Publication Date

2024

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Wilson, James L.

Degree Name

Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

Legacy Department

Department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Environment (EAE)

Abstract

Urban green spaces are an invaluable asset for the benefits they provide to human well-being and environmental sustainability. São Paulo, one of the largest cities in the world, well-known for its demographic complexity, prosperous economy, and cultural diversity, presents great disparities in the distribution and quality of green spaces. Besides that, different socioeconomic groups have different access to these spaces. The significant challenge to achieving equitable urban development invites us to investigate these spaces further, associated with socioeconomic parameters, to understand which groups benefit most from urban green spaces and to advance in the environmental justice discussion. This dissertation contains three studies focused on the relationship between green spaces and the socioeconomic contexts of São Paulo city, Brazil, using a combination of spatial data analysis, high-resolution aerial image processing, and Brazilian census assessment. The first study (Chapter 2) proposed a novel analysis through a roof-type classification method, providing insights into the neighborhoods adjacent to ten municipal parks. This method aimed to discern how housing roof type in Brazil reflects different economic conditions near urban green areas, highlighting the patterns of social stratification. The main findings revealed that affluent areas predominantly featured ceramic roofs, whereas metal/fiber cement roofs were more common in lower-income neighborhoods. There was a consistent decrease in the presence of ceramic roofs at increasing distances from urban parks. The second study (Chapter 3) investigated the spatial distribution of demographic, socioeconomic, and racial attributes around all (109) municipal parks in São Paulo city. In addition, a park quality assessment was developed to gain insights into the existing park amenities and the demographic characteristics of residents around each park. The findings revealed the social segregation among the parks, from central to periphery areas, as well as the differences in the park qualities across the city. The third study (Chapter 4) conducted a mapping of tree canopy based on 1-m resolution aerial imagery, including tree-lined streets, residential parks, and others. This mapping was conducted to evaluate the social vulnerability index under different proportions of tree canopy cover, providing awareness of the spatial distribution of these green spaces and the phenomenon of segregation in São Paulo. The results confirmed that high proportions of tree canopy cover are observed in very low social vulnerability neighborhoods, while high socially vulnerable groups are living in areas with small tree cover proportions. The findings aimed to contribute to geography and urban planning fields, offering enlightenment for urban policymaking, especially in addressing social inequalities and environmental injustice.

Extent

165 pages

Language

en

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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