Understanding the gnawing threat of encroachment of urban green spaces in Ghana’s growing urban fabric
Abstract Urban green spaces offer unique social, health, and economic benefits such as sanitizing the air, protecting flora and fauna, and reducing heat waves, ultimately improving life quality. However, despite the several benefits associated with these spaces, they are threatened with rapid deplet...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Discover Cities |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44327-025-00071-5 |
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| author | Benjamin Doe Prince Aboagye Anokye Ama Kyerewaa Attakorah Stephen Biliyitorb Liwur |
| author_facet | Benjamin Doe Prince Aboagye Anokye Ama Kyerewaa Attakorah Stephen Biliyitorb Liwur |
| author_sort | Benjamin Doe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Urban green spaces offer unique social, health, and economic benefits such as sanitizing the air, protecting flora and fauna, and reducing heat waves, ultimately improving life quality. However, despite the several benefits associated with these spaces, they are threatened with rapid depletion. The study assessed the encroachment of urban green spaces by case-studying Asokwa Municipality employing qualitative research methods and spatial analysis using GIS tools. Following this, urban green spaces have over the span of 20 years declined substantially from 49 to 16%. Even though the urban green space-population ratio is close to ideal based on the WHO’s recommendations of 1:50 m2, about 70% of the green spaces have been encroached upon by urban development. These encroachments are a result of poverty and poor integration of the informal economic operators in the urban space. Further assessment showed that the massive deteriorations of these urban green spaces are strongly linked to weak coordination between traditional authorities, who are custodians of the city’s land, and planning officers, who superintend spatial planning activities in the city. To address this, the researchers recommend that city authorities consider public–private partnerships to safeguard urban green spaces. Specifically, converting existing green spaces into green parks for leisure purposes can enhance socialization while preserving ecological character. Also, introducing user rights in management can serve as an environmental change catalyst to prevent encroachment. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cd050fb99d4e40a4a92fbf711fd7e2db |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 3004-8311 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Discover Cities |
| spelling | doaj-art-cd050fb99d4e40a4a92fbf711fd7e2db2025-08-20T02:10:09ZengSpringerDiscover Cities3004-83112025-03-012112210.1007/s44327-025-00071-5Understanding the gnawing threat of encroachment of urban green spaces in Ghana’s growing urban fabricBenjamin Doe0Prince Aboagye Anokye1Ama Kyerewaa Attakorah2Stephen Biliyitorb Liwur3Department of Planning, Faculty of Built Environment, College of Art and Built Environment, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Planning, Faculty of Built Environment, College of Art and Built Environment, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and TechnologyLand Use and Spatial Planning Authority, Ashanti RegionDepartment of Planning, Faculty of Built Environment, College of Art and Built Environment, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and TechnologyAbstract Urban green spaces offer unique social, health, and economic benefits such as sanitizing the air, protecting flora and fauna, and reducing heat waves, ultimately improving life quality. However, despite the several benefits associated with these spaces, they are threatened with rapid depletion. The study assessed the encroachment of urban green spaces by case-studying Asokwa Municipality employing qualitative research methods and spatial analysis using GIS tools. Following this, urban green spaces have over the span of 20 years declined substantially from 49 to 16%. Even though the urban green space-population ratio is close to ideal based on the WHO’s recommendations of 1:50 m2, about 70% of the green spaces have been encroached upon by urban development. These encroachments are a result of poverty and poor integration of the informal economic operators in the urban space. Further assessment showed that the massive deteriorations of these urban green spaces are strongly linked to weak coordination between traditional authorities, who are custodians of the city’s land, and planning officers, who superintend spatial planning activities in the city. To address this, the researchers recommend that city authorities consider public–private partnerships to safeguard urban green spaces. Specifically, converting existing green spaces into green parks for leisure purposes can enhance socialization while preserving ecological character. Also, introducing user rights in management can serve as an environmental change catalyst to prevent encroachment.https://doi.org/10.1007/s44327-025-00071-5Urban green spaceEncroachmentLand useSpatial analysisAsokwa Municipality |
| spellingShingle | Benjamin Doe Prince Aboagye Anokye Ama Kyerewaa Attakorah Stephen Biliyitorb Liwur Understanding the gnawing threat of encroachment of urban green spaces in Ghana’s growing urban fabric Discover Cities Urban green space Encroachment Land use Spatial analysis Asokwa Municipality |
| title | Understanding the gnawing threat of encroachment of urban green spaces in Ghana’s growing urban fabric |
| title_full | Understanding the gnawing threat of encroachment of urban green spaces in Ghana’s growing urban fabric |
| title_fullStr | Understanding the gnawing threat of encroachment of urban green spaces in Ghana’s growing urban fabric |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding the gnawing threat of encroachment of urban green spaces in Ghana’s growing urban fabric |
| title_short | Understanding the gnawing threat of encroachment of urban green spaces in Ghana’s growing urban fabric |
| title_sort | understanding the gnawing threat of encroachment of urban green spaces in ghana s growing urban fabric |
| topic | Urban green space Encroachment Land use Spatial analysis Asokwa Municipality |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44327-025-00071-5 |
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