Prospects and limitations of soil amendment and irrigation techniques for the water-saving public urban greenery and ephemeral weed management in the sandy soils of the United Arab Emirates

Public urban greenery greatly contributes to the residential and tourist value of cities in the Gulf Region,but due to the hyper-arid climatic conditions,the cost of irrigation and plant maintenance is very high.Existing strategies to reduce the monetary and ecological costs involve the cultivation of native xerophytic plantations,and/or the use of soil improvers to increase water-and nutrient-holding capacity of the sandy soils.Various soil improvers based on mineral,organic,or synthetic materials have entered the United Arab Emirates(UAE)market in recent years,but there is considerable uncertainty about how they should best be used in combination with ornamental plant stands involving xerophytic native plants.The present study investigated the effect of soil amendment and deep pipe irrigation on perennial ornamental plant stands involving native plants(Tephrosia appolinea(Gel.)Link in combination with Aerva javanica(Burm.f.)Juss.ex Schult.)and native-exotic plants(T.appolinea in combination with Ruelia simplex C.Wright)either or not topsoil and subsoil amendment with bentonite and hydrophobic sand under the irrigation water supply of less than 50%of reference evapotranspiration(ET0).After one year of cultivation,T.appolinea and A.javanica(native vs.native)produced high biomass and exhibited high water use efficiency(WUE)as compared with T.appolinea and R.simplex(native vs.exotic)combination given that no significant differences were found under the soil amendment treatments.All stands thrived under irrigation water supply far below what is usually supplied to exotic ornamental stands in public parks of the Al Ain City,the UAE.However,subsoil amendment in combination with deep pipe irrigation reduced the occurrence of weeds and increased the overall plant rooting depth.Our results suggest that subsoil amendment and irrigation up to 60-80 cm depth can potentially control ephemeral weed infestation,which is a great challenge in various plant production systems of the Gulf Region.The results of the present study suggest that the impact of soil amendment on the WUE of exotic plants is marginal and might not be economically justified.Replacing exotic with native ornamental plant species seems to have a far greater water-saving potential than the amendment of the soil,while weeds can be suppressed in the absence of topsoil moisture.

Insights from i-Tree Eco-efficiency Assessment Management of Urban Trees in Oxford,UK

In the era of stock development following the acceleration of urbanization,the revitalization of urban green space has assumed an increasingly significant role.Consequently,the management of urban trees has emerged as a critical focus of urban governance,contributing to the enhancement of livability in human settlements.This study offers a comprehensive analysis of the urban tree management system in Oxford,UK,identifying that its primary objective is to optimize and maintain a harmonious balance between human activities and the natural environment through the implementation of high-quality planting practices.The system emphasizes enhanced management practices and establishes a robust framework for the development of targeted policies and management regulations,utilizing i-Tree eco-efficiency assessment and real-time feedback mechanisms.China’s urban tree management is in its nascent stages,and there is an urgent need for the development of urban green space.By adopting the refined management assessment methodologies employed for urban trees in Oxford,UK,it is possible to enhance the ecological value of urban trees,which represent a significant green resource within cities,and contribute to the creation of more livable urban spaces.

Practical Experience of Management of Urban Parks at Home and Abroad

By systematically reviewing the practical experience of management of urban parks at home and abroad,the advanced experience in organization,management system,operation mechanism and social participation were summarized,and the optimization and improvement measures for the construction and management of urban parks in Chengdu were proposed to provide reference for the high-level construction,high-quality experience and efficient management of urban parks in the construction of park city demonstration zone in Chengdu.

Role of outdoor trees on pedestrian wind and thermal conditions around a pre-education building for sustainable energy management

Finding sustainable energy resources is essential to face the increasing energy demand.Trees are an important part of ancient architecture but are becoming rare in urban areas.Trees can control and tune the pedestrian-level wind velocity and thermal condition.In this study,a numerical investigation is employed to assess the role of trees planted in the windward direction of the building complex on the thermal and pedestrian wind velocity conditions around/inside a pre-education building located in the center of the complex.Compared to the previous studies(which considered only outside buildings),this work considers the effects of trees on microclimate change both inside/outside buildings.Effects of different parameters including the leaf area density and number of trees,number of rows,far-field velocity magnitude,and thermal condition around the main building are assessed.The results show that the flow velocity in the spacing between the first-row buildings is reduced by 30%-40% when the one-row trees with 2 m height are planted 15 m farther than the buildings.Furthermore,two rows of trees are more effective in higher velocities and reduce the maximum velocity by about 50%.The investigation shows that trees also could reduce the temperature by about 1℃around the building.

Sustainable Wetland Management Using the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework as a Guide in the Sierra Leone Case

The Sustainable Wetland Management adopted for this study depicts that, the identification of drivers and impacts is needed first, in other to get a clearer roadmap, after which the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework would come into play to serve as a pathway for Sustainability. The study evaluates how Sierra Leone might implement the Framework’s proposed strategies in National Wetland Management. As a result, the research tried to thoroughly examine the factors that contribute to wetland degradation as well as the effects they have on the people who live nearby. The purposive sampling method was used to administer 385 structured questionnaires to inhabitants. The data was then processed in an Excel spreadsheet. Microsoft Publisher was used to draw the framework and a descriptive analysis was done. Results indicated that;the majority of the inhabitants of Aberdeen Creek are traders/self-employed, furthermore, the majority chose the place because it’s less expensive and nearer to the workplace, settlement expansion and pollution are the two most common degrading activities, while flooding and health-related issues are some of the consequences, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework is regarded to be a perfect tool for wetland management. It was concluded that to accomplish the objectives in the framework, it is necessary to have both political and social will. Satellite data and water quality research are further needed to validate the report.

A Cradle-to-Cradle Novel Approach for Wastewater Management in Sustainable Urban Communities

Water, a valuable resource to human lives, is being abused and driven to scarcity. This scarcity is leading some countries and areas to face difficulty in accessing drinking water. As the UN recently stated “by 2050 water shortages and harder access will be reached by around 2/3rd of the world total population” [1], thus, there is a high need to treat and reuse wastewater for domestic purposes, which will lead to less reliance on fresh water as an initial water source. Greywater—defined as the water produced in domestic houses including sinks and bathroom showers, and excluding any blackwater mix which is collected from toilets—is a type of wastewater. Greywater accounts for up to 75% of the daily water produced [2] while it has fewer contaminants when compared to blackwater. This makes greywater a focal point for treatment, and reusing to conserve fresh water and approach net zero water concept. Even though the definition of greywater is the same globally, its criteria can differ from one country to another, from one building to another, or even from the same person’s usage along the day. Accordingly, several treatment methods evolved over years aiming at treating the produced greywater for reuse mainly in irrigation and toilet flushing. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate a novel net zero wastewater approach applying cradle-to-cradle concept for urban communities;while also proposing a sustainable greywater treatment technique that is environmentally friendly, cost-effective and socially acceptable.

Rapid Urbanization and Environment Management in Nkafu Municipality, Eastern DR Congo

Rapid and uncontrolled urbanization as well as urban land management are major constraints to land planning in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A household data collection and analysis was carried out in 283 random households in the Nkafu municipality, eastern DR Congo, to assess the local community’s perception of rapid urbanization and its impact on land policy and management of the built landscape. Data of socio-demographics characteristics, rapid urbanization, and environment management data were collected and analyzed using XLStat version 2019. In addition, the study area location map, land use and cover change maps were generated using ArcMap 10.8. Results indicate that landowners are dominant and, build simple houses with unsustainable building materials (i.e. wooden plank) obtained locally. In addition, land management is not appreciated by local communities, due to anarchic construction due to lack of financial resources generating thus an increasing amount of urban waste, which is poorly managed. The study suggests, urban roads renew, building in conformity with urban planning and building regulations, potable water supply and health services availability to improve the study area. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) use, would provide spatial information on land planning in the study area.

Safety and Quality Control Management Strategy for Urban Railway Engineering Construction

The safety management of urban railway engineering construction involves many different aspects and a wide scope,playing an important role in guaranteeing the safety of construction projects.Management agencies have more stringent requirements on the quality of railway construction.The overall quality of a construction project should meet the construction requirements before the project can be carried out.In this article,the problems in the actual work of the entire life cycle of safety management are explained,and the lessons and experience pertaining to the safety and quality of urban railway construction projects are discussed.The purpose of this paper is to provide references for the management of urban railway construction.

Intelligent Parking Management System by Multi-Agent Approach:The Case of Urban Area of Tunis

By coordination and cooperation between multi-agents, this paper proposes the network of intelligent agents which can reduce the search time needed to finding a parking place. Based on multi-agent model, the fined solution is designed to help drivers in finding a parking space at anytime and anywhere. Three services are offered: the search for a vacant place, directions to a parking space and booking a place for parking. The results of this study generated by the platform MATSim transport simulation, show that our approach optimizes the operation of vehicles in a parking need with the aim of reducing congestion, and improve traffic flow in urban area. A comparison between the first method where the vehicles are random and the second method where vehicles are steered to vacant parking spaces shows that the minimization of time looking for a parking space could improve circulation by reducing the number of cars in the morning of 2% and 0.7% of the evening. In addition, the traffic per hour per day was reduced by approximately 4.17%.

Research on Spatial Influence Mechanism of Chongqing Urban Growth Management

After illustrating the concept of Urban Growth Theory and Urban Growth Management,by taking relevant theoretical research literatures for reference,based on the specific conditions of Chongqing City,the paper had analyzed the spatial growth and evolution of Chongqing City,and the spatial influence mechanism for urban growth management.The spatial influence mechanism of Chongqing urban growth had been divided into four aspects including natural environment,economic development,urban traffic organization and regional policy planning,which were considered as the primary mechanism,driving mechanism,essential condition and driving force of urban spatial growth and development,respectively.From the perspective of analyzing problems,the comprehensive analysis had been conducted on the urban growth management in economy and planning,and corresponding urban growth space management strategies had been formulated.From the perspective of combining theory with practice,it had studied and revealed the spatial influence mechanism for urban growth management,which was of practical guiding significance to the development of Chongqing urban space pattern,and also vital significance to the construction of theoretical system of Chinese urban management and guidance of further development and renovation of specific urban planning.

Urban garbage disposal and management in China

This paper, probing into the present situation of urban domestic garbage by analyzing its growing trend, compositional change and regional difference, reveals the problems existing in its disposal and management in China. Meanwhile, a questionnaire was conducted in five big cities around China for surveying urban residents' attitudes towards garbage disposal and management policies and measures. Results showed the output of urban domestic garbage in Chinese cities is ever increasing, and the recoverable materials and energy in garbage composition are also increasing. The population growth, economic development, and increase of residents' expenditure level are the main factors influencing the growing output and changing composition of the garbage. Information acquired from the questionnaire showed that majority of the urban residents are in favor of the garbage reduction policies and managerial measures and are willing to collaborate with municipal government in battling against garbage. Based on the analysis and questionnaire, some policymaking oriented suggestions such as operating the garbage disposal from a social welfare service to a sector of profit gaining enterprises, transferring the garbage management from passive end control to active source control, promoting the classified garbage collection in cities around China, and charging garbage fees for its cleanup and disposal, have also been put forward in the paper.

Urban and river flooding:Comparison of flood risk management approaches in the UK and China and an assessment of future knowledge needs

Increased urbanisation,economic growth,and long-term climate variability have made both the UK and China more susceptible to urban and river flooding,putting people and property at increased risk.This paper presents a review of the current flooding challenges that are affecting the UK and China and the actions that each country is undertaking to tackle these problems.Particular emphases in this paper are laid on(1)learning from previous flooding events in the UK and China,and(2)which management methodologies are commonly used to reduce flood risk.The paper concludes with a strategic research plan suggested by the authors,together with proposed ways to overcome identified knowledge gaps in flood management.Recommendations briefly comprise the engagement of all stakeholders to ensure a proactive approach to land use planning,early warning systems,and water-sensitive urban design or redesign through more effective policy,multi-level flood models,and data driven models of water quantity and quality.

A New Approach to Urban Rainwater Management

Based on an analysis of our research results and the main problems relating to urban rainwater treatment, we propose a new approach to urban rainwater management in China. The necessity and feasibility of such a new approach are discussed. From an ecological point of view all components of the global system, including residents living in cities, have the same right to enjoy rainwater. Therefore, urban rainwater should neither be simply drained as waste water, nor be completely harvested as a kind of resource. The objective of this new approach is to maintain the natural hydrological cycle in urban areas during urbanization. When necessary, it could also be used to regulate the amount of runoff, evaporation and infiltration in a city in order to rehabilitate the hydrological cycle given the local conditions. Three basic principles should be adopted in rainwater management, i.e., separation of rainfall from sewage, limited utilization and small and decentralized facilities. Four methods can be used for urban rainwater management: rainwater harvest, rainwater infiltration, rainwater storage and rainwater pipes. The natural hydrological cycle in urban areas could be rehabilitated through rainwater management, which is of great importance for sustainable development of our cities.

Modelling of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for Urban Water Management—Investment and Outscaling Implications at Basin and Regional Levels

This manuscript is an attempt to demonstrate effectiveness of nature-based solutions (NBS) and measures to reduce risk of flooding and environmental impact in urban settings. The nature-based solutions (NBS) were assessed as scenarios from experience of urban storm drainage and sewerage systems based on practices that improve urban water management through modelling using urban stormwater management model (SWMM). The model has been applied in a typical urban environment in the second city in Botswana, the City of Francistown, which has a population of more than one hundred thousand. By considering the 2-yr and 10-year storm events in a calibrated SWMM, NBS scenarios from a mix of low impact and drainage measures were considered. The considered NBS scenarios were used to determine their effectiveness in terms of reducing and controlling peak runoff, flood volumes, infiltration and evapotranspiration in the study area, which are vital in assessing the opportunity and challenge for sustainable management of water resources and associated tradeoff of investments in the urban contexts. The study demonstrates the usefulness of implementing effective measures for achieving NBS in urban context and possibility of outscaling at basin and regional levels.

Solid Waste Management Challenges in Urban Areas of Ghana: A Case Study of Bawku Municipality

This study was conducted in the Bawku Municipality of the Upper East, Ghana, with the view to assessing the factors that impede the management of solid waste. Questionnaires were submitted to 150 randomly selected households, while face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with the municipal Waste Management Department and a private waste management company, Zoomlion Ghana Ltd. Data collected included components of solid waste generated, waste collection, transportation and final disposal methods, the challenges confronting waste management institutions, and respondents' knowledge and perceptions of the waste management system and their attitudes towards it. Components of wastes generated were organic waste, paper waste and plastics. Factors that adversely affected waste collection and transportation systems were the inadequate supply of waste collection containers, the existence of a weak waste transportation system and a low patronage of the door-to-door collection method. The study showed that the municipal landfill did not meet the required standard. The results also revealed the lack of public awareness on issues regarding waste and lack of a participatory approach that makes the people an active stakeholder in the waste management system. This situation accounted for indiscriminate disposals of waste by most respondents who viewed the issue of waste management as the exclusive responsibility of the local government. The study further showed that the waste management institutions were faced with financial difficulties, understaffing and poor logistics and nature of roads, and social constraints. The study therefore suggests the development of a strategic plan for efficient waste management which revolves around these findings.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE ENERGY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR PARALLEL HYBRID ELECTRIC URBAN BUSES

A novel parallel hybrid electrical urban bus （PHEUB） configuration consisting of an extra one-way clutch and an automatic mechanical transmission （AMT） is taken as the study subject. An energy management strategy combining a logic threshold approach and an instantaneous optimization algorithm is proposed for the investigated PHEUB. The objective of the energy management strategy is to achieve acceptable vehicle performance and drivability requirements while simultaneously maximizing the engine fuel consumption and maintaining the battery state of charge in its operation range at all times. Under the environment of Matlab/Simulink, a computer simulation model for the PHEUB is constructed by using the model building method combining theoretical analysis and bench test data. Simulation and experiment results for China Typical Bus Driving Schedule at Urban District （CTBDS_UD） are obtained, and the results indicate that the proposed control strategy not only controls the hybrid system efficiently but also improves the fuel economy significantly.

Study on Management and Control of Nonpoint Source Pollution from Urban Surface Runoff

Urbanization is the dominant form of land-use change in terms of impacts on water quality, hydrology, physical proper- ties of watersheds and their nonpoint source (NPS) pollution po- tential at present. Urbanization has changed the source, process and sink of urban NPS pollution, especially raised the pollution load of urban runoff NPS in receiving water. Urban runoff pollu- tion is a hot spot of research on NPS. This paper analyzed type, source and harm of the NPS pollutants of urban runoff and its influence on the receiving water. Through estimating NPS pollu- tion load of urban runoff and summarizing the law and character- istics of urban runoff NPS systemically, study on management and control of urban runoff NPS pollution was focused on the applica- tion of BMPs (best management practices). It is a fresh method- ology that management and control on NPS pollution from urban surface runoff was analyzed by methods of landscape ecology, environmental economics and environmental management. The paper provided a scientific reference for mitigating urban water environment pressure and an effective method for management and control of NPS pollution from urban surface runoff..

Strategies for Enhancing the Efficiency of Bioretention Swales and Basins for Urban Stormwater Management in Temperate Region

Among various schemes to reuse and recycle the limited urban fresh water resources, sustainable urban stormwater management, such as water sensitive urban design and rainwater harvesting, has been recognized as one of the most efficient and economically viable approaches. Storm runoff shall be treated as close as possible to its source before it is reused or discharged into public drainage network or receiving waters to enhance the water environment quality. Bioretention swale/basin, which has been commonly applied to treat runoff from roads, car parks, cyclist and pedestrian paths, rooftops, etc., is recognized to be the most efficient and aesthetic pleasing way to harvest rainwater in urban settings, and other longish shape runoff catchment area. This paper studied over 10 bioretention swales/basins applications in temperate region worldwide covering China, Germany, Norway, Austria, USA, and Australia. Key steps in bioretention swale/basin design and implementation in temperate region were investigated, such as strategic bioretention scheme selection, flow conveyance and hydraulic capacity design, filtering media profile, vegetation scheme selection and maintenance scheme, and suggestion and key design parameters. The critical path and parameters of bioretention swale/basin design which enhanced the effectiveness and efficiency of its application for rainwater harvesting in temperate regions were derived.

Population distribution, urban construction and urban management in the process of China urbanization

Along with China＇s urbanization, a series of problems came, such as the rapidly expanding urban population, large-scale urban construction and investment, the financing gap of government＇s investment in construction, and urban management, etc. This article first describes the growth of urban population, the scale and the input of urban construction, and then analyzes the financial revenue and expenditure, and at last argues for the necessity of urban management, and puts forward the research content of urban management.

Management of Urban Wastewater in the City of Maradi (Niger): The Case of Domestic Wastewater

Uncontrolled urbanization of African cities and the lack of municipal waste management services in these cities make landscapes become places of multiple and varied interactions between health and environment. In this sense, under strong urban growth in a context of sub-equipment sanitation, the city of Maradi doesn’t escape to this situation which results in the spread of pollution (release of unpleasant odors, and proliferation of mosquitoes) and many diseases posing multiple health problems. Our study focuses only on liquid waste especially domestic wastewater. To study the different domestic wastewater management options in the town of Maradi, a survey was conducted among 340 households in 17 districts. We note in most cases a crucial of waste management infrastructure (drainage and wastewater treatment) in the city. Thus, only the individual sanitation facilities are used. In the town of Maradi, in addition to the storm drains, there are, in old districts, ditches that discharge wastewater and unfortunately end up in rivers without treatment. Total domestic wastewater production is estimated at 86761.28 m3 per day. This water is mostly from laundry activities, bathing, dishes, and is discharged in large part through the streets, by more than 60% of households. Also, pit emptying is performed at 39.11% by the vehicle Peugeot tank. The quality of service rendered by an actor is very important to encourage households to join. Existing autonomous sanitation facilities are poorly designed and poorly maintained. Fecal sludge is dumped in a hole near saturated latrines;this work is mainly done by manual scavengers or dumped in fields or on nearby vacant land concessions.