Enhancing Sustainable Urban Planning through GIS and Multiple-Criteria Decision Analysis: A Case Study of Green Space Infrastructure in Taif Province, Saudi Arabia
Vegetal Chemistry-Water-Energy Laboratory, Department of Hydraulic, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Hassiba Benbouali University of Chlef, B.P. 78C, Ouled Fares, Chlef 02180, Algeria
Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Taif University, P.O. Box 888, Taif 21974, Saudi Arabia
Yong Jie Wong
Department of Bioenvironmental Design, Faculty of Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyoto University of Advanced Science, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
Nadjem Bailek
Laboratory of Mathematics Modeling and Applications, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Ahmed Draia University of Adrar, Adrar 01000, Algeria
Ahmad Ameen AlSaggaf
Department of Urban and Engineering Research, The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research, Umm Al-Qura University, P.O. Box 715, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia
Sahar I. M. Abd Elrahman
Surveying Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Sudan University of Science and Technology, Khartoum 14413, Sudan
Celso Augusto Guimarães Santos
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58051-900, Brazil
Abdulrahman Abdulaziz Majrashi
Architecture Department, College of Engineering and Architecture, Umm Al-Qura University, P.O. Box 715, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia
Ecotourism in Saudi Arabia (KSA) is gaining significant attention due to the country’s diverse natural landscapes, rich biodiversity, and efforts to preserve and display its environmental treasures. This study presents a comprehensive assessment of urban green space (UGS) suitability in the Taif region of Saudi Arabia using a geographic information system (GIS) combined with a multiple-criteria decision-analysis-based analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The integration of various morphologic, topographic, climatic, and land use/land change (LULC) maps provided a robust framework for evaluating the suitability of UGSs. In the framework of this study, ten criteria were used to elaborate on UGS suitability. The results indicate that distance to water, distance to road, rainfall, and LULC were the most influential criteria in determining UGS suitability. Distance to road emerged as the most significant criterion, emphasizing the importance of accessibility and visibility for attracting the public to green spaces. The Taif region demonstrated fair suitability for UGS development across 56.4% of its total area. However, large areas of barren land in the central and northeastern parts were rendered unsuitable for UGS development, while the southwestern part showed higher percentages of good and excellent suitability. This study highlights the importance of considering the visibility and awareness aspects of UGS planning, as it serves as a visual reminder of the value of nature in urban settings. The results obtained by this research may help managers and decision makers with future planning for GI areas in the Taif region.
