Research & reports

Banting Doug, Doshi Hitesh, Li James, Missios Paul · Munich Personal RePEc Archive (Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich) · Canada (Toronto)

This report presents findings on the municipal-level benefits of implementing green roof technology in Toronto, Canada. Quantifiable monetary benefits included stormwater flow reduction (including impact on combined sewer overflow), air quality improvement, reduced direct energy use, and reduction in the urban heat island effect. Other benefits like aesthetic improvement, increased property values, use as amenity spaces, food production, and increased biodiversity were identified but could not be quantified in this report, requiring further work.

Grace K. Luk · WIT transactions on ecology and the environment · Canada (Greater Toronto Area)

This paper describes the design and data collection for an on-site evaluation to quantify the benefits of greenroof systems, focusing on six greenroof systems in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada. The study's objective is to specifically quantify the multiple benefits greenroofs provide, such as improved stormwater management, air quality, increased energy efficiency, extended roof life cycle, and mitigation of the Urban Heat Island Effect. A long-term, real-time monitoring program is intended to help define the ecological and hydraulic benefits of these greenroofs.

Charles Rowley · eScholarship (California Digital Library) · United States (California)

This paper compared the successes and failures of two urban creek restoration programs in California: Temescal Creek (initiated nearly 30 years ago) and White Oak Creek (completed about four years ago). Based on the author's success criteria, the more recent White Oak Creek program achieved significant success, while the earlier Temescal Creek restoration did not reach generally acceptable success levels. This difference is attributed to changes in management and scientific practice over 30 years, including substantial changes in the legal basis for restoration, improved monitoring requirements, and the critical role of properly engineered low flow distribution structures.

A. L. Echemendía, Surey Valdés, Sugey Magdalena Castillo Jiménez, Gloria González, Juan Miguel Zarandona Femández · Redalyc (Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México) · Mexico

A survey of pests and diseases in crops associated with hydroponic systems, organopónicos, and urban gardens in Mexico identified three viral symptomatologies in lettuce (Lactuca sativa), celery (Apium graveolens), and Castilla melon (Cucumis melo), linked to aphid vectors. Using indicator plants, optical and electron microscopy, and ELISA (DAS and indirect variants), the causal agents were identified: Lettuce Mosaic Virus (LMV) in lettuce and a race of Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV) in celery, both first reports for the country, and Papaya Ringspot Virus race W (PRSV) in melon, never previously found in that crop. An aphid species colonizing lettuce was also identified for the first time as an LMV vector.

Seana Irvine, Lorraine Johnson, Kim Peters · Local Environment · Canada

This case study provides an analytical account of the Alex Wilson Community Garden in Toronto, Canada, examining the connections between ecological restoration and community gardening. The garden, opened in June 1998, reflects Alex Wilson's work by linking these two enterprises to nurture relationships between people, communities, and the landscape. Its design reconstructs the natural and cultural history of southern Ontario with native plant species, aiming for a positive impact on local biodiversity. The participatory planning process involved various stakeholders and utilized planning tools like conservation easements.