Presenting an evaluation model of quantitative and qualitative indicators of green space in Mashhad

Abstract

Urban green spaces are essential for the well-being of the population. However, due to various factors, the distribution of green spaces among city neighborhoods in quantitative and qualitative dimensions is often skewed. Hence, urban planners require effective tools to evaluate and analyze green spaces among the neighborhoods. The most common indicator used in green space assessment is the total area of green space to the total population, however, this index does not provide information on how green space is distributed in the city or region, as well as its ecosystem and ecological effects, which requires a more comprehensive study using new metrics. The aim of this study is to provide tools for a more comprehensive assessment to evaluate and plan better the location and quality of green spaces in the metropolis of Mashhad. For this a set of indicators for green spaces in a multidimensional framework was applied. The indicators considered (i) the total area of green spaces in relation to population and urban context, (ii) the quality of green spaces based on its size, density, the average Euclidean distance, and (iii) the accessibility of green spaces based on its shape, aggregation index, share of population supplied by GS, using the Geographic information system, Fragstats software. The proposed indicators were tested in seventeen municipalities of Mashhad. The results show that districts 17, 6 and 7 have the best and districts 15 and 16 which are among the least privileged areas of the city, have the worst situation of spatial distribution of green space in Mashhad.

Keywords

• green spaces
• quality
• accessibility
• landscape metrics
• fragstats