Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Calculating and Mapping Naturalness of Peri-Urban Forest Greenways: Gis vs Fieldwork

Version 1 : Received: 10 May 2023 / Approved: 11 May 2023 / Online: 11 May 2023 (05:30:44 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Àvila Callau, A.; Pérez-Albert, Y.; Vías Martínez, J. Calculating and Mapping the Naturalness of Peri-Urban Greenways. Forests 2023, 14, 1181. Àvila Callau, A.; Pérez-Albert, Y.; Vías Martínez, J. Calculating and Mapping the Naturalness of Peri-Urban Greenways. Forests 2023, 14, 1181.

Abstract

Peri-urban forests often have extensive networks of greenways that allow for outdoor recreation. However, information associated with these greenways often does not include their degree of naturalness, which is usually reduced to descriptions of flora and fauna and often overlook the factors that reduce naturalness. Therefore, in some cases, the naturalness of these greenways is not as high as expected. Having a quantification of their naturalness would be useful, especially for hikers interested in appreciating and enjoying nature. Additionally, this information would help outdoor recreation managers to design trails or decide which ones to promote as "greenways". The objectives of this study are (1) to design a method to calculate and map the naturalness of greenways using two approaches, one based on perceptual fieldwork and the other on Geographic Information Systems (GIS); (2) to apply the designed method to a specific greenway; and (3) to compare both methodological approaches. The results show that, for the greenway studied, the naturalness scores obtained are low in all three types of analyses used. Around 70% of the greenway sections in the GIS visibility analysis and 80% in the GIS proximity analysis have a low naturalness index, while this value is reduced to 40% with the fieldwork analysis. Although the results of the GIS approach (proximity and visibility) generate naturalness indices and spatial patterns that are very similar, they differ significantly from those derived from the fieldwork analysis. The discussion of the results suggests that the three methodologies used are valid for analysing the degree of naturalness of the trails, but if used together, it would be possible to add flexibility to the type of variables incorporated in the analysis.

Keywords

naturalness; greenway; trail assessment; peri-urban forests; GIS; fieldwork

Subject

Social Sciences, Geography, Planning and Development

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