhancing healthy lifestyles of ICT users : design and development principles

The authors of this presented study formulated research assumptions that the Internet and new technologies may interact with the landscape architecture. The presence of hot spots in public spaces can help to increase the amount of time spent outdoors, improve relationships between users and enhance their quality of life. The conducted research included a review of literature related to ICT applications, as well as a survey of global design solutions concerning the introduction of ICT components into public spaces. Moreover, the study was based on the results of previous research by the same authors on behaviour and social expectations of ICT users in relation to leisure spaces. The research results let us frame design guidelines and principles for development of outdoor hotspots. The developed guidelines apply both to technological and spatial solutions, including the following aspects: the location of hot spots, rules of design of urban furniture, vegetation, pavements and architectural details.Funded by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union.peer-reviewe

Assessment of Blue and Green Infrastructure Solutions in Shaping Urban Public Spaces—Spatial and Functional, Environmental, and Social Aspects

Blue and Green Infrastructure (BGI) provide one of the key Nature Based Solution (NBS) approaches for sustainable stormwater management in cities, in conjunction with extending the scope of Ecosystem Services (ES). In both the process of planning and designing highly urbanized areas, the implementation of BGI is important for the improvement of living conditions and counteracting the negative effects of climate change. Based on the literature review, 19 BGI solutions were identified and then valorized in relation to the following three key aspects: spatial and functional, environmental, and social. The results of the assessment were derived using the scoring method and allowed for the identification of BGI solutions with a high, medium or low value for shaping sustainable urban public spaces. Using the potential of analyzed BGI solutions to improve the functioning and attractiveness of urban areas requires a comprehensive approach. Conscious planning and designing should use the knowledge presented to make the implementation of BGI solutions as effective as possible in relation to the above-mentioned aspects of shaping urban public spaces