Search

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a lot of discussion about keeping interpersonal distance to prevent the virus from spreading. To keep this interpersonal distance, authorities at different levels have taken measures to reduce people’s interactions, such as reducing capacities, curfews, pop-up cycle lanes, temporary pedestrianisation, and lockdowns. Many of these temporary measures have been perceived from a static view. Nevertheless, in a scenario of “new normality” or in the face of a possible new pandemic, the amount of data (big data) generated by different sources, such as sensors, in large cities has extraordinary potential to be used together with tactical urbanism for quick adaptation. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the aforementioned issues by analysing spatio-temporal patterns of pedestrian mobility and developing a variation of the pedestrian level of service measure, the pandemic pedestrian level of service (P-PLOS). This measure provides a dynamic view of pavement capacities according to the interpersonal distance recommendations during the pandemic. P-PLOS was tested in the city of Madrid based on the pedestrian counter data that was provided by the local government through its open data website. We found that the application of P-PLOS, together with street design, allows for knowing where and when it is necessary to take tactical urbanism measures in order to maintain or improve the level of service, as well as where it is necessary to take measures to reduce pedestrian flow.

The ecological value of some fine-scale landscape elements tends to be overlooked when they are found in highly human-influenced landscapes, such as peri-urban agricultural ones. These landscapes usually fall beyond the scope of the defined categories of landscape protection, and are thus mapped as areas of little or no ecological interest in the context of extensive analysis. In this paper, we present a method for assessing and visualizing the existing nodes in the field pattern of a peri-urban agricultural landscape. Nodes are identified from the field pattern and characterized according to the presence of relevant features and land uses from the viewpoint of their ecological functions. The method is applied in the Vega del Guadalfeo (south of Spain). Our results show an innovative map of the Vega which may be interpreted as its eco-structure; a model based on nodes to represent the ecological value of the peri-urban agricultural landscape.

Peri-urban deltas and vegas (irrigated plains) in Andalucia are especially complex landscapes combining agricultural, natural, urban and cultural heritage elements. Their agricultural and peri-urban characteristics entail both conflicts and opportunities as highlighted by the European Economic and Social Committee among other national and regional agreements. In this research we analyse the general context of peri-urban agriculture of vegas and deltas in Andalucia and their land-use transformations between 1956 and 2007, focusing on the network of medium-sized cities. In addition, we assess the consideration of vegas and deltas in spatial planning at the regional level and the way in which these plans have—or have not—faced the singularity of these spaces. The results reveal that peri-urban, agricultural deltas and vegas are changing their land use and in some cases even disappearing, with the meagre attention and the vague consideration that spatial planning pays to these areas.

The concept of agro-urban open space (AUOS) is presented as a multifunctional component within the context of how agricultural land uses contribute to the creation of open spaces. This contribution is represented through specific multifunctionality mapping, underlining the importance of spatial representation at a local, and even a plot, scale when dealing with agricultural multifunctionality. To this end we have undertaken a review of agricultural multifunctionality and open-space concepts to locate existing deficiencies as far as the required spatial dimension in planning is concerned. Issues such as permeability, access and other elements enhancing open spaces have been assessed to obtain partial maps and a final map showing the general values for AUOS at a plot level. The proposed method has been tested in a Mediterranean delta, the Vega del Guadalfeo, on the coast of the province of Granada in Spain. We found sugarcane and subtropical farming to be the main contributors to AUOS. The AUOS map presente...

In recent years, peri-urban agricultural landscapes are gradually receiving significant support in the context of five main fields. The first is from the European Landscape Convention (ELC), since its Article 2 refers not only to outstanding landscapes but also to everyday or even degraded landscapes. A second support is provided by the field of cultural heritage and cultural landscape, connecting the role of agricultural landscapes to patrimonial values. The understanding of landscape as heritage is quite recent and it is connected to the evolution of the heritage concept itself towards ideas such as the “heritagisation of territories and landscapes”. Within this frame, agricultural landscapes are actually being considered as an important part of European heritage. Multifunctionality of agriculture and landscape offers a third approach to strengthen agricultural landscapes based on their role of developing multiple functions and their corresponding economic, ecological and sociocultural services. From the field of protected areas, the advances in its conception and role is leading to an inspirational framework to be applied beyond the traditional boundaries of this body, giving new opportunities to link nature protection and landscape, including agricultural landscapes, which are recognised in some cases as important ecosystems and biodiversity foci. Finally, from a spatial planning viewpoint, different instruments could offer specific solutions to protect and promote vegas and deltas.