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Dr. Matthew Dennis
School of Environment, Education & Development, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK

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0 Green Infrastructure
0 Nature Conservation
0 Spatial Ecology
0 GIS and Remote Sensing
0 Social–ecological systems

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Green Infrastructure
Social–ecological systems

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Journal article
Published: 07 February 2021 in Wellbeing, Space and Society
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This study assessed the impact of low-cost physical changes to four urban amenity green spaces on older adults’ wellbeing behaviours (people taking notice of the environment, physical activity levels, social interactions), relative to eight matched comparison sites in Greater Manchester, United Kingdom. Systematic observations were conducted at baseline, six- and twelve months, with a nested qualitative study. There was no evidence that the intervention increased observable wellbeing behaviours or use of these spaces. This study demonstrates the feasibility of robust natural experimental methods and highlights the need for more nuanced policy and practice recommendations for improving urban green spaces.

ACS Style

Jack S. Benton; Sarah Cotterill; Jamie Anderson; Vanessa G. Macintyre; Matthew Gittins; Matthew Dennis; Sarah J. Lindley; David P. French. Impact of a low-cost urban green space intervention on wellbeing behaviours in older adults: A natural experimental study. Wellbeing, Space and Society 2021, 2, 100029 .

AMA Style

Jack S. Benton, Sarah Cotterill, Jamie Anderson, Vanessa G. Macintyre, Matthew Gittins, Matthew Dennis, Sarah J. Lindley, David P. French. Impact of a low-cost urban green space intervention on wellbeing behaviours in older adults: A natural experimental study. Wellbeing, Space and Society. 2021; 2 ():100029.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jack S. Benton; Sarah Cotterill; Jamie Anderson; Vanessa G. Macintyre; Matthew Gittins; Matthew Dennis; Sarah J. Lindley; David P. French. 2021. "Impact of a low-cost urban green space intervention on wellbeing behaviours in older adults: A natural experimental study." Wellbeing, Space and Society 2, no. : 100029.

Journal article
Published: 27 January 2021 in International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
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Background There are few robust natural experimental studies of improving urban green spaces on physical activity and wellbeing. The aim of this controlled natural experimental study was to examine the impact of green space improvements along an urban canal on canal usage, physical activity and two other wellbeing behaviours (social interactions and taking notice of the environment) among adults in Greater Manchester, UK. The intervention included resurfaced footpaths, removal of encroaching vegetation, improved entrances, new benches and signage. Methods Two comparison sites were matched to the intervention site using a systematic five-step process, based on eight correlates of physical activity at the neighbourhood (e.g. population density) and site (e.g. lighting) levels. Outcomes were assessed using systematic observations at baseline, and 7, 12 and 24 months post-baseline. The primary outcome was the change in the number of people using the canal path from baseline to 12 months. Other outcomes were changes in physical activity levels (Sedentary, Walking, Vigorous), Connect and Take Notice behaviours. Data were analysed using multilevel mixed-effects negative binomial regression models, comparing outcomes in the intervention group with the matched comparison group, controlling for day, time of day and precipitation. A process evaluation assessed potential displacement of activity from a separate existing canal path using intercept surveys and observations. Results The total number of people observed using the canal path at the intervention site increased more than the comparison group at 12 months post-baseline (IRR 2.10, 95% CI 1.79–2.48); there were similar observed increases at 7 and 24 months post-baseline. There was some evidence that the intervention brought about increases in walking and vigorous physical activity, social interactions, and people taking notice of the environment. The process evaluation suggested that there was some displacement of activity, but the intervention also encouraged existing users to use the canal more often. Conclusions Urban canals are promising settings for interventions to encourage green space usage and potentially increase physical activity and other wellbeing behaviours. Interventions that improve access to green corridors along canals and provide separate routes for different types of physical activities may be particularly effective and warrant further research. Study protocol Study protocol published in Open Science Framework in July 2018 before the first follow-up data collection finished (https://osf.io/zcm7v). Date of registration: 28 June 2018.

ACS Style

Jack S. Benton; Sarah Cotterill; Jamie Anderson; Vanessa G. Macintyre; Matthew Gittins; Matthew Dennis; David P. French. A natural experimental study of improvements along an urban canal: impact on canal usage, physical activity and other wellbeing behaviours. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2021, 18, 1 -16.

AMA Style

Jack S. Benton, Sarah Cotterill, Jamie Anderson, Vanessa G. Macintyre, Matthew Gittins, Matthew Dennis, David P. French. A natural experimental study of improvements along an urban canal: impact on canal usage, physical activity and other wellbeing behaviours. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2021; 18 (1):1-16.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jack S. Benton; Sarah Cotterill; Jamie Anderson; Vanessa G. Macintyre; Matthew Gittins; Matthew Dennis; David P. French. 2021. "A natural experimental study of improvements along an urban canal: impact on canal usage, physical activity and other wellbeing behaviours." International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 18, no. 1: 1-16.

Perspective
Published: 11 September 2020 in Ambio
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This article provides a perspective on nature-based solutions. First, the argument is developed that nature-based solutions integrate social and ecological systems. Then, theoretical considerations relating to relational values, multifunctionality, transdisciplinarity, and polycentric governance are briefly outlined. Finally, a conceptual model of the social–ecological system of nature-based solutions is synthesised and presented. This conceptual model comprehensively defines the social and ecological external and internal systems that make up nature-based solutions, and identifies theoretical considerations that need to be addressed at different stages of their planning and implementation The model bridges the normative gaps of existing nature-based solution frameworks and could be used for consistent, comprehensive, and transferable comparisons internationally. The theoretical considerations addressed in this article inform practitioners, policymakers, and researchers about the essential components of nature-based solutions. The conceptual model can facilitate the identification of social and ecological interconnections within nature-based solutions and the range of stakeholders and disciplines involved.

ACS Style

Konstantinos Tzoulas; Juanjo Galan; Stephen Venn; Matthew Dennis; Bas Pedroli; Himansu Mishra; Dagmar Haase; Stephan Pauleit; Jari Niemelä; Philip James. A conceptual model of the social–ecological system of nature-based solutions in urban environments. Ambio 2020, 50, 335 -345.

AMA Style

Konstantinos Tzoulas, Juanjo Galan, Stephen Venn, Matthew Dennis, Bas Pedroli, Himansu Mishra, Dagmar Haase, Stephan Pauleit, Jari Niemelä, Philip James. A conceptual model of the social–ecological system of nature-based solutions in urban environments. Ambio. 2020; 50 (2):335-345.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Konstantinos Tzoulas; Juanjo Galan; Stephen Venn; Matthew Dennis; Bas Pedroli; Himansu Mishra; Dagmar Haase; Stephan Pauleit; Jari Niemelä; Philip James. 2020. "A conceptual model of the social–ecological system of nature-based solutions in urban environments." Ambio 50, no. 2: 335-345.

Journal article
Published: 06 May 2020 in BMC Public Health
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Background There is a growing body of literature supporting positive associations between natural environments and better health. The type, quality and quantity of green and blue space (‘green-space’) in proximity to the home might be particularly important for less mobile populations, such as for some older people. However, considerations of measurement and definition of green-space, beyond single aggregated metrics, are rare. This constitutes a major source of uncertainty in current understanding of public health benefits derived from natural environments. We aimed to improve our understanding of how such benefits are conferred to different demographic groups through a comprehensive evaluation of the physical and spatial characteristics of urban green infrastructure. Methods We employed a green infrastructure (GI) approach combining a high-resolution spatial dataset of land-cover and function with area-level demographic and socio-economic data. This allowed for a comprehensive characterization of a densely populated, polycentric city-region. We produced multiple GI attributes including, for example, urban vegetation health. We used a series of step-wise multi-level regression analyses to test associations between population chronic morbidity and the functional, physical and spatial components of GI across an urban socio-demographic gradient. Results GI attributes demonstrated associations with health in all socio-demographic contexts even where associations between health and overall green cover were non-significant. Associations varied by urban socio-demographic group. For areas characterised by having higher proportions of older people (‘older neighbourhoods’), associations with better health were exhibited by land-cover diversity, informal greenery and patch size in high income areas and by proximity to public parks and recreation land in low income areas. Quality of GI was a significant predictor of good health in areas of low income and low GI cover. Proximity of publicly accessible GI was also significant. Conclusions The influence of urban GI on population health is mediated by green-space form, quantity, accessibility, and vegetation health. People in urban neighbourhoods that are characterised by lower income and older age populations are disproportionately healthy if their neighbourhoods contain accessible, good quality public green-space. This has implications for strategies to decrease health inequalities and inform international initiatives, such as the World Health Organisation’s Age-Friendly Cities programme.

ACS Style

Matthew Dennis; Penny A. Cook; Philip James; C. Philip Wheater; Sarah J. Lindley. Relationships between health outcomes in older populations and urban green infrastructure size, quality and proximity. BMC Public Health 2020, 20, 626 -15.

AMA Style

Matthew Dennis, Penny A. Cook, Philip James, C. Philip Wheater, Sarah J. Lindley. Relationships between health outcomes in older populations and urban green infrastructure size, quality and proximity. BMC Public Health. 2020; 20 (1):626-15.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Matthew Dennis; Penny A. Cook; Philip James; C. Philip Wheater; Sarah J. Lindley. 2020. "Relationships between health outcomes in older populations and urban green infrastructure size, quality and proximity." BMC Public Health 20, no. 1: 626-15.

Journal article
Published: 10 April 2020 in Agronomy
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Urban soils are subject to anthropogenic influences and, reciprocally, provide benefits and disbenefits to human wellbeing; for example carbon storage, nutrient cycling and the regulation trace element and contaminant mobility. Collective stewardship of urban green commons provides contemporary examples of the diversity of uses and management of green space in cities and represents a growing movement in user participation in, and awareness of, the importance of urban ecological health. Exploring the range of social-ecological benefits exemplified in the urban environment has generally focused on above-ground processes, with few studies examining the potential for (dis)benefits arising from edaphic characteristics of collectively-managed spaces. An investigation into the influence of formal and informal green space management on carbon fluxes and heavy metal concentrations in urban soils was carried out in Manchester (UK) finding that carbon storage in soils of collectively managed urban green commons (7.15 ± 1.42 kg C m−2) was significantly greater than at formally managed sites (for example city parks: 5.08 ± 0.69 kg C m−2), though the latter exhibited reduced losses through CO2 emission. Variation in heavy metal concentrations and mobility were likewise observed, exemplified by the acidification of surface soils by leaf litter at orchard sites, and the resultant increase in the mobility of lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn). The results of this study indicate the importance of small-scale contemporary urban green space management on selected ecosystem services provided by the limited soil resource of cities. Thus, a greater consideration of the effects of horticultural and amenity activities with regards to soil quality/functionality is required to ensure available urban green commons retain or increase their ecological quality over time.

ACS Style

Matthew Dennis; Luke Beesley; Michael Hardman; Philip James. Ecosystem (Dis)benefits Arising from Formal and Informal Land-Use in Manchester (UK); a Case Study of Urban Soil Characteristics Associated with Local Green Space Management. Agronomy 2020, 10, 552 .

AMA Style

Matthew Dennis, Luke Beesley, Michael Hardman, Philip James. Ecosystem (Dis)benefits Arising from Formal and Informal Land-Use in Manchester (UK); a Case Study of Urban Soil Characteristics Associated with Local Green Space Management. Agronomy. 2020; 10 (4):552.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Matthew Dennis; Luke Beesley; Michael Hardman; Philip James. 2020. "Ecosystem (Dis)benefits Arising from Formal and Informal Land-Use in Manchester (UK); a Case Study of Urban Soil Characteristics Associated with Local Green Space Management." Agronomy 10, no. 4: 552.

Research article
Published: 25 July 2019 in PLOS ONE
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Within urban landscape planning, debate continues around the relative merits of land-sharing (sprawl) and land-sparing (compaction) scenarios. Using three of the ten districts in Greater Manchester (UK) as a case-study, we present a landscape approach to mapping green infrastructure and variation in social-ecological-environmental conditions as a function of land sharing and sparing. We do so for the landscape as a whole and in a more focussed approach for areas of high and low urbanity. Results imply potential trade-offs between land-sharing-sparing scenarios relevant to characteristics critical to urban resilience such as landscape connectivity and diversity, air quality, surface temperature, and access to green space. These trade-offs are complex due to the parallel influence of patch attributes such as land-cover and size and imply that both ecological restoration and spatial planning have a role to play in reconciling tensions between land-sharing and sparing strategies.

ACS Style

Matthew Dennis; Katherine L. Scaletta; Philip James. Evaluating urban environmental and ecological landscape characteristics as a function of land-sharing-sparing, urbanity and scale. PLOS ONE 2019, 14, e0215796 .

AMA Style

Matthew Dennis, Katherine L. Scaletta, Philip James. Evaluating urban environmental and ecological landscape characteristics as a function of land-sharing-sparing, urbanity and scale. PLOS ONE. 2019; 14 (7):e0215796.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Matthew Dennis; Katherine L. Scaletta; Philip James. 2019. "Evaluating urban environmental and ecological landscape characteristics as a function of land-sharing-sparing, urbanity and scale." PLOS ONE 14, no. 7: e0215796.

Preprint
Published: 10 April 2019
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Within urban landscape planning, debate continues around the relative merits of land-sparing (compaction) and land-sharing (sprawl) scenarios. Using part of Greater Manchester (UK) as a case-study, we present a landscape approach to mapping green infrastructure and variation in social-ecological-environmental conditions as a function of land sparing and sharing. We do so for the landscape as a whole as well as for areas of high and low urbanity. Results imply potential trade-offs between land-sparing-sharing scenarios relevant to characteristics critical to urban resilience such as landscape connectivity and diversity, air quality, surface temperature, and access to green space. These trade-offs may be particularly complex due to the parallel influence of patch attributes such as land-cover and size and imply that both ecological restoration and spatial planning have a role to play in reconciling tensions between land-sparing and sharing strategies.

ACS Style

Matthew Dennis; Katherine Louise Scaletta; Philip James. Evaluating environmental and ecological landscape characteristics relevant to urban resilience across gradients of land-sharing-sparing and urbanity. 2019, 605105 .

AMA Style

Matthew Dennis, Katherine Louise Scaletta, Philip James. Evaluating environmental and ecological landscape characteristics relevant to urban resilience across gradients of land-sharing-sparing and urbanity. . 2019; ():605105.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Matthew Dennis; Katherine Louise Scaletta; Philip James. 2019. "Evaluating environmental and ecological landscape characteristics relevant to urban resilience across gradients of land-sharing-sparing and urbanity." , no. : 605105.

Study protocol
Published: 27 July 2018 in BMC Public Health
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Creating or improving urban green space has the potential to be an effective, sustainable and far-reaching way to increase physical activity and improve other aspects of wellbeing in the population. However, there is a dearth of well-conducted natural experimental studies examining the causal effect of changing urban green space on physical activity and wellbeing. This is especially true in older adults and in the United Kingdom. This paper describes a natural experimental study to evaluate the effect of four small-scale urban street greening interventions on older adults’ physical activity and wellbeing over a 1-year period, relative to eight matched comparison sites. All sites are located in deprived urban neighbourhoods in Greater Manchester, United Kingdom. Components of the interventions include tree and flower planting, and artificial tree decorations. Eight unimproved comparison sites were selected based on a systematic process of matching using several known objective and subjective environmental correlates of physical activity in older adults. The outcome measures are physical activity and two other behavioural indicators of wellbeing (Connect: connecting with other people; and Take Notice: taking notice of the environment), collected using a newly developed observation tool. The primary outcome is Take Notice behaviour due to largest effects on this behaviour being anticipated from improvements in the aesthetic quality of green space at the intervention sites. Baseline data collection occurred in September 2017 before the interventions were installed in November 2017. Follow-up data collection will be repeated in February/ March 2018 (6 months) and September 2018 (12 months). The present study permits a rare opportunity to evaluate the causal effects of small-scale changes in urban green space in an understudied population and setting. Although the interventions are expected to have small effects on the outcomes, the present study contributes to developing natural experiment methodology in this field by addressing key methodological weaknesses causing high risk of bias in previous natural experimental studies. Key improvements to reduce risk of bias in the present study are rigorous matching of multiple comparison sites and appropriate statistical control of key confounders. Retrospectively registered with study ID NCT03575923. Date of registration: 3 July 2018.

ACS Style

Jack S. Benton; Jamie Anderson; Sarah Cotterill; Matthew Dennis; Sarah J. Lindley; David P. French. Evaluating the impact of improvements in urban green space on older adults’ physical activity and wellbeing: protocol for a natural experimental study. BMC Public Health 2018, 18, 1 -15.

AMA Style

Jack S. Benton, Jamie Anderson, Sarah Cotterill, Matthew Dennis, Sarah J. Lindley, David P. French. Evaluating the impact of improvements in urban green space on older adults’ physical activity and wellbeing: protocol for a natural experimental study. BMC Public Health. 2018; 18 (1):1-15.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jack S. Benton; Jamie Anderson; Sarah Cotterill; Matthew Dennis; Sarah J. Lindley; David P. French. 2018. "Evaluating the impact of improvements in urban green space on older adults’ physical activity and wellbeing: protocol for a natural experimental study." BMC Public Health 18, no. 1: 1-15.

Journal article
Published: 24 April 2018 in Ecological Economics
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The urban landscape, as home to the majority of the global population, has been the scene of significant and lasting ecological degradation. Consequently, modern cities rely on distant and geographically vast areas for the provision of a range of important ecosystem services. Urban centres also, however, comprise important hubs of human invention and innovation. Collective approaches to the use and management of green space in urban social-ecological systems, as a form of social-ecological innovation, provide a valuable resource in the production and adaptive management of local ecosystem services. Urban social-ecological innovation (USEI), therefore, comprises an important consideration in urban environmental governance. Research on innovation in urban social-ecological systems is analysed here and an evaluation of the insights thereby derived culminates in the development of a conceptual framework. We propose that such a framework can be applied by practitioners and researchers alike to evaluate the mediating nature of USEI towards increasing the resilience of productive urban landscapes.

ACS Style

M. Dennis; P. James. Urban Social-ecological Innovation: Implications for Adaptive Natural Resource Management. Ecological Economics 2018, 150, 153 -164.

AMA Style

M. Dennis, P. James. Urban Social-ecological Innovation: Implications for Adaptive Natural Resource Management. Ecological Economics. 2018; 150 ():153-164.

Chicago/Turabian Style

M. Dennis; P. James. 2018. "Urban Social-ecological Innovation: Implications for Adaptive Natural Resource Management." Ecological Economics 150, no. : 153-164.

Journal article
Published: 25 January 2018 in Land
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Common approaches to mapping green infrastructure in urbanised landscapes invariably focus on measures of land use or land cover and associated functional or physical traits. However, such one-dimensional perspectives do not accurately capture the character and complexity of the landscapes in which urban inhabitants live. The new approach presented in this paper demonstrates how open-source, high spatial and temporal resolution data with global coverage can be used to measure and represent the landscape qualities of urban environments. Through going beyond simple metrics of quantity, such as percentage green and blue cover, it is now possible to explore the extent to which landscape quality helps to unpick the mixed evidence presented in the literature on the benefits of urban nature to human well-being. Here we present a landscape approach, employing remote sensing, GIS and data reduction techniques to map urban green infrastructure elements in a large U.K. city region. Comparison with existing urban datasets demonstrates considerable improvement in terms of coverage and thematic detail. The characterisation of landscapes, using census tracts as spatial units, and subsequent exploration of associations with social–ecological attributes highlights the further detail that can be uncovered by the approach. For example, eight urban landscape types identified for the case study city exhibited associations with distinct socioeconomic conditions accountable not only to quantities but also qualities of green and blue space. The identification of individual landscape features through simultaneous measures of land use and land cover demonstrated unique and significant associations between the former and indicators of human health and ecological condition. The approach may therefore provide a promising basis for developing further insight into processes and characteristics that affect human health and well-being in urban areas, both in the United Kingdom and beyond.

ACS Style

Matthew Dennis; David Barlow; Gina Cavan; Penny A. Cook; Anna Gilchrist; John Handley; Philip James; Jessica Thompson; Konstantinos Tzoulas; C. Philip Wheater; Sarah Lindley. Mapping Urban Green Infrastructure: A Novel Landscape-Based Approach to Incorporating Land Use and Land Cover in the Mapping of Human-Dominated Systems. Land 2018, 7, 17 .

AMA Style

Matthew Dennis, David Barlow, Gina Cavan, Penny A. Cook, Anna Gilchrist, John Handley, Philip James, Jessica Thompson, Konstantinos Tzoulas, C. Philip Wheater, Sarah Lindley. Mapping Urban Green Infrastructure: A Novel Landscape-Based Approach to Incorporating Land Use and Land Cover in the Mapping of Human-Dominated Systems. Land. 2018; 7 (1):17.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Matthew Dennis; David Barlow; Gina Cavan; Penny A. Cook; Anna Gilchrist; John Handley; Philip James; Jessica Thompson; Konstantinos Tzoulas; C. Philip Wheater; Sarah Lindley. 2018. "Mapping Urban Green Infrastructure: A Novel Landscape-Based Approach to Incorporating Land Use and Land Cover in the Mapping of Human-Dominated Systems." Land 7, no. 1: 17.