The role of parks and green open spaces in urban areas is often underestimated, while the potential of these areas to improve both the quality of life of city dwellers and urban sustainability is not always being fully realised. Five EU- funded research projects address, from different angles, the function of green space in the urban environment and ways of better integrating the management and planning of these areas into the process of urban development.
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| Parks and gardens can serve several purposes: esthetic, recreational, act as a reserve for local wildlife, a play area for children, or a peaceful retreat for adults, ect. |
Around 80% of the European Union’s population lives in cities and towns. Urban areas are, therefore, the places in which environmental problems most affect the day-to-day life of Europe’s citizens. Green, open spaces in urban areas have significant potential to improve the quality of life of city and town dwellers, the urban environment and urban sustainability. However, this potential is not always fully recognised or realised.
Five research projects funded under the EU’s Fifth Framework Programme for Research (Key Action 4: City of Tomorrow and Cultural Heritage) address the role of green and open spaces in urban sustainability and ways of improving, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the provision of green and open space as well as the quality of life in European urban areas.
The benefits of green spaces were measured in terms of improved air quality, lower noise levels, economic gain and quality of life. Evaluations were carried out at both a micro (park, gardens, etc.) and intermediate (whole urban area and urban/rural interaction) scale. Geographic maps based on remote-sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and spatial modelling techniques, were used to visualise the accessibility and connectivity of green areas, as well as locations for potential greening sites. The project highlights the role of green space in reducing environmental degradation.
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