Urban green infrastructure for poverty alleviation: evidence synthesis and conceptual considerations

The multiple benefits of urban green infrastructure (UGI) that support sustainable cities are increasingly acknowledged, and yet the bulk of research over the past decade or so has focused on only a small subset of the numerous benefits, notably recreation, physical and mental health, and regulating services. In contrast, there is very little information on the contribution of UGI to several of the other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and in particular SDG 1 of reducing poverty, despite the pervasiveness of poverty globally. This paper considers the diverse direct and indirect ways in which UGI can contribute to poverty alleviation, drawing on the limited evidence from various regions of the world. The direct links between UGI and poverty alleviation is via three means, namely provision of (1) consumptive or provisioning goods such as wild foods and firewood, (2) employment in UGI development, maintenance, and restoration, and (3) land for urban agriculture, income generation and dwelling. There are also a number of indirect links such as cash savings, improved physical and mental health, improved social networks, improved educational outcomes, and regulation of potential natural disasters. However, the commonly unequal distribution of UGI within and between cities means that the poverty alleviation potential and benefits are inequitably distributed, often against those who are most in need of them, i.e., the urban poor. This demands greater attention to promoting the equitable distribution and quality of UGI and mainstreaming of UGI into poverty reduction strategies and programmes and vice versa, as well as greater examination of the links between UGI and poverty alleviation in a greater range of contexts

Nearest-neighbour analysis and the prevelance of woody plant competition in South African savannas

Inter- and intra-specific competition has long been regarded as a significant determinant of the structure and function of woody plant communities in African savannas. The most widely used approach to detect the presence or absence of competition has been the use of nearest-neighbour methods. Although several studies have been published reporting the presence of competition in Acacia dominated communities, less than 20 plots have been sampled across all these studies. Results from broad-leaved communities are variable, and also based on a small sample number. Consequently, this study sought to assess the prevalence of competition from a large number of savanna sites (45), and to identify abiotic and biotic factors characterising sites with competition relative to those without. Using the nearest-neighbour method only four sites (9.3%) indicated the presence of inter-specific competition; two were Acacia dominated communities (18.2% of Acacia sites) and two were broad-leaved communities (7.7%). These four sites had a significantly higher mean annual rainfall and fewer woody species than sites without inter-specific competition. There were also significant relationships between the inter-specific competition index and the dominance index and the number of species at a site. In terms of intra-specific competition only ten of the 31 sites tested revealed a significant correlation between nearest-neighbour distance and summed canopy volume of the two neighbours. Seven were for Acacia species (55.6% of the Acacia species comparisons) and three were for broad-leaved species (21.4% of the broad-leaved species comparisons). Sites lacking evidence of intra-specific competition were at a significantly lower slope position and had a smaller proportion of small stems. The lower prevalence of competition in South African savannas detected in this study using the same method as previous studies is discussed, and the appropriateness of nearest-neighbour analysis is examined

Is there no urban forestry in the developing world?

Urban forestry and greening offer a multitude of benefits to the inhabitants of towns and cities. However, the nature and magnitude of these frequently depend upon the context. Yet, at first glance, the developing world context around urban forestry debates seems to be poorly represented in the international peer-reviewed literature. This is examined in this paper, followed by a brief outline of ten key research areas for urban forestry in the developing world. A survey of the peer-reviewed literature confirms that almost 80% of articles come from the developed world context. This correlates with the greater availability of research finance and personnel from developed regions. However, there are urban forestry questions and issues that require examination in the developing world because they cannot simply be transferred from knowledge gleaned from and tested in a developed world context. Ten of these are briefly outlined as a catalyst towards greater attention to urban forestry in the developing world and their contributions to global debates and models

Urban forestry–A cinderella science in South Africa?

The benefits of forests (in their broadest sense) and of trees to the natural environment and rural communities are well known throughout the world, including in South Africa (e.g. see chapters in Lawes et al. 2004). The presence of these benefits has also been extrapolated to urban situations, where natural forests and veld might be left in situ, or trees planted in public spaces, or in private gardens. These benefits span the social, aesthetic, health, environmental and economic spheres

Knowledge, perceptions and willingness to control designated invasive tree species in urban household gardens in South Africa

Many biological invasions result in negative impacts on the environment and human livelihoods, but simultaneously some also provide benefits that are valued differently by various stakeholders. To inform policy and management of invasive species it is important to assess landowners’ and broader society’s knowledge and perceptions of invasive species, something which is lacking in many contexts, especially in urban settings. In this study we interviewed 153 householders living in a medium-sized South African town who had declared invasive alien trees in their gardens. Less than half of the respondents could identify the invasive tree on their property and only one-third knew that it was an invasive alien species. There was a positive association between income and education levels with exposure to media about invasive alien species and respondents’ ability to identify the species and name any other invasive alien tree species. Knowledge levels were unequal across species. Amongst those who knew the tree was an invasive alien species, reasons why they retained it in their gardens included that it would be costly or too much effort to remove, they liked the tree, that it was not causing any harm and that the property was rented and so its removal was not their responsibility. However, the majority of people (83 %) were willing to have it removed from their garden if done for free by appropriate agencies, which is promising for compliance with new regulations on invasive species implemented at the end of 2014 in South Africa. The results also highlight the need for targeted and appropriate education and awareness programs amongst urban householders on invasive alien species, relevant legislation and their obligations

Linking poverty, HIV/AIDS and climate change to human and ecosystem vulnerability in southern Africa: Consequences for livelihoods and sustainable ecosystem management

People in southern Africa are facing escalating levels of risk, uncertainty and consequently vulnerability as a result of multiple interacting stressors, including HIV/AIDS, poverty, food insecurity, weak governance, climate change and land degradation, to name but a few. Vulnerability or livelihood insecurity emerges when poor people as individuals or social units have to face harmful threats or shocks with inadequate capacity to respond effectively. In such situations, people often have no choice but to turn to their immediate environment for support. Evidence suggests that rising levels of human vulnerability are driving increased dependency on biodiversity and ecosystem services, which in turn, and along with other threats, is rendering ecosystems more vulnerable. This paper explores the dynamic and complex linkages and feedbacks between human vulnerability and ecosystem vulnerability, drawing on data from the southern African region. Human vulnerability is conceptualized as a threat to ecosystem health, as driven by the interplay between a number of current and emerging factors. We focus on poverty, HIV/AIDS and more intense climate extremes as examples of stressors on livelihoods and direct and indirect drivers of ecosystem change. We discuss how some of the responses to increased vulnerability may pose threats to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem management and sustainable development, whilst considering potential solutions that rely on a thorough understanding of coupled social–ecological systems and the interplay between multiple stressors and responses at different scales

Integrating biodiversity considerations into urban golf courses: Managers’ perceptions and woody plant diversity in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Rapid rates of urbanisation affect biodiversity through habitat fragmentation and loss. Because urban golf courses are large green spaces, they potentially harbour much biodiversity if managed for such. The area of untransformed land of golf courses in the Eastern Cape (South Africa) was determined using Geographic Information System (GIS), the woody plant composition of a subsample was determined by field sampling and the greenkeepers were interviewed. There was a significant relationship between climate and woody cover, species richness and percentage native plants but not species diversity. There was no relationship between management scores and species richness, diversity and percentage native. Significant relationships were evident between woody plant species richness and course income, number of grounds staff, number of club members and greenkeepers’ years of experience. These results suggest a complex suite of factors that play a role in the woody plant composition of urban golf courses and their contribution to urban biodiversity

Trade in reed-based craft products in rural villages in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Selling traditional craft products made from fibrous plants is an important source of income for economically vulnerable rural women. In the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, Cyperus textilis and Juncus kraussii have been used for centuries to make products of functional and cultural importance, such as sleeping mats and baskets. In the former Transkei village clusters of Mpozolo and Ntubeni, female crafters harvest the raw material and make and sell the products in their communities and in nearby towns. Interviews with 40 of them revealed what the trade contributes to their livelihoods and what enhances or limits their success. The findings show that crafting contributes vital income to vulnerable households, on average 26 ± 4 per cent of annual household cash income, over 40 per cent for the poorest households and 5–15 per cent for wealthier households. Lack of access to non-traditional markets was identified as the main constraint on the trade

Aspect and slope as determinants of vegetation composition and soil properties in coastal forest backdunes of Eastern Cape, South Africa

Coastal sand dune ecosystems are subjected to many stress and disturbance factors that are particularly high in the foredunes compared to the backdunes. Although a few studies have been conducted on eastern coastline sand dunes of South Africa, none have examined the relationship between aspect and slope on vegetation composition and soil properties of coastal forest backdunes. Vegetation and soil sampling were conducted in 11 transects, each with four plots measuring 10 × 10 m, located on the seaward and landward sides and on middle and lower slopes of backdunes of Bathurst coastal forest. A total of 39 species were identified, of which 23 were trees and shrubs, thirteen were forbs and three were grasses. The data show that both aspect and slope had limited influence on vegetation community assemblage and soil properties, but had significant effects on individual species distribution. There was a grass-dominated community on the middle slope and a tree- and shrub- dominated community on the lower slope. These two plant communities act as the required coastal forest ecosystem engineer driving variability in soil properties between the slopes, the most prominent being high soil nutrients and moisture in the lower slopes compared to the middle slopes

Food taboos and cultural beliefs influence food choice and dietary preferences among pregnant women in the eastern cape, South Africa

A well-nourished and healthy population is a central tenet of sustainable development. In South Africa, cultural beliefs and food taboos followed by some pregnant women influence their food consumption, which impacts the health of mothers and children during pregnancy and immediately afterwards. We documented food taboos and beliefs amongst pregnant isiXhosa women from five communities in the Kat River Valley, South Africa. A mixed-methods approach was used, which was comprised of questionnaire interviews with 224 women and nine focus group discussions with 94 participants