Urban Forestry & Urban Greening最新文献

{"title":"Green equity or green gentrification? State-led urban park development in Shanghai, 2000–2020","authors":"Yang Xiao,&nbsp;Leiting Cen,&nbsp;Hong Li","doi":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129225","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129225","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Research on green justice has primarily focused on patterns of park accessibility, while overlooking the environmental justice and social displacement issues associated with new green infrastructure under different governance regimes. Framing our analysis within China’s model of state entrepreneurialism, this study examines parks built in Shanghai between 2000 and 2020 to demonstrate how state-led green investments produce divergent social effects across neighborhoods. We first assess whether new parks are disproportionately sited in high-socioeconomic-status (SES) areas with already high levels of accessibility, and whether planning prioritizes neighborhoods that are doubly disadvantaged in both SES and park accessibility. We find that 43 new parks were built in areas with high initial accessibility and that current planning shows no clear preference for doubly disadvantaged neighborhoods. Using propensity score matching, we further show that park construction is associated with significant shifts in the surrounding population composition, providing new empirical evidence of green gentrification in the Global South. Under a state-entrepreneurial logic that employs parks as tools to promote land valorization and redevelopment, new parks in low–SES areas are more likely to induce the displacement of vulnerable residents, whereas parks in already advantaged areas tend to consolidate existing inequalities without causing obvious displacement. These findings extend the green gentrification paradox by demonstrating how state-led greening generates unequal and place-specific social outcomes across neighborhoods with different initial SES and accessibility conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49394,"journal":{"name":"Urban Forestry & Urban Greening","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 129225"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145730756","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An ANN-based framework for mapping urban tree cooling and exposure inequality in a high-density city: A case study of Hong Kong","authors":"Siqi Jia ,&nbsp;Di Wei ,&nbsp;Rui Zhang ,&nbsp;Fanhua Kong ,&nbsp;Yuhong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129227","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129227","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As heatwaves intensify with global warming, urban trees play a critical role in cooling through shading and evapotranspiration. However, these cooling benefits are constrained by methodological limitations that trade street-level precision for citywide scalability, hindering high-resolution mapping of tree cooling effects across metropolitan areas. Additionally, exposure to these cooling benefits remains uneven across socioeconomic groups. To enable spatially precise mapping of urban tree impacts while enhancing social equity among diverse population groups, this study develops a multi-scale framework integrating microclimate field measurements, LiDAR-based tree mapping, satellite thermal imagery, and urban big data in Hong Kong, a high-density city experiencing frequent heat extremes. Implemented via a multilayer perceptron artificial neural network, the framework achieves high predictive accuracy (R² = 0.905) for estimating tree cooling effects. The cooling exposure index is computed using a population-weighted exposure model that combines citywide maps of tree cooling effects with grid-level census data. Results reveal that at the city scale, tree cooling effects can reach up to 4.49<span><math><mi>℃</mi></math></span> (average: 0.68<span><math><mi>℃</mi></math></span>), with the Islands district showing the highest average cooling (1.27<span><math><mi>℃</mi></math></span>), followed by Central &amp; Western (1.25<span><math><mi>℃</mi></math></span>) and Wan Chai (1.05<span><math><mi>℃</mi></math></span>) on Hong Kong Island. The tree cooling effect varies by species: <em>Pterocarpus indicus</em> demonstrates the strongest effect, reducing temperatures by 2.19<span><math><mi>℃</mi></math></span> under summer conditions. However, population-weighted spatial analysis shows that marginalized communities, particularly low-income residents and solitary dwellers, experience the least exposure to these benefits, with cooling exposure indices as low as 18.0 and 18.7, respectively, compared to a citywide average of 257.7. These findings highlight the need for equity-centered greening strategies and justice-oriented urban planning that prioritizes species selection and neighborhood investment to reduce heat disparities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49394,"journal":{"name":"Urban Forestry & Urban Greening","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 129227"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145753443","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of deficit irrigation effects on growth and evaporative cooling potential of four groundcover species using field measurements and numerical modeling","authors":"Zahra Amiri ,&nbsp;Donald Merhaut ,&nbsp;Amir Verdi","doi":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129233","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129233","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Introducing drought-tolerant groundcovers into urban landscapes can enhance evaporative cooling while reducing irrigation demand in semiarid and arid regions. A two-year field experiment (2022–2023) conducted in Riverside, California, evaluated the responses of four groundcover species—<em>Acacia redolens</em>, <em>Arctotis acaulis</em>, <em>Chrysanthemoides incana</em>, and <em>Lippia nodiflora</em>—to four irrigation levels (25–100 % reference evapotranspiration, ET₀). Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), visual quality, and the canopy and air temperature difference (ΔT) were monitored across treatments. The calibrated HYDRUS-1D model simulated soil water content (SWC) and actual transpiration (T_a) for each treatment, which were used to develop regression-based water response function (WRF) models for estimating NDVI and ΔT. <em>Acacia redolens</em> provided the greatest potential evaporative cooling effect, with mean ΔT ranging from −3.99 to −5.86 °C across irrigation levels, while maintaining high aesthetic quality even at 25 % ET₀. In contrast, <em>Lippia nodiflora</em> required at least 51 % ET₀ irrigation to sustain acceptable visual quality and 100 % ET₀ to maintain a cool canopy. The strongest correlation between NDVI and HYDRUS-1D outputs was observed for <em>Lippia nodiflora</em> (<em>r</em> = 0.68–0.80). ΔT for all groundcovers showed a relatively strong correlation with simulated T_a (<em>r</em> = −0.59 to −0.71), and incorporating model outputs into WRFs improved ΔT prediction accuracy (<em>r</em> = 0.64–0.80). These results highlight <em>Acacia redolens</em> as a climate-resilient and water-efficient groundcover, offering substantial cooling and aesthetic performance under minimal irrigation. The findings of this study can inform urban landscape design, irrigation management strategies, and green infrastructure planning in water-limited regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49394,"journal":{"name":"Urban Forestry & Urban Greening","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 129233"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145784961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Forest biodiversity indicators correlate with perceived forest qualities but not with psychological well-being in urban forests","authors":"Aku Korhonen,&nbsp;Jenni Simkin,&nbsp;Ann Ojala,&nbsp;Marjo Neuvonen,&nbsp;Mathilda Kauppila,&nbsp;Leena Hamberg","doi":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129219","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129219","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Provision of recreational opportunities and biodiversity are among the most significant values associated with urban forests in Nordic cities. However, catering to both demands with a limited forest area can result in conflicts, which need to be accounted for in urban forest management and land-use planning. In this study, we examined associations between forest biodiversity and on-site experiences of city residents (n = 153) in spruce-dominated urban forests (n = 15) in five Finnish cities. Biodiversity values were assessed from four complementary perspectives including (1) tree species admixture, (2) abundance of dead wood, (3) heterogeneity of ground vegetation, and (4) late-successional ectomycorrhizal fungal richness in the soil. People's experiences were investigated in terms of perceived forest quality and change in felt restoration and energy level before and after the forest visit. We found several correlations between people's perceptions of forest quality and measured biodiversity indicators. The correlations indicated mostly synergistic relationships between forest biodiversity and human preferences. Yet, differences in biodiversity indicators were not reflected in felt restoration or energy level changes. Our results suggest that promoting forest structural features that benefit biodiversity in boreal spruce-dominated forests is mostly in line with urban residents' preferences regarding forest qualities, but that management within forests should enable easy passage through them.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49394,"journal":{"name":"Urban Forestry & Urban Greening","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 129219"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145689664","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Miyawaki ‘Mini-Forests’ – The New Kids On The Block? Exploring perceptions of the miyawaki forest method among UK landscape professionals","authors":"Hanyu Qi,&nbsp;Nicola Dempsey,&nbsp;Ross Cameron","doi":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129238","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129238","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the past two decades, there has been a significant increase in people’s interest in urban green spaces, trees, and forests. Urban forests (UFs) are increasingly recognised for their potential to mitigate climate change impacts, conserve biodiversity, and enhance human well-being. The Miyawaki Forest method (MFM) is a recent and innovative approach to urban greening that has garnered significant attention in Europe due to its claims of rapid afforestation. This paper examines these and other claims through a study of landscape professionals' perceptions of this method within the UK context. We collected quantitative and qualitative data, assessing the awareness, attitudes and concerns of 112 landscape professionals about MFM tree planting. With focus on its implementation and the composition of native and non-native tree species in MFM planting, we also asked respondents to consider its applicability in the rapidly changing climate in the UK. Results reveal a general support for MFM's application, particularly in urban areas. Key concerns include space requirements, high initial costs, vandalism, climate adaptability and so on. Notably, the findings show that practitioners are more likely to accept the planting of non-native tree species when the impacts of climate change are taken into account. These findings therefore have implications for practitioners and decision-makers beyond those following the MFM, and suggest that further empirical evidence and professional dialogue are needed to legitimise broader implementation of non-natives in conventional tree planting. The study therefore offers critical insights for policymakers and environmental advocates regarding the acceptability of different urban tree-planting initiatives in temperate urban regions in the UK. This contributes to a greater understanding of sustainable urban environments for UK citizens in an evolving climate future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49394,"journal":{"name":"Urban Forestry & Urban Greening","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 129238"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145784935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatial-temporal patterns and multi-scale drivers of allergenic pollen Fraxinus, Platanus and Humulus in the urban and suburban area of Beijing, China","authors":"Xiaoxin Qin ,&nbsp;Jianqin Xu ,&nbsp;Yiyin Li ,&nbsp;Xiao Yun ,&nbsp;Hongxing Zhang ,&nbsp;Wenjun Liu ,&nbsp;Xinyi Zhao ,&nbsp;Nan Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129199","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129199","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pollen allergy induced by allergenic plants in urban green spaces poses an escalating health risk in Beijing city during rapid expansion of urbanization. Utilizing 3-year (2016<img>2018) continuous monitoring pollen (<em>Fraxinus</em>, <em>Platanus</em> and <em>Humulus</em>) and meteorology data, this study analyzed spatial-temporal patterns of allergenic pollen and their influencing factors across multiple scales. Results revealed significant spatial-temporal heterogeneity in pollen seasons and pollen concentrations. Warmer pre-season and in-season temperatures accelerated pollen season start (PSS) for <em>Platanus</em> pollen and peak dates (PD) for <em>Fraxinus</em> pollen. Local vegetation abundance quantified by importance value (<em>IV</em>) within a 100-meter radius, was strongly correlated to seasonal pollen index (SPI) (<em>r</em> = 0.94–0.99, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.05), emphasizing the impact of local plants on spatial patterns of pollen concentrations. SPI was also correlated with dominant wind frequency annually, except for the dominant pollen taxon of which SPI was merely associated with frequency of the wind directions aligned with local vegetation distribution. Prevailing winds were mostly responsible for high hourly pollen levels at a local scale. Low wind speeds (0–1.0 m/s) were associated with high urban hourly pollen levels, while high wind speeds (&gt; 3.0 m/s) dominated during high-pollen hours in the suburban area. Two complementary algorithms based on the 24-h backward trajectories were performed to identify regional potential source area, such as Inner Mongolia for <em>Platanus</em> pollen and Hebei Province for <em>Fraxinus</em> pollen. Suburban <em>Humulus</em> pollen exhibited distinct transport pathways influenced by northerly air masses. These findings elucidate multi-scale mechanisms of pollen dispersion, and will provide further practical insights for urban greening strategies and allergy risk mitigation, including avoiding plantings of allergenic species in densely populated areas and limiting outdoor activities during peak pollen hours (particularly under low wind conditions).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49394,"journal":{"name":"Urban Forestry & Urban Greening","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 129199"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145657343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phenological effects of artificial light at night on urban trees: A case study on microclimate and light pollution","authors":"Jana Škvareninová ,&nbsp;Stanislav Kaniansky ,&nbsp;Jaroslav Škvarenina ,&nbsp;Michaela Korená-Hillayová ,&nbsp;Radoslava Kanianska","doi":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129241","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129241","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a pervasive but understudied stressor for urban trees, significantly affecting their phenology. The study investigates the impact of ALAN on autumn leaf colouring (LC10 % and LC100 %) in <em>Acer pseudoplatanus, Acer platanoides</em>, and <em>Betula pendula</em> in urban settings during 2016 and 2023. Using Linear Mixed Models, we analyzed phenological timing in illuminated (L) <em>versus</em> non-illuminated (N) crown parts, considering meteorological factors. Our results show that ALAN significantly delays the initial leaf colouring (LC10 %), suggesting an extension of the growing season. However, this effect did not significantly vary across species or crown parts, indicating a broad initial sensitivity. For complete leaf colouring (LC100 %), ALAN's direct influence diminished, with meteorological conditions emerging as primary drivers. Both species-specific traits and microclimatic differences within the crown consistently proved highly significant for both phenophases, highlighting inherent variability. Crucially, although ALAN's overall effect on species-specific senescence timing was not statistically distinct, species that naturally senesce later (e.g., <em>Betula pendula</em>) experienced disproportionately greater ALAN-induced delays in LC100 %. This strong positive correlation between natural senescence onset and ALAN-induced delay for complete leaf colouring underscores a critical vulnerability for late-season species. These findings emphasise the complex interplay between ALAN, meteorological factors, and species-specific responses in urban tree phenology. Understanding these dynamics is vital for sustainable urban trees management, guiding species selection and lighting design to mitigate negative impacts on tree health and urban ecosystem services.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49394,"journal":{"name":"Urban Forestry & Urban Greening","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 129241"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145784930","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Perceptions of ecosystem services, walking behaviour and urban forest visits as predictors of satisfaction with physical activity","authors":"Snežana Štrbac ,&nbsp;Dragana Milutinović ,&nbsp;Eva Stojković ,&nbsp;Nikola Živanović ,&nbsp;Sanja Stojadinović ,&nbsp;Nevena Antić ,&nbsp;Milica Kašanin-Grubin","doi":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129232","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129232","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Urban forests provide ecosystem services that enhance opportunities for physical activity and contribute to public health. The aim of this study was to investigate how perceptions of the urban forest ecosystem services, walking behaviour characteristics and frequency of visits to the urban forest are related to satisfaction with physical activity, with body mass index (BMI) included as a descriptive health indicator. To assess the perceived benefits of the urban forest Kamenički Park (Serbia), a workshop was conducted with representatives of five stakeholder groups. Walking frequency, walking distance, use of step-counting applications, frequency of park visits, satisfaction with physical activity, and BMI were analysed using a survey conducted with 215 adult residents recruited from four primary care clinics. Stakeholders valued Kamenički Park primarily for its cultural benefits. Satisfaction with physical activity was associated with frequency of walking (<em>χ²</em> = 29.98, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001) and walking distance (<em>χ²</em> = 23.50<em>, p</em> &lt; 0.001), while the use of a step-counting apps showed only a weak correlation. Logistic regression indicated that walking 3–5 km/day was associated with lower satisfaction, while walking daily or more than 5 km/day showed a positive but non-significant trend towards higher satisfaction. Linking behavioural data to stakeholder perceptions highlights the need for urban planning to incorporate both contextual and experiential dimensions to maximise the health-promoting potential of urban forests.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49394,"journal":{"name":"Urban Forestry & Urban Greening","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 129232"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145784958","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Designing green and blue spaces for health: A systematic literature review of current spatial design recommendations for healthy and thermally comfortable urban environments","authors":"Zahra Khosravipoor,&nbsp;Agnès Patuano,&nbsp;Samaneh Nickayin","doi":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129216","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129216","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Green and blue spaces (GBS) have been extensively researched for their direct and indirect effects on human health outcomes. These effects have been found to follow different pathways, including mitigation, restoration, and instoration. However, while research has been conducted on these individual pathways, a lack of comprehensive reviews currently exists that integrate the promotion of human health and the creation of climate-adaptive urban environments. Thus, approaches that promote potential synergies between these pathways remain largely absent in the literature. This paper systematically reviews studies that have identified associations between GBS and health effects and recommends spatial solutions for designers looking to integrate various health benefits. This review focuses on local scale designs within cities in European and North American countries with temperate climates. We used the databases Scopus and Web of Science to conduct a review in January 2024 and 2025, identifying 152 studies that provided spatial recommendations. Our results show that these studies primarily focused on the mitigation pathway, as this topic yielded the highest number of spatial recommendations. Conversely, relatively fewer studies offered solutions concerning blue spaces. In addition, we found that the collected recommendations mainly addressed the selection, design, or maintenance of GBS, with maintenance receiving the least attention. This imbalance, coupled with the lack of integrative approaches across all three topics, underscores the need for further research to identify potential synergies. Thus, this review offers a holistic perspective on the various recommendations for the design of GBS that can assist spatial designers in creating healthier urban environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49394,"journal":{"name":"Urban Forestry & Urban Greening","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 129216"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145689647","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Does NDVI explain patterns of urban bird diversity? Insights from temperate to tropical cities","authors":"Ian MacGregor-Fors ,&nbsp;Jaime A. Garizábal-Carmona ,&nbsp;Michelle García-Arroyo ,&nbsp;Eric Fishel ,&nbsp;Charles H. Nilon ,&nbsp;Richard Lemoine-Rodríguez","doi":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129211","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129211","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Remote sensing technologies enhance our ability to describe environmental heterogeneity, potentially improving biodiversity predictions. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), a widely used index, along with other vegetation descriptors derived from land cover, often shows positive relationships with bird diversity; however, its reliability as a predictor across contrasting urban contexts remains uncertain. We examined the relationships between the NDVI, woody vegetation cover, and bird species richness across three cities—Columbia (USA), Xalapa (Mexico), and Medellín (Colombia)—using a city-wide, multi-scale approach, based on Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, with buffer distances of 50, 100, 200, and 400 m. The NDVI consistently showed significant positive relationships with bird species richness, except at the 50 m buffer in Columbia (Sentinel-2 satellite), where the relationship was close-to-significant (p = 0.073). Woody vegetation cover also showed significant positive relationships with bird species richness, except in Columbia, where woody vegetation cover was positively associated with bird species richness at the 200 and 400 m buffers but negatively associated at the 50 and 100 m buffers, with all relationships for this metric being non-significant. The proportion of variability in bird species richness associated with the NDVI or woody vegetation cover remained, on average, below 28 %, varying by city, vegetation metric, spatial resolution, and buffer distance. Despite the NDVI and woody vegetation cover being potential key drivers of bird diversity, our findings highlight the need for caution when interpreting ecological patterns solely based on remote sensing-derived vegetation radiometric indices. This caution is particularly relevant when using such indices for landscape and biodiversity monitoring to inform urban planning and conservation efforts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49394,"journal":{"name":"Urban Forestry & Urban Greening","volume":"116 ","pages":"Article 129211"},"PeriodicalIF":6.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145689672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}