Jason Antony Byrne

Nature, race, and parks: past research and future directions for geographic research.

Geographic research on parks has been wide-ranging but has seldom examined how and why people use parks, leaving these questions to leisure science, which privileges socio-demographic variables over urban socio-spatial explanations (eg, historical, political-economic, and location factors). This article examines recent geographic perspectives on park use, drawing upon environmental justice, cultural landscape, and political ecology paradigms to redirect our attention from park users to a more critical appreciation of the historical, socio-ecological, and political-economic processes that operate through, and in turn shape, park spaces and park-going behaviors. We challenge partial, user-orientated approaches and suggest new directions for geographic research on parks.

The benefits of publishing systematic quantitative literature reviews for PhD candidates and other early-career researchers

Universities increasingly expect students to publish during a PhD candidature because it benefits the candidate, supervisor, institution, and wider community. Here, we describe a method successfully used by early-career researchers including PhD candidates to undertake and publish literature reviews – a challenge for researchers new to a field. Our method allows researchers new to a field to systematically analyse existing academic literature to produce a structured quantitative summary of the field. This method is a more straightforward and systematic approach than the traditional ‘narrative method’ common to many student theses. When published, this type of review can also complement existing narrative reviews produced by experts in a field by quantitatively assessing the literature, including identifying research gaps. The method can also be used as the initial step for further analysis, including identifying suitable datasets for meta-analysis. Students report that the method is enabling and rewarding.

Trail Characteristics as Correlates of Urban Trail Use

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to identify the environmental correlates of urban trail use. Design. Three multiuse urban trails at least 15 miles in length were selected. Trails were divided into one-half-mile segments (N = 102 total segments) and marked in the field. An audit of each trail was completed identifying built environmental features. A cross-sectional count of trail users was completed at each segment estimating the type of use, age, gender. Setting. Data collection occurred on urban trails in Chicago, Dallas, and Los Angeles. Subjects. Trained observers counted 17,338 users across the three trails. Measures. The SPACES for Trails instrument was used, and a trail count data collection sheet was developed. Analysis. Univariate and multivariate Poisson regressions controlling for location of trail and density of the population within 1 mile of the trail. Results. Positive associations with trail use were observed for mixed views (β = .33, p < .0001), streetlights (β = .30, p < .0001), good trail condition (β = .28, p < .0001), and the presence of cafés (β = .38, p < .0001) and other trailside facilities (β = .08, p < .0001). Negative associations were observed for litter (β = −.22, p < .0001), noise (β = −.41, p < .0001), higher vegetation density (β = −.10, p > .001), drainage features (β = −.67, p < .0003), natural areas adjacent to the trail (β = −.39, p < .0001), and tunnel present (β = −.20, p < .04). Conclusions. These correlates should be confirmed in other studies and if supported should be considered in the promotion and design of urban trails.

Green around the gills? The challenge of density for urban greenspace planning in SEQ

Abstract Australian cities exhibit a quality of life arguably among the best in the world, but rapidly expanding populations may soon threaten this status. The burgeoning conurbation of South East Queensland (SEQ) is an example. Recent growth management policies and plans (e.g. South East Queensland Regional Plan and local authority growth management strategies) have sought to curtail urban sprawl through urban footprints, growth management boundaries, urban consolidation, and other measures. The ‘density imperative’ presented by these collective urban policies affects the sourcing, provision and management of open space in inner-city locales in SEQ which may soon run out of land for parks and urban greenspace. This paper presents results from recent research into the environmental equity dimensions of providing urban greenspace in SEQ. Critiquing the long-entrenched parks-standards approach, the paper offers a ‘needs-based’ alternative, and considers its utility for SEQ and other fast-growing Australian urban areas. Questioning orthodox planning perspectives about who lives in higher density areas, we argue that local and state governments should look towards a variety of new types of green and open space to meet the needs of existing and future residents living in denser built environments.

Color me healthy: Food diversity in school community gardens in two rapidly urbanising Australian cities

Community garden research has focused on social aspects of gardens, neglecting systematic analysis of what food is grown. Yet agrodiversity within community gardens may provide health benefits. Diverse fruit and vegetables provide nutritional benefits, including vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. This paper reports research that investigated the agro-biodiversity of school-based community gardens in Brisbane and Gold Coast cities, Australia. Common motivations for establishing these gardens were education, health and environmental sustainability. The 23 gardens assessed contained 234 food plants, ranging from 7 to 132 plant types per garden. This included 142 fruits and vegetables. The nutritional diversity of fruits and vegetable plants was examined through a color classification system. All gardens grew fruits and vegetables from at least four food color groups, and 75% of the gardens grew plants from all seven color groups. As places with high agrodiversity, and related nutritional diversity, some school community gardens can provide children with exposure to a healthy range of fruit and vegetables, with potential flow-on health benefits.

Publishing not perishing: how research students transition from novice to knowledgeable using systematic quantitative literature reviews

Current understandings suggest that three aspects of writing practice underpin the research student publication process: knowledge creation, text production and identity formation. Publishing a literature review is the first opportunity most students have to publish. This article compares the pedagogical benefits of different literature review methods. It discusses why narrative reviews are challenging for novices both in terms of process and outcomes (publications) whereas other types of reviews, such as meta-analyses, are the province of multi-skilled teams working intensively for extended periods. Case studies are used to highlight how a new systematic quantitative literature review method, developed for the social and natural sciences, is beneficial as students can more readily create knowledge, produce text, and so transition from novice to knowledgeable and publish rather than perish.

The Park Made of Oil: Towards a Historical Political Ecology of the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area

Abstract Within the park-deprived inner-city landscapes of Los Angeles, an unprecedented change is underway. Long considered to be the epitome of anti-nature, Los Angeles is witnessing a boom in park development and ecological restoration. Derelict, blighted and contaminated inner-city brownfield sites are being converted to greenspaces, nature parks and wildlife refuges. Indeed, Los Angeles has been the recent recipient of hitherto unimaginable political and fiscal support to ameliorate the dearth of parks in its neglected urban core. This paper situates the current round of park development within its historical context, by focusing on a very particular local site—the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area. Applying the theoretical lens of political ecology, the authors trace some of the political, economic, ecological and institutional factors from the late 1920s onwards, which engendered the creation of a park atop an oilfield. In so doing, the authors deepen the understanding of how local greenspace allocation, poverty, race and political power are oftentimes complexly entangled. Precursor to a much larger project currently in the planning and development stages, the creation of the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area reveals some of the ways that the Southern California oil industry has shaped nature spaces in Los Angeles.

Planning the climate-just city

Issues of urban equity have long been linked to urban planning. Yet in practice the quest for the ‘just city’, defined in terms of democracy, diversity, difference and sustainability, has proven to be highly problematic. Drawing on examples from the Australian urban context, we argue that the imperative of climate change adds urgency to the longstanding equity agenda of planning in cities. In our normative quest for the climate-just city we offer a conceptual and analytical framework for integrating the principles of climate justice and equity into urban planning thinking and practice.

Adapting ecological modernisation to the Australian context

This article uses a broad range of ecological modernisation (EM) literature to derive five core theoretical themes: technological innovation; engaging with economic imperatives; political and institutional change; transforming the role of social movements; and discursive change. These themes are then developed into an analytical framework and adapted to suit the Australian context. The underlying argument is that while key elements of weak EM can be found in most environmental and sustainability policies, stronger versions have more transformative potential. Care must be taken, however, in transplanting the theory from the European political and economic environment to the Australian context.

Tempering growth: planning for the challenges of climate change and growth management in SEQ

Abstract South East Queensland (SEQ) has experienced voracious growth over the past five decades. Spanning some 200 km, this sprawling subtropical coastal conurbation is beginning to reach its ecological and socio-political limits. Over the last decade there have been concerted efforts to manage this growth with a new regime of plans and policies, but climate change has significantly complicated the challenge. This paper offers a preliminary analysis of the situation. The major climate adaptation challenges for the region are identified, including: rising sea levels, storm surges, higher temperatures, and increased freshwater scarcity. These will impact most on the elderly, sick and disadvantaged who have lower levels of resilience. The key plans and policies that address these issues are then reviewed, including: ClimateQ; the SEQ Regional Plan; and, the Draft SEQ Climate Change Management Plan. The overall planning regime is appraised in light of five core themes of strong ecological modernisation (technological innovation; engaging with economic imperatives; political and institutional change; transforming the role of social movements and discursive change) and the principles of environmental justice. It is argued that together these schools of thought could provide criteria for a more effective and equitable climate adaptation response for the region.