Changing Patterns of Urban Green Spaces in Akure, Nigeria

Abstract

Greenery and natural landscapes are vital to human well-being, especially in cities. Notably, the majority of people aspire to live in cities in search of opportunities and a better quality of life, which harms urban green spaces, also known as the "lungs of the city." Current debates on urban planning and sustainable development in Nigeria and around the world are fundamentally influenced by the rapid growth of urbanization and the ensuing domination of concrete spaces over natural spaces. This study examined patterns in Akure's urban green areas while taking into account the spatiotemporal pattern of vegetation cover between 1984 and 2022. The collected satellite imagery was analyzed using the ArcGIS application program, and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used to calculate the rate and patterns of urban green space. Over time, changes in the spatial distribution of urban green spaces and the growth of non-green spaces were monitored and estimated. The depletion's implications for planning were addressed. To educate and inform urban residents about the protection, conservation, and preservation of natural landscapes within urban landscapes, it is thought that examining and analyzing the physical planning and environmental consequences of unchecked depletion of urban green spaces will be useful for making sustainable environmental policy decisions in harnessing the resources potentials.