BACKGROUND This study examined the formulation, adoption, and implementation of a ban on smoking in the parks and beaches in Vancouver, Canada. METHODS Informed by Critical Multiplism, we explored the policy adoption process, support for and compliance with a local bylaw prohibiting smoking in parks and on beaches, experiences with enforcement, and potential health equity issues through a ser...

We analysed observations from 31 neighbourhood parks, with each park mapped into smaller target areas for study, across five US cities generated using the System for Observing Play and Recreation in the Community (SOPARC). In areas where at least two people were observed, less than one-third (31.6%) were populated with at least one white and one non-white person. Park areas that were supervised...

Residences located close to urban parks frequently sell at a premium. The increased home values represent a ‘capitalization’ of a park’s value to proximate homeowners and this phenomenon has been termed ‘the proximate principle’. The evolution of the principle from squares and gardens in small private estates to large park areas occurred with the development of Regent’s Park in London. The prox...

INTRODUCTION Keratinophilic fungi are an important group of fungi that live in soil. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify keratinophilic fungi from the soil of different parks in Shiraz. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 196 soil samples from 43 parks were collected. Isolation of the fungi was performed by hair bait technique. The isolated colonies were identified by morphologic f...

Noise is steadily on the rise in urban settings, creating a potential health hazard as well as being a nuisance. In major European cities, noise levels are so high that the majority of urban parks can no longer truly serve as recreational environments, a problem the WHO and the EU are attempting to address. This study explores various strategies that promote the sustainable development of urban...

National park and related forest conservation efforts tend to emanate from core areas of the world and are often imposed on rurai people living on forest fringes in the least developed regions of lesser developed countries. We address the social and cuitural processes that ensue when center-originating conservation meets local people with their resource-dependent livelihoods, and how these vary...

It is beneficial to a person’s physical and mental health engage in regular activity, while public parks are critical infrastructure for encouraging activity. However, little research has examined how parks’ users’ characteristics affect activity intensity. Using primary data collected from 432 users of six different sizes Bangkok, this study the relationship between park user moderate-to-vigor...

OBJECTIVE Increasing population levels of physical activity is high on the health agenda in many countries. There is some evidence that neighbourhood access to public open space can increase physical activity by providing easier and more direct access to opportunities for exercise. This national study examines the relationship between travel time access to parks and beaches, BMI and physical ac...

New species from well-studied taxa such as Sepsidae (Diptera) are rarely described from localities that have been extensively explored and one may think that New York City belongs to this category. Yet, a new species of Themira (Diptera: Sepsidae) was recently discovered which is currently only known to reside in two of New York City's largest urban parks. Finding a new species of Themira in th...