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Professor Wendy Y CHEN 
陳艷 教授

Professor 

Room 10.04
391 75459
wychen@hku.hk

CHEN Wendy Y.png

Professor Wendy Y. Chen received her Ph.D. degree in Physical Geography (in the field of urban forestry) from the University of Hong Kong, 2006; MSc in Natural Resource and Sustainable Development from Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China, 2001; and BSc in Physical Geography from Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China, 1992.
 

Her research agenda has focused on key knowledge gaps in evaluating and modelling urban green-blue spaces (GBS) that are reserved, modified, and deployed in urban/peri-urban areas. She is amongst a small group of scholars who have begun to experiment and validate the utilisation of classical non-market approaches in China’s transitional context, and facilitate the quantitative assessment of GBS’ contribution to the quality of life. An additional strand of her research is dedicated to investigating GBS dynamics, pertaining to how and why GBS as public environmental goods are physically transformed, economically incorporated, and socially mobilized. Her research helps to integrate socioeconomic dimensions to enrich GBS scholarship, and rethink theories pertaining to GBS demand and supply in the context of extensive urbanization in developing countries and re-urbanization in developed world.

Research Interests

  • Specialising in research and governance of urban green-blue spaces

  • Urban forestry

  • Ecological economics

  • Environmental economics

Courses

Profile

GEOG2127

Environmental Management

6

credits

Annual; 1st Semester

Profile

GEOG3214

Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Auditing

6

credits

Annual; 1st Semester

Selected Publications

  2023  

  • Yin, S., Chen, W. Y., & Liu, C. (2023). Urban forests as a strategy for transforming towards healthy cities. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 81, 127871. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2023.127871
     

  • Wu, X., Chen, W. Y., Zhang, K., & Lu, Y. (2023). The dynamic impact of COVID-19 pandemic on park visits: A longitudinal study in the United States. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 90, 128154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2023.128154
     

  • Cao, Y., Chen, W. Y., & Wantzen, K. M. (2023). Human-river relationships in Chinese cities: evidence from highly educated water museum visitors. Urban Ecosystems. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-023-01441-w
     

  • Cao, Y., Chen, W. Y., & Wantzen, K. M. (2023). ‘One River, Two Systems’: Hong Kong’s River Management. Environmental Management. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-023-01923-9
     

  • Wu, W., Tan, W., Wang, R., & Chen, W. Y. (2023). From quantity to quality: Effects of urban greenness on life satisfaction and social inequality. Landscape and Urban Planning, 238, 104843. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2023.104843
     

  • Sanesi, G., Salbitano, F., Aalmo, G. O., Chen, W., Ostoic, S. K., Wilkes-Allemann, J., & Davies, C. (2023). Urban Sustainable Futures: Concepts and Policies Leading to BioCities. In G. E. Scarascia-Mugnozza, V. Guallart, F. Salbitano, G. Ottaviani Aalmo, & S. Boeri (Eds.), Transforming Biocities: Designing Urban Spaces Inspired by Nature (pp. 27-57). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-29466-2_2

  2022  

  • Mitchell, G., Chan, F. K. S., Chen, W. Y., Thadani, D. R., Robinson, G. M., Wang, Z., Li, L., Li, X., Mullins, M.-T., & Chau, P. Y. (2022). Can green city branding support China's Sponge City Programme? Blue-Green Systems, 4(1), 24-44. https://doi.org/10.2166/bgs.2022.005
     

  • Han, W., & Chen, W. Y. (2022). Embedding nature-based solutions into the social cost of carbon. Environment International, 167, 107431. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2022.107431
     

  • Chen, W. Y., Su, Y., & Liekens, I. (2022). Environmental information disclosure and public choice decisions for urban river restoration: A comparative study between Brussels (Belgium) and Guangzhou (China). Journal of Environmental Management, 319, 115692. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115692
     

  • Chan, F. K. S., Gu, X., Qi, Y., Thadani, D., Chen, Y. D., Lu, X., Li, L., Griffiths, J., Zhu, F., Li, J., & Chen, W. Y. (2022). Lessons learnt from Typhoons Fitow and In-Fa: implications for improving urban flood resilience in Asian Coastal Cities. Natural Hazards, 110(3), 2397-2404. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-021-05030-y
     

  • Chan, F. K. S., Chen, W. Y., Wang, Z., Loh, C., Thadani, D. R., Mitchell, G., Chau, P. Y. K., Altamirano, M. A., Jaimerena, B. A., Qi, Y., Li, L., Gu, X., & Zhang, F. (2022). Meeting financial challenge facing China's Sponge City Program (SCP) – Hong Kong as a gateway to green finance. Nature-Based Solutions, 2, 100019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nbsj.2022.100019
     

  • Chen, Y., Chen, W. Y., Giannico, V., & Lafortezza, R. (2022). Modelling inter-pixel spatial variation of surface urban heat island intensity. Landscape Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-022-01464-2
     

  •  Zhang, X., Lyu, J., Chen, W. Y., Chen, D., Yan, J., & Yin, S. (2022). Quantifying the capacity of tree branches for retaining airborne submicron particles. Environmental Pollution, 310, 119873. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119873
     

  • Chan, F. K. S., Chen, W. Y., Gu, X., Peng, Y., & Sang, Y. (2022). Transformation towards resilient sponge cities in China. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, 3(2), 99-101. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-021-00251-y
     

  • ​Chen, W. Y., Wang, C., & Su, Y. (2022). Urban Forest Planning and Policy in China. In A. Cheshmehzangi (Ed.), Green Infrastructure in Chinese Cities (pp. 55-68). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-9174-4_3
     

  • ​Wu, W., Chen, W. Y., Yun, Y., Wang, F., & Gong, Z. (2022). Urban greenness, mixed land-use, and life satisfaction: Evidence from residential locations and workplace settings in Beijing. Landscape and Urban Planning, 224, 104428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2022.104428

  2021  

  • Chen, W.Y., and Li, X. (2021) "Urban forests’ recreation and habitat potentials in China: A nationwide synthesis." Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 66: 127376
     

  • Li, X., Chen, W.Y., Hu, F.Z.Y., and Cho, F.H.T. (2021) "Homebuyers’ heterogeneous preferences for urban blue-green spaces: A spatial multilevel autoregressive analysis." Landscape and Urban Planning 216: 104250

  2019  

  • Zheng, Y., Lan, S., Chen, W. Y., Chen, X., Xu, X., Chen, Y. and Dong, J. (2019) “Visual Sensitivity versus Ecological Sensitivity: An application of GIS in Urban Forest Park Planning.” Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 41: 139-149. DOI: 10.1016/j.ufug.2019.03.010 (IF2018=3.043).
     

  • Li, X., Chen, W. Y., Sanesi, G. and Lafortezza, R. (2019) “Remote Sensing in Urban Forestry: Recent Applications and Future Directions.” Remote Sensing 11(10): 1144. DOI: 10.3390/rs11101144 (IF2018=4.118).
     

  • Chen, W. Y. and Cho, F. H. T. (2019) “Environmental Information Disclosure and Societal Preferences for Urban River Restoration: Latent Class Modelling of a Discrete-choice Experiment.” Journal of Cleaner Production 231: 1294-1306. DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.05.307 (IF2018=6.395).
     

  • Hua, J. and Chen, W. Y. (2019) “Prioritizing Urban Rivers’ Ecosystem Services: An Importance-performance Analysis.” Cities 94:11-23. DOI: 10.1016/j.cities.2019.05.014 (IF2018=3.853).

  2018  

  • Chen, W. Y. and Li, X. (2018) “Impacts of Urban Stream Pollution: A Comparative Spatial Hedonic Study of High-rise Residential Buildings in Guangzhou, South China.” Geographical Journal 184(3): 283-297. DOI: 10.1111/geoj.12246 (IF2018=2.357).
     

  • Jim, C. Y., van den Bosch, C. K., and Chen, W. Y. (2018) “Acute Challenges and Solutions for Urban Forestry in compact and densifying cities.” Journal of Urban Planning and Development 144(3): 04018025. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)UP.1943-5444.0000466 (IF2018=1.165).
     

  • Chen, W. Y., Hua, J., Liekens, I. and Broekx, S. (2018) “Preference Heterogeneity and Scale Heterogeneity in Urban River Restoration: A Comparative Study between Brussels and Guangzhou Using Discrete Choice Experiments.” Landscape and Urban Planning 173: 9-22. DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2018.01.010 (IF2018=5.144).

  2017  

  • Chen, W. Y., Hu, F. Z., Li, X., and Hua, J. (2017) “Strategic Interaction in Municipal Governments' Provision of Public Green Spaces: A Dynamic Spatial Panel Data Analysis in Transitional China.” Cities 71: 1-10. DOI: 10.1016/j.cities.2017.07.003 (IF2018=3.853).
     

  • Chen, W. Y., Liekens, I. and Broekx, S. (2017) “Identifying Societal Preferences for River Restoration in a Densely Populated Urban Environment: Evidence from a Discrete Choice Experiment in Central Brussels.” Environmental Management 60(2): 263-279. DOI: 10.1007/s00267-017-0885-5 (IF2018=2.376). 
     

  • Chen, W. Y. and Li, X. (2017) “Cumulative Impacts of Polluted Urban Streams on Property Values: A 3-D Spatial Hedonic Model at the Micro-neighborhood Level.” Landscape and Urban Planning 162: 1-12. DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2017.01.012 (IF2018=5.144).
     

  • Chen, W. Y. and Hua, J. (2017) “Heterogeneity in Resident Perceptions of a Bio-cultural Heritage in Hong Kong: A Latent Class Factor Analysis.” Ecosystem Services 24: 170-179. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.02.019 (IF2018=5.572).
     

  • Chen, W. Y. (2017) “Environmental Externalities of Urban River Pollution and Restoration: A Hedonic Analysis in Guangzhou (China).” Landscape and Urban Planning 157: 170-179. DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2016.06.010 (IF2018=5.144).

  2016  

  • Jim, C. Y. and Chen, W. Y. (2016) “Legacy Effect of Trees in the Heritage Landscape of a peri-urban Golf Course.” Urban Ecosystems 19(4): 1717-1734. DOI: 10.1007/s11252-016-0562-0 (IF2018=2.493). 
     

  • Morgenroth, J., Östberg, J., van den Bosch, C. K., Nielsen, A. B., Hauer, R., Sjöman, H., Chen, W. Y. and Jansson, M. (2016) “Urban Tree Diversity—Taking Stock and Looking Ahead.” Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 15: 1-5. DOI: 10.1016/j.ufug.2015.11.003 (IF2018=3.043).

  2015  

  • Chen, W. Y. (2015) “Public Willingness-to-pay for Conserving Urban Heritage Trees in Guangzhou, South China.” Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 14(4): 796-805. DOI: 10.1016/j.ufug.2015.07.002 (IF2018=3.043).
     

  • Chen, W. Y. and Hua, J. (2015) “Citizens’ Distrust of Government and their Protest Responses in a Contingent Valuation of Urban Heritage Trees in Guangzhou, China.” Journal of Environmental Management 155: 40-48. DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2015.03.002 (IF2018=4.865).
     

  • Chen, W. Y. (2015) “The Role of Urban Green Infrastructure in Offsetting Carbon Emissions in 35 Major Chinese Cities: A Nationwide Estimate.” Cities 44: 112-120. DOI: 10.1016/j.cities.2015.01.005 (IF2018=3.853).
     

  • Chen, W. Y. and Hu, F. Z. Y. (2015) “Producing Nature for Public: Land-based Urbanization and Provision of Public Green Spaces in China.” Applied Geography 58: 32-40. DOI: 10.1016/j.apgeog.2015.01.007 (IF2018=3.068).

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