Journal Papers by Jason A Byrne
Cosmopolitical action in a climate-changed city represents different knowl-edges and practices th... more Cosmopolitical action in a climate-changed city represents different knowl-edges and practices that may seem disconnected but constellate to frame stories and spaces of a climate-just city. The question this article asks is: how might we as planners identify and develop counter-hegemonic praxes that enable us to re-imagine our experience of, and responses to, climate change? To explore this question, we draw on Isabelle Stengers's (2010) idea of cosmopolitics—where diverse stories, perspectives, experiences, and practices can connect to create the foundation for new strategic possibilities. Our article is empirically informed by conversations with actors from three Australian cities (Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth) who are mobilizing different approaches to this ideal in various grassroots actions on climate change.
Over the past decade research on urban thermal inequity has grown, with a focus on denser built e... more Over the past decade research on urban thermal inequity has grown, with a focus on denser built environments. In this letter we examine thermal inequity associated with climate change impacts and changes to urban form in a comparatively socioeconomically disadvantaged Australian suburb. Local urban densification policies designed to counteract sprawl have reduced block sizes, increased height limits, and diminished urban tree canopy cover (UTC). Little attention has been given to the combined effects of lower UTC and increased heat on disadvantaged residents. Such impacts include rising energy expenditure to maintain thermal comfort (i.e. cooling dwellings). We used a survey of residents (n=230) to determine their perceptions of climate change impacts; household energy costs; household thermal comfort practices; and dispositions towards using green infrastructure to combat heat. Results suggest that while comparatively disadvantaged residents spend more on energy as a proportion of their income, they appear to have reduced capacity to adapt to climate change at the household scale. We found most residents favoured more urban greening and supported tree planting in local parks and streets. Findings have implications for policy responses aimed at achieving urban climate justice.
Once imported to Australia as rodent controllers, cats are now regarded as responsible for a seco... more Once imported to Australia as rodent controllers, cats are now regarded as responsible for a second wave of mammal extinction across the continent. Utilising the Foucauldian concept of biopolitics, we investigate critically the institutional field of cat regulation in Australia, exemplified by the Western Australian Cat Act 2011 and the Federal Environment Minister’s 10-year campaign to eradicate feral cats. Analysis of the biopolitical dispositif of ferality, and its elements of knowledge, subjectivation and objectivation and power processes, illustrates the dispositions through which what might be regarded as felicide has become organisational practice. We propose alternative practices emphasising the productive potentialities of biopolitics.
Increased pressure to allow more recreational activities in peri-urban national parks may impact ... more Increased pressure to allow more recreational activities in peri-urban national parks may impact local communities. We surveyed residents living in local communities near six peri-urban national parks (IUCN Category II) in Queensland, Australia. We assessed their sense of place, their perceptions of different types of visitors’ activities, and interactions between attitudes and perceptions. Most respondents, including national park users and non-users, perceived non-motorised recreational activities as appropriate but perceived motorised activities negatively. Overall, negative perceptions were related to a respondent’s sense of place. Respondents with a stronger sense of place had more positive perceptions of non-motorised activities but more negative perceptions of motorised activities than respondents reporting a weaker sense of place. Results suggest that people identifying with their local national park may have a small ‘latitude of acceptance’ for motorised activities. We found limited displacement due to recreational conflicts; most respondents still visited these parks. The methods used here, if applied to other peri-urban national parks, could help determine a local community’s recreational activity thresholds, offering park managers a way to potentially diminish conflict and enhance visitors’ experiences.
People's reasons for visiting national parks have been well researched. So too have their park ac... more People's reasons for visiting national parks have been well researched. So too have their park activities and how diverse activities potentially affect visitors' park experiences (e.g. perceptions of overcrowding). Far less research has examined how park users' environmental values might affect their perceptions of other users and the appropriateness of different activities -a potential source of conflict. Relationships between personal environmental values and environmental and social perceptions are complex and interactive in the context of park visitation. Visitors' encounters with other users can powerfully affect their experience and enjoyment of parks, in turn reflecting such factors as values-related expectations and judgments in the context of national parks. Personal and social values may also play an important role in influencing whether different activities are perceived as 'out of place' in the context of national park place meaning, yet the conceptualization of values within geographic literature on parks remains comparatively weak. This paper utilizes a definition of values, derived from a concise review of the geography and social psychology literatures, to explain the results of survey research we undertook within national parks in Queensland, Australia. We use a 'values-behavior hierarchy' conceptual framework to consider how the personal environmental values of a sample of park visitors (n=404) potentially affected patterns of park visitation, user activities, and user conflicts. Findings suggest that visitors' environmental values shaped how they perceived other park users and the appropriateness of their activities.
Over 80% of respondents knew of informal greenspace in their neighborhood.52% of respondents in B... more Over 80% of respondents knew of informal greenspace in their neighborhood.52% of respondents in Brisbane and 31% Sapporo used IGS for recreation.Reasons for use: proximity, diverse flora/fauna, no use restrictions or crowding.Influence of demographic factors on IGS use and evaluation was limited.Cultural and geographic context may explain different IGS evaluation and use.
There is a sizable literature about the factors shaping park visitation and use – especially for ... more There is a sizable literature about the factors shaping park visitation and use – especially for urban parks, including (i) geographic (e.g. proximity), (ii) socio-cultural (e.g. population characteristics) and to a lesser extent, (iii) individual psychometric factors (e.g. attitudes and values). Yet comparatively little is known about how factors related to distance may affect peri-urban national park use, particularly outside the United States. This paper reports on research investigating distance-related factors affecting use of a peri-urban national park in Brisbane, Australia. This study found that older visitors live closer to the park while younger visitors travel further to use it. Surprisingly, travel distance did not vary with the type of recreational activities that users were conducting in the park. These results have implications for park planning and management including user demand for different recreational activities in peri-urban national parks. Results are useful for scholars using distance decay models to explain travel behaviour, evidencing the empirical veracity of the model in different places and across different service types. The findings are especially important for geographers because they demonstrate that assumptions about uniform park catchments may be unsupported and need to be empirically validated.
Participation of local communities in conservation is essential for long-term sustainability of ... more Participation of local communities in conservation is essential for long-term sustainability of biosphere reserves. Yet, questions remain about conditions under which participation is successful. Positive perceptions about a protected area, which may be associated with economic benefits or improved social capital, can promote pro-conservation behaviour, yet relationships are unclear. To assess this, we investigated perception-behaviour relationships in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve, Mexico - a socially and ecologically diverse desert region. Unsustainable and illegal resource use in the reserve has placed ecosystems under pressure. A survey of 367 people in seven rural communities and informal interviews with stakeholders suggested there was strong support for reserve designation among respondents. While conservation was recognized as a primary purpose for designation, respondents perceived the reserve was threatened by illegal and unsustainable activities. Concomitantly, respondents desired effective regulatory management and socio-economic development. Positive perceptions did not translate into pro-conservation behaviour. Respondents were largely unaware of, and had rarely participated in, conservation initiatives. Reasons appear to be related to the limited capacity of government agencies and resource management institutions. The latter require continual external support to develop stronger leadership, management skills and more equitable governance, required to bring local actors into conservation.
The ‘hollow-middle’: why positive community perceptions do not translate into pro-conservation behaviour in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve, Mexico. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/276133496_The_hollow-middle_why_positive_community_perceptions_do_not_translate_into_pro-conservation_behaviour_in_El_Vizcano_Biosphere_Reserve_Mexico [accessed Jun 3, 2015].
Contact with nature is vital for the development of children and teenagers. In the past, informal... more Contact with nature is vital for the development of children and teenagers. In the past, informal urban green spaces (IGS) such as vacant lots appear to have been used for such purposes. We need to better understand how previous generations used IGS to make sure young people today can also enjoy its social, mental, emotional and physical health benefits. This study quantitatively compared adult residents' memories of IGS use in their childhood and teenage years in two geographically and culturally distinct cities: Brisbane, Australia, and Sapporo, Japan. The results showed most respondents (>70%) remembered using IGS in the past, and preferred it over other green space because it was easily accessible. Most (>70%) recalled experiencing no problems (e.g. danger of injury) when using IGS, a contrast to recently increasing parental concern for children's safety. Such factors may limit present IGS use and prevent it from fulfilling the important role it played for previous generations' recreation.
Landscape and Urban Planning, 2015
Urban green infrastructure can help cities adapt to climate change. Spatial planning can play an ... more Urban green infrastructure can help cities adapt to climate change. Spatial planning can play an important role in utilizing green infrastructure for adaptation. Yet climate change risks represent a different sort of challenge for planning institutions. This paper aims to address two issues arising from this challenge. First, it defines the concept of green infrastructure within the context of climate adaptation. Second, it identifies and puts into perspective institutional barriers to adopting green infrastructure for climate adaptation, including path dependence. We begin by arguing that there is growing confusion among planners and policy makers about what constitutes green infrastructure. Definitional ambiguity may contribute to inaction on climate change adaptation, because it muddies existing programs and initiatives that are to do with green-space more broadly, which in turn feeds path dependency. We then report empirical findings about how planners perceive the institutional challenge arising from climate change and the adoption of green infrastructure as an adaptive response. The paper concludes that spatial planners generally recognize multiple rationales associated with green infrastructure. However they are not particularly keen on institutional innovation and there is a tendency for path dependence. We propose a conceptual model that explicitly recognizes such institutional factors. This paper contributes to the literature by showing that agency and institutional dimensions are a limiting factor in advancing the concept of green infrastructure within the context of climate change adaptation.
Landscape and Urban Planning, 2015
Hangzhou is a rapidly growing Chinese coastal metropolis that is facing climate change impacts, i... more Hangzhou is a rapidly growing Chinese coastal metropolis that is facing climate change impacts, including intense heat waves, flooding and increased severity of storms (e.g. typhoons and thunderstorms). This paper examines whether green infrastructure (GI), specifically increased tree planting, could help Hangzhou City adapt to some of these impacts. The paper reports the results of a survey of Hangzhou green-space users and their disposition toward tree planting in public and communal green-spaces as a climate change adaptive response. Results show that surveyed green-space users tended to favor tree planting as an adaptive strategy if they were older, believed that individual actions could reduce climate change impacts, and believed that future climate change impacts would be economically disruptive. Few respondents reported tree costs (disservices). While the perceived benefits of urban trees were unrelated to support for urban greening, results suggest that under some conditions, residents may be willing to support increased tree cover within urban public and communal open spaces. Findings suggest land use planners and environmental managers in China would do well to cultivate support for green infrastructure interventions among older green-space users and residents who perceive personal costs associated with climate change. Additional research across a range of Chinese cities, and internationally, could further assist in evaluating the efficacy of green infrastructure for climate change adaptation from a green-space user perspective. Particular attention will need to be given to the potential costs of large-scale tree planting (e.g. health impacts) and to the utility of GI for macro-scale climate change response
Landscape and Urban Planning, 2015
PLOS One, 2014
Informal urban green-space (IGS) such as vacant lots, brownfields and street or railway verges is... more Informal urban green-space (IGS) such as vacant lots, brownfields and street or railway verges is receiving growing attention from urban scholars. Research has shown IGS can provide recreational space for residents and habitat for flora and fauna, yet we know little about the quantity, spatial distribution, vegetation structure or accessibility of IGS. We also lack a commonly accepted definition of IGS and a method that can be used for its rapid quantitative assessment. This paper advances a definition and typology of IGS that has potential for global application. Based on this definition, IGS land use percentage in central Brisbane, Australia and Sapporo, Japan was systematically surveyed in a 10×10 km grid containing 121 sampling sites of 2,500 m2 per city, drawing on data recorded in the field and aerial photography. Spatial distribution, vegetation structure and accessibility of IGS were also analyzed. We found approximately 6.3% of the surveyed urban area in Brisbane and 4.8% in Sapporo consisted of IGS, a non-significant difference. The street verge IGS type (80.4% of all IGS) dominated in Brisbane, while lots (42.2%) and gaps (19.2%) were the two largest IGS types in Sapporo. IGS was widely distributed throughout both survey areas. Vegetation structure showed higher tree cover in Brisbane, but higher herb cover in Sapporo. In both cities over 80% of IGS was accessible or partly accessible. The amount of IGS we found suggests it could play a more important role than previously assumed for residents' recreation and nature experience as well as for fauna and flora, because it substantially increased the amount of potentially available greenspace in addition to parks and conservation greenspace. We argue that IGS has potential for recreation and conservation, but poses some challenges to urban planning. To address these challenges, we propose some directions for future research.
European Journal of Psychotherapy and Counselling, 2015
Much research attests to the beneficial effects of equine interventions on physical development a... more Much research attests to the beneficial effects of equine interventions on physical development and ability. However, less is known about the possible psychological benefits of horse activities, such as therapeutic riding or interactions with horses. Although there is public consensus that horses can have psychological benefits, it is an under-researched area and conclusions are largely based on anecdotal data. The little empirical evidence that is available about the efficacy of equine-assisted interventions on psychological outcomes tends to be mixed and is often difficult to interpret due to the lack of rigorous research designs. The purpose of this review was to examine the current state of the literature regarding the psychological effects of equine-assisted interventions, and to make recommendations for future research. Findings from this review suggest that equine-assisted interventions hold much promise, particularly in terms of child/adolescent social and behavioural issues, and perhaps adult affective disorders. However, the current state of the literature does not allow us to definitively conclude that equine-assisted interventions are efficacious. Well-designed randomised controlled trials are greatly needed in this area, as it is an appreciation of the need to standardise and document equine-assisted interventions and outcomes in future research.
Analyse & Kritik, Dec 7, 2014
Energy e ciency and energy security are emerging concerns in climate change policy. But there is ... more Energy e ciency and energy security are emerging concerns in climate change policy. But there is little acknowledgment of energy justice issues. Marginalised and vulnerable communities may be disproportionately exposed to both climate change impacts (e.g. heat, flooding) and costs associated with energy transitions related to climate change mitigation and adaptation (e.g. particulate exposure from biofuel combustion). Climate change is producing energy-related impacts such as increased cooling costs. In some cases it threatens energy security. Higher electricity costs associated with 'climate proo ng' energy network infrastructure may exacerbate 'fuel poverty' itself a form of injustice. In this paper we critically review the literature about multiple interrelations between energy policy, justice and climate change. We identify key issues, illuminate knowledge gaps, and synthesise fi ndings to develop a conceptual model. We chart a research agenda and highlight policy implications.
PLOS One, Jun 18, 2014
Informal urban green-space (IGS) such as vacant lots, brownfields and street or railway verges is... more Informal urban green-space (IGS) such as vacant lots, brownfields and street or railway verges is receiving growing attention from urban scholars. Research has shown IGS can provide recreational space for residents and habitat for flora and fauna, yet we know little about the quantity, spatial distribution, vegetation structure or accessibility of IGS. We also lack a commonly accepted definition of IGS and a method that can be used for its rapid quantitative assessment. This paper advances a definition and typology of IGS that has potential for global application. Based on this definition, IGS land use percentage in central Brisbane, Australia and Sapporo, Japan was systematically surveyed in a 10×10 km grid containing 121 sampling sites of 2,500 m2 per city, drawing on data recorded in the field and aerial photography. Spatial distribution, vegetation structure and accessibility of IGS were also analyzed. We found approximately 6.3% of the surveyed urban area in Brisbane and 4.8% in Sapporo consisted of IGS, a non-significant difference. The street verge IGS type (80.4% of all IGS) dominated in Brisbane, while lots (42.2%) and gaps (19.2%) were the two largest IGS types in Sapporo. IGS was widely distributed throughout both survey areas. Vegetation structure showed higher tree cover in Brisbane, but higher herb cover in Sapporo. In both cities over 80% of IGS was accessible or partly accessible. The amount of IGS we found suggests it could play a more important role than previously assumed for residents' recreation and nature experience as well as for fauna and flora, because it substantially increased the amount of potentially available greenspace in addition to parks and conservation greenspace. We argue that IGS has potential for recreation and conservation, but poses some challenges to urban planning. To address these challenges, we propose some directions for future research.
Landscape and Urban Planning, Mar 1, 2014
Urban green spaces, such as parks, forests, green roofs, streams, and community gardens, provide ... more Urban green spaces, such as parks, forests, green roofs, streams, and community gardens, provide critical ecosystem services. Green spaces also promote physical activity, psychological well - being, and the general public health of urban residents. This paper reviews the Anglo-American literature on urban green spaces, especially parks, and compares efforts to green U.S. and Chinese cities. Most studies reveal that the distribution of such spaces often disproportionately benefits predominantly White and more affluent communities. Access to green space is therefore increasingly recognized as an environmental justice issue. Many U.S. cities have implemented strategies to increase the supply of urban green space, especially in park-poor neighborhoods. Strategies include greening of remnant urban land and reuse of obsolete or underutilized transportation infrastructure. Similar strategies are being employed in Chinese cities where there is more state control of land supply but similar market incentives for urban greening. In both contexts, however, urban green space strategies may be paradoxical: while the creation of new green space to address environmental justice problems can make neighborhoods healthier and more aesthetically attractive, it also can increase housing costs and property values. Ultimately, this can lead to gentrification and a displacement of the very residents the green space strategies were designed to benefit. Urban planners, designers, and ecologists, therefore, need to focus on urban green space strategies that are 'just green enough' and that explicitly protect social as well as ecological sustainability.
Environment and Planning C
Universities increasingly expect students to publish during a PhD candidature because it benefits... more 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 reviewsa 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.
Community garden research has focused on social aspects of gardens, neglecting systematic analysi... more Community garden research has focused on social aspects of gardens, neglecting systematic analysis of what food is grown. Yet agro-diversity 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 agrobiodiversity 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 26 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 colour classification system. All gardens grew fruits and vegetables from at least four food colour groups, and 75% of the gardens grew plants from all seven colour groups. As places with high agro-diversity, 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.
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Journal Papers by Jason A Byrne
The ‘hollow-middle’: why positive community perceptions do not translate into pro-conservation behaviour in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve, Mexico. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/276133496_The_hollow-middle_why_positive_community_perceptions_do_not_translate_into_pro-conservation_behaviour_in_El_Vizcano_Biosphere_Reserve_Mexico [accessed Jun 3, 2015].
The ‘hollow-middle’: why positive community perceptions do not translate into pro-conservation behaviour in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve, Mexico. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/276133496_The_hollow-middle_why_positive_community_perceptions_do_not_translate_into_pro-conservation_behaviour_in_El_Vizcano_Biosphere_Reserve_Mexico [accessed Jun 3, 2015].
Understanding the natural cycles of the city is just as important to planning our cities as knowledge of local ordinances, indeed much more so. A profound knowledge of environmental processes is critical for successful planning in today’s world. Environmental planners take as their guiding principle the concept of designing with nature, approaching cities as living organisms that consume water, energy and raw materials, and produce waste. This metabolic view of cities means we can find new solutions to old problems, and steer our cities towards a more sustainable form of planning.
Written specifically for students and professionals working in city planning in Australia, this ground-breaking new book enables Australian planners, architects and developers to get a better understanding of the fundamental principles of environmental planning for cities, showing how land, water, air, energy, wildlife and people shape our built environments, and how in turn environmental processes must be better understood if we are to make informed decisions about developing cities that are more sustainable.
The book’s coverage is comprehensive: from an overview of the concepts and theories of environmental planning, through analysis of governance systems and urban environmental processes to agendas and policies for the future, all the key topics are covered in depth, with recommendations for supporting reading and an unrivalled selection of additional materials. Ideal for students, essential for professionals, Australian Environmental Planning is vital reading for more sustainable cities in a more sustainable world.
This paper utilizes a definition of values, derived from a concise review of the geography and social psychology literatures, to explain the results of survey research we undertook within national parks in Queensland, Australia. We use a ‘values-behavior hierarchy’ conceptual framework to consider how the personal environmental values of a sample of park visitors (n=404) potentially affected patterns of park visitation, user activities, and user conflicts. Findings suggest that visitors’ environmental values shaped how they perceived other park users and the appropriateness of their activities. This has international implications for geographic research and other disciplines and professions involved in national park visitation, park use, and human impacts, on and of these powerful places.
More than thirty-six State Forests are being converted to National Parks or Forest Reserves as part of the South East Queensland Forests Agreement. Although the Queensland Government is revising this process, a network of 547 kilometres of horse riding trails has been established within the Forest Reserves. These trails are part of the South East Queensland Horse Riding Trail Network. A twenty-year scientific monitoring program to assess the social and biophysical impacts of this Horse Riding Trail Network was established by the former Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM). The Queensland Herbarium which is now in the Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts is responsible for the scientific monitoring program.
Griffith University was awarded a tender to develop and test a program to monitor the social impacts of the Horse Riding Trail Network. This included producing three reports, where the first report assessed visitor attitudes, the second report assessed the attitudes of stakeholder organisations, and the third report, assessed local communities’ attitudes about the Horse Riding Trail Network.
The visitor survey was conducted to provide qualitative and quantitative information about issues that concern them. The surveys used were: 1) a core survey with minor modifications from the original survey pilot tested by Rossi and Pickering in 2010, 2) an extended survey including questions regarding change in status of the sites and, 3) an extended survey including questions regarding visitor values. The survey instruments were tested during a pilot survey, and minor refinements made before the main field work.
The field work for the survey of park visitors commenced in April 2011 and was completed in October 2011 with a total of 715 people surveyed across six parks/reserves including: South-section of D’Aguilar National Park, North-section of D’Aguilar National Park, Nerang National Park, Tewantin National Park, Mapleton Forest Reserve and Glass House Mountains National Park. To obtain detailed information from a large number of users for one Park, the South-section of D’Aguilar National Park was surveyed intensively over 6 days during the extended Easter period in 2011. For this Park, 75% of visitors were given the core survey, and 25% were given the extended survey including questions regarding the change in status of the Park. For the other 5 parks/reserves the extended survey including questions regarding visitor values was given to visitors in September-October 2011 to assess if patterns of use, attitudes and values were consistent across different parts of the Horse Riding Trail Network in a range of parks/reserves.
Across all those surveyed (79% response rate), the most popular activities were bushwalking (281 respondents), mountain biking (262), running (62), trail bike riding (28) and picnicking (22). The types of activities varied dramatically among sites, with hiking the only activity undertaken in all Parks. High number of visitors reported to encounter horse riders in the Horse Trail Network, however only 12 horse riders were surveyed during this project. Most of the visitors of the SEQ-HTN were highly educated people between 24 and 54 years old visiting the areas very often.
The attitudes to non-motorised activities conducted in the Horse Trail Network were overall positive or neutral. However, many visitors had negative or strongly negative attitudes towards motorised activities. Activities considered having the largest number of social and environmental impacts were trail bike riding and four wheel driving. Commonly perceived impacts were making too much noise, the potential for collision or injury, damaging plants or animals and frightening wildlife.