2017 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Understanding threats to young childrens green space access in unlicensed daycare centers
| Project/Area Number |
17K15407
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| Research Institution | Research Institute for Humanity and Nature |
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Principal Investigator |
ルプレヒト クリストフ 総合地球環境学研究所, 研究部, 研究員 (90783895)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
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| Keywords | 緑地計画 / public health / children / urban planning |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
Access to green space is vital for children’s physical and mental health. However, many daycare centers cannot provide dedicated gardens due to high urban land prices. This research examines the challenges of providing adequate green space access for young children visiting daycare centers, and aims to improve green planning by mapping ‘hot spots’ where access is limited.
Three major achievements have been accomplished in this first year. First, an initial literature review of Japanese and international research on the topic was completed. The review underlined the necessity of the research and provided ample background for preparing the daycare center and parent survey instruments.
Second, significant progress was made on the main surveys. While the daycare center survey could not be conducted as planned and was postponed to the first year for budget reasons (see also Current Status section below), the address database and survey instrument are completed and the survey can now be conducted pending reception of funds. Consultation with the service provider for the parent survey revealed that a screening survey could be conducted together with the main survey in 2018.
Third, the geodatabase of Unlicensed Daycare Centers was successfully created, and more than anticipated progress was made starting the green space geodatabase (point database of all Japanese urban green spaces acquired).
Finally, the first year saw the publication of a first-author peer-reviewed paper in an international journal that was made possibly partly due to the current research project).
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
Overall progress has been in line with the research plan. Some parts have progressed significantly faster than anticipated (geodatabase creation, parent survey). Other parts are slightly behind schedule: the daycare center survey had to be postponed as the reduced budget allocated to this project was not enough to pay for the planned survey. This was not anticipated in the original plan, and the fact only emerged after the deadline for applying for advanced funds was past. For this reason, it was decided that rather than compromise sample number, the survey would be conducted in year 2 making use of the additional budget.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
In FY2018, both daycare center survey and parent survey will be conducted, compensating for the delay in the daycare center survey. Results will be analysed and published this or the following financial year. Following the research plan, the green space geodatabase will be completed and merged with the unlicensed daycare center database to begin initial hotspot analysis and preliminary heat map generation.
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| Causes of Carryover |
As noted in the section "Current Status", the reduced amount of funding granted to this project was not sufficient to cover the planned daycare center survey without compromising sample number/coverage. Conducting the survey was therefore postponed to financial year 2018. For this reason, the amount stated above is necessary in the second year in addition to the initially requested funding for FY2018 to conduct the daycare center survey as planned.
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Research Products
(1 results)
