LOUD’s recent publication on urban and landscape sensitivity in the Appalachian Trail has emerged after 8 years

Titled “Integrating landscape and urban development in a comprehensive landscape sensitivity index: A case study of the Appalachian Trail region”, the paper has been published in Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, a prestigious international journal in the field of green space planning.

Reflecting on the journey to publication, ChengHe Guan reminisced, “I still remember spending the New Year's Eve of 2016 in the computer lab at the basement of the CGIS center at Harvard. I was all alone, but I was so fascinated by this topic and spent many hours working on spatial analysis and mappings." During his doctoral studies, Guan embarked on multiple backpacking trips to experience the wilderness firsthand and to understand the intricate relationship between urban environments and nature.

To better understand how to “Design with Nature”, Guan went on multiple short hiking trips to the white mountains near Boston, such as Pemi Loop and Presidential Traverse. Guan's backpacking adventures led him to encounter "through hikers," individuals trekking long distances on trails like the Appalachian Trail (AT), Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), and Continental Divide Trail (CDT). He also explored various trails in Nepal, Peru, Chile, and Argentina. These experiences provided valuable insights into the connection between urban settings and diverse landscapes, enhancing his perspective as an urban researcher.

Photos of Guan hiking in the Inca trail, Peru 2014

High sensitivity areas of the wilderness and urban interface (WUI) in the AT region have drawn significant attention due to the trail’s renowned status as one of the most famous long-distance hiking trails in the US. Characterized by diverse environmental attributes and a strategic location, the AT has experienced notable disturbances, underscoring the imperative of balancing development with wildland preservation for long-term sustainability.

In response to these challenges, this paper introduces a comprehensive landscape sensitivity index (CLSI) aimed at evaluating landscape sensitivity by considering both landscape characteristics and urban development disturbance. Through a combination of multivariate regression, cluster analysis, correlation analysis, and matrix analysis, this study addresses several research questions: (1) What are the primary indicators of high landscape sensitivity? (2) How does urban development influence landscape sensitivity? (3) Are areas with high landscape sensitivity adequately protected within the currently designated federal wilderness conservation zones?

The results reveal that eliminating covariance in landscape indices refines the landscape aggregation pattern, with Moran’s I decreasing from 0.776 to 0.449, aligning more closely with the observed fragmented landscape. Contrasted with modified landscape indices (MLSI), the CLSI indicates that 85.6% of the area experiences changes in landscape sensitivity, with 42.5% of the AT region displaying significant landscape sensitivity, including 4.9% categorized as having high landscape sensitivity (HLS), influenced by factors such as rock formations, wetlands, and biodiversity. A spatial mismatch is identified between HLS and current federal preservation efforts, with a correlation of only 0.011.

The paper proposes tailored conservation strategies for HLS areas in urban, wilderness, and protected regions. By considering the combined impact of ecological and urbanization forces, this study aids in prioritizing land conservation objectives and finding a balance between wilderness protection and urban development.

Spatial pattern of landscape sensitivity

Regarding LOUD’s research on green-blue space planning with AI-enhanced urban sensing techniques, this paper forms a crucial component. The concept of “Science of Urban Park”, proposed by Prof. Ying Li during discussions with LOUD’s guest speaker and external advisor Prof. Bo Zhang from Ximen University, emphasizes extending the spatial-temporal dimension of traditional garden design in the Chinese context. “LOUD’s future studies will concentrate on climate adaptive strategies like “climate parks," collaborating with domestic and international foundations to promote sustainable living and study human interaction with the green and blue infrastructure” said Prof. Ying Li, founding co-director of LOUD, “we are actively connecting our urban green space research with the PEAK Urban program, a platform where the brightest urban scholars from all over the world collaborate. Besides, we will present our research at the Venice Biennale in the near future”.

The Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Shanghai Nature and Health Foundation Jasmine Xu mentioned “It has been a privilege to support Prof Guan’s research effort on using data science and AI to promote sustainable living, and study human interaction with the earth’s green and blue space. We are confident that with Prof Guan and Prof Li’s leadership at the Lab, there will be more meaningful research findings and we will happily continue our dedication and support”.

Cite the paper:

Guan, C. *, You, M. (2024) Integrating landscape and urban development in a comprehensive landscape sensitivity index: A case study of the Appalachian Trail Region. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 93, 128234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2024.128234