• Title/Summary/Keyword: the urban environment

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Effects of Forest Therapy on Psychological Improvement in Middle-aged Women in Korea

  • Park, Bum-Jin;Shin, Won-Sop;Shin, Chang-Seob;Yeon, Poung-Sik;Chung, Chung-Yeub;Lee, Si-Hyung;Kim, Dong-Jun;Kim, Youn-Hee;Park, Chang-Eun
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.55 no.5
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    • pp.492-497
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    • 2022
  • Objectives: Women experience more stress in middle age than in other periods of their lives. Therefore, health management programs that enable middle-aged women to cope with and manage stress are needed. This study investigated the psychological effects of a meditation-focused forest therapy program among 53 middle-aged women living in urban areas in Korea. Methods: Participants were divided into 2 groups: one group underwent the program for 3 days in a forest, followed by 3 days in an urban environment, and the other group underwent the program for 3 days in the urban environment, followed by 3 days in the forest. The psychological effects of the forest therapy program were evaluated using the Profile of Mood States-Brief (POMS-B). Differences in mood state before and after the program conducted in the forest (experimental group) and in the urban environment (control group) were evaluated using the paired-samples t-test. Results: The program in the forest significantly reduced tension, depression, anger, fatigue, and confusion among the domains of the POMS-B. The program in the urban area significantly reduced tension, but not depression, anger, fatigue, or confusion. Conclusions: Meditation-focused forest therapy programs are expected to contribute to promoting psychological health and enhancing the quality of life of middle-aged women.

Assessment of Non-point Pollutants and Runoff Characteristics in Urban Area, Korea

  • Park, Jae-Young;Choi, I-Song;Oh, Jong-Min
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.38 no.spc
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    • pp.67-75
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    • 2005
  • The objectives of this study were to understand the runoff characteristics of the non-point sources originating from impervious surfaces and to assess their effect on the aquatic environment in the urban areas. The concentration of pollutants (SS, BOD, COD and T-P) except for T-N showed the highest value in runoff from road, and event mean concentration (EMC) also showed high value from road. The pollutants discharged from road showed a higher concentration in the beginning stage (0 ${\sim}$ 30%) of progressive percentage of rainfall. The contribution percentages of non-point sources by load were 44.9% for SS, 11.2% for BOD, 21.4% for COD, 11.4% for T-N and 8.1% for T-P in the total load of pollutant discharged through sewer. From our results, the road was a significant potential source that deteriorated water quality of the streams and lakes in the vicinity of the urban area during the rain period. Therefore, counter plan is required to reduce pollutant concentration on the road from non-point sources in the urban area. Also, since pollutant concentration in the beginning stage of rainfall was quite high, road cleaning seems to be one of the very useful methods to prevent inflowing of pollutants to the aquatic environment.

Development of Measurement Indicators and Effective Analysis for Utilizing Effects of Biotop Map (도시생태현황도의 활용효과 측정지표 개발 및 효과분석)

  • Lee, Eun-Yeob;Kang, Myung-Su;Jeon, Seong-U;Byun, Jong-Bong
    • Journal of Environmental Science International
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    • v.20 no.10
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    • pp.1213-1220
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    • 2011
  • This study aims at choosing indicators to measure the effect of utilizing biotop map, and analyzing its effect by an indicator from the perspective of performer. The Primary performance indicators are made through specialist survey using SMART. As a result, three indicators are chosen: "Discussion of the period of an environmental effects evaluation(reduced effect)", "Plan and execution of environment and ecology plan in an urban development site", "Minimizing ecological damage in an urban development." The result in each indicator is as follows. The indicator of discussion of the period of an environmental effects evaluation(reduced effect), the average reduction rate in statistically meaningful level reduced 6.08% and 11.64% respectively in 2004-2005. In this period, environment information system was established and the reduction effect is shown in this period by reinforcing environment effect estimation using biotop map. As to the indicator of utilizing biotop map in an urban development site, the Seongnam P site case shows that biotop map was used when they set up an development plan. In case of minimizing ecological damage in an urban development, the Gwangjingu G-dong case shows that it was used to appoint preservation sit, and mediate development restrict area. Accordingly, the biotop map utilizing effect is confirmed through core performance indicators and verification of the indicators using SMART. The further research is encouraged to find evaluate indicators and verify the effect quantitatively to increase the use of biotop map.

Study on Soil Physico-Chemical Properties Criteria for Improving Ecosystem Services in Urban Parks (도시공원의 생태기능 향상을 위한 토양 이화학적 특성 기준에 대한 연구)

  • Kong, Minjae;Kwon, Taeguen;Kim, Changhyun;Kim, Namchoon;Shin, Yukyung;Ahn, Nanhee;Lee, Sangmin;Son, Jinkwan
    • Journal of Environmental Science International
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    • v.29 no.4
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    • pp.325-337
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    • 2020
  • The purpose of this study was to analyze the soil environment of urban neighborhood parks and to use them as basic data for evaluating the ecological functions of urban parks such as groundwater regeneration, flood control, microclimate regulation, adsorption and purification. The landscape design criteria were generally evaluated as advanced, and further monitoring and studies are needed to evaluate the various ecological functions. It is also necessary to improve the phosphoric acid and nitrogen contents, which tended to be low. In addition, continuous monitoring is needed to assess the proper soil environment according to the biological species, and to evaluate the ecological functions. The results of this study can be used to evaluate the groundwater recharge of urban parks. In particular, when the land of the neighboring park is used for various purposes, the level of access of the user may be increased. Therefore, factors that may adversely affect the user's health, such as heavy metals and organic matters, should be selected and selected as management criteria. In addition, follow-up studies considering fertilization standards suitable for trees and growth of introduced vegetation, etc. are needed urgently to improve the soil environment.

The Regional Characteristics and Effects on the Urban Competitiveness of Urban Creativity (도시 창조성의 지역별 특성과 도시 경쟁력에 미치는 영향)

  • Lee, Joo-Hyung;Kim, Yong-Il
    • KIEAE Journal
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    • v.11 no.5
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    • pp.19-30
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    • 2011
  • This study analysis effects of creativity character on the nation's urban areas and the competitiveness of the urban. The result is that talent of urban creativity effects on the competitiveness of the urban. However, technique and tolerance had not great effect on the competitiveness between cities. After departmentalizing the arrangement of urban creativity, Advanced services constantly appear to affect the competitiveness. Researchers of talent in 2000 and 2005, a culture artistes of tolerance in 2005 and 2009, appeared to affect the competitiveness of urban. In other words, this is changing that the indicators which is impacted on the competitiveness of the urban and each indicator's power with time. According to the result, the study suggests solutions. First, policy direction has to be setting by appropriate the character creativity in urban. Second, there needs the policy which is more focused on talent and tolerance for improving the creativity of urban. For the specific, there needs suggestion about cultural artist and researchers. Finally, considering about changing the urban creativity with time, policy direction has too be setting by reflecting this change.

The Development of Visualization Indicators for Case-study of Urban Geo-Spatial Information Visualization (도시공간정보 시각화 사례분석을 위한 지표 선정에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Mi-Yun
    • Journal of The Korean Digital Architecture Interior Association
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    • v.12 no.3
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    • pp.49-58
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    • 2012
  • In Regarding urban geo-spatial information visualization in this study, visualization of physical attribute information is mostly related to the representation of spatial domain and physical objects, and visualization of non-physical attribute information has to do with visualizing citizens and their activity information in the physical environment. In particular, a citizen, one of the non-physical information attributes, is characterized by a constant mobility in the physical environment, and thus visualization of his/her activity information is vital in conveying information because this information may not be depicted with any given, fixed figures. In consideration of this difficulty, this study integrates interrelationship among urban space, human needs, social relations, and lifestyles into a 'high-tech' service where experience in time and space is possible. To analyze the web-service and visualization cases, the study has selected visualization indicators consisting of information representation objective, information representation means, and information representation result. The results of the case analysis through specific indicators set a range in information representation objective, means, and result, thereby forming a user-friendly environment in which representational results are readily available to users, and ultimately expanding the users' selection range coming with a variety of options. This study also assumes that a wide range of service provision is needed to reflect users' needs in developing urban geo-spatial service model, and the display of its results should visualize users' satisfaction to construct the best information needed to users.

Factors Related with Residential Satisfaction of Urban Villages in Shenzhen, China (중국 심천시 어번 빌리지 주거만족도에 관련된 요소)

  • Zhang, Gui-Xian;Lee, Yeun-Sook;Lee, Soo-Jin
    • KIEAE Journal
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    • v.12 no.3
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    • pp.19-26
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    • 2012
  • Residential satisfaction is one of the most studied topics in the field of housing. This paper is to find factors that correlate with residential satisfaction of the residents and study the satisfaction differences between different groups of residents in urban village in Shenzhen. A questionnaire of 61 satisfaction variables grouped into five components based on literature review and actual situation in targeted village was conducted to find out factors related with residential satisfaction in urban villages. These components are dwelling unit, building conditions, village environment, neighborhood environment, and neighbors. Factors were extracted from these components and the correlations between the factors and residential satisfaction were analyzed by using Pearson's correlation coefficient to find out factors that most correlate to residential satisfaction. Satisfaction differences of the five components between respondents with different characteristics were also studied. The result showed all the factors positively correlated with residential satisfaction and residential satisfaction correlated the most with the factors of perception and information exchange, room sizes, and air condition and quality. The characteristics of gender, unit type, and interaction frequency with neighbors contributed to different satisfaction with certain components.

Assessment of Observation Environment for Surface Wind in Urban Areas Using a CFD model (CFD 모델을 이용한 도시지역 지상바람 관측환경 평가)

  • Yang, Ho-Jin;Kim, Jae-Jin
    • Atmosphere
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    • v.25 no.3
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    • pp.449-459
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    • 2015
  • Effects of buildings and topography on observation environment of surface wind in central regions of urban areas are investigated using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. In order to reflect the characteristics of buildings and topography in urban areas, geographic information system (GIS) data are used to construct surface boundary input data. For each observation station, 16 cases with different inflow directions are considered to evaluate effects of buildings and topography on wind speed and direction around the observation station. The results show that flow patterns are very complicated due to the buildings and topography. The simulated wind speed and direction at the location of each observation station are compared with those of inflow. As a whole, wind speed at observation stations decreases due to the drag effect of buildings. The decrease rate of wind speed is strongly related with total volume of buildings which are located in the upwind direction. It is concluded that the CFD model is a very useful tool to evaluate location of observation station suitability. And it is expected to help produce wind observation data that represent local scale excluding the effects of buildings and topography in urban areas.

Mortality Rates of Pathogen Indicator Microorganisms Discharged from Point and Non-point Sources in Urban Area (도시지역 점원, 비점원에서 유출되는 병원균 지표미생물의 사멸률)

  • Kim, Geonha
    • Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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    • v.22 no.6
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    • pp.1075-1081
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    • 2006
  • In this research, mortality rates of pathogen indicator microorganisms discharged from various point sources and diffuse sources in urban area were measured. Water samples were taken at domestic sewer, combined sewer overflow, effluent from a wastewater treatment plant, urban river, and sediment of an urban river. Mortality rates of indicator microorganisms in domestic sewer estimated by assuming the first order kinetics at $20^{\circ}C$ were as follows: total coliform = 0.092/day, fecal coliform = 0.185/day, E. coli = 0.252/day, and fecal streptococci = 0.281/day. Sensitivity of mortality rates of total coliform on temperature was estimated as $K_{temp}=K_{20}{\times}1.162^{(temp-20)}$ for the range of $10-20^{\circ}C$. Mortality rates due to sunlight were measured as 1.22-1.59/day while mortality rate due to settling for 40 min were estimated as $9.21{\times}10^3-20.0{\times}10^3/day$.

Comparison of Preferred Features in Spatial Composition for Shared Housing between Rural and Urban Elderly

  • Lee, Ji-Hye;Lee, Yeun-Sook
    • KIEAE Journal
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    • v.15 no.1
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    • pp.29-43
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    • 2015
  • Shared housing for elderly people, where several elderly people live together, gains attention as a means to prevent the lonely death of elderly people and continuously maintain their social relations. The purpose of this study is to compare the characteristics planned through rural and urban areas-residing elderly people's participation in the shared housing spatial composition by area. This study conducted a small scale workshop panel method that targeted small group, but through which extensive information can be acquired, as a qualitative method. This study targeted 16 elderly people aged 65 and over living in rented apartments in rural and urban areas by dividing them two groups by area, namely into four groups. A total of 12 workshop sessions were held with three sessions at a time through a certain time interval. As a result of the study, the elderly people showed positive responses to the shared housing, irrelevant of area. As time went on, the workshop panel method's effect was revealed through consolidated positive attitude and agreement of different opinions. The shared housing for elderly people is valuable as a residential alternative for elderly people, and differentiated supply of the shared housing for elderly people, according to residential area's characteristics, is suggested.