Contributions of Green Infrastructure-Oriented Planning and Designing in Residential Gardens to the City’s Ecosystem: Case of Trabzon City, Turkey

Abstract

The ratio of green areas belonging to residential areas and their location in the city is too important to ignore. However, when we look at urban planning, it is seen that green areas belonging to common public areas are generally evaluated within the scope of ecosystem services, while residential gardens that are within the scope of private property are ignored. In this context, the main purpose of the study is to examine the contribution of the residential gardens, in which the landscape value is kept to the forefront, to the ecosystem services. Within the scope of this main purpose, this study analyzes how the green areas of the residential gardens in Trabzon can be designed through a focus on green infrastructure (GI) within the axis of landscape value and how these designs will serve the ecosystem services in this perspective. Following the study, it has been determined that both spatial needs and ecosystem benefits can be met with the same GI elements, while, on the other hand, it has been conferred that the landscape value, as a significant factor in the design of residential gardens, is supported by several GI elements of an edible garden, pollinator garden, rain garden, biological pond, and green roof. It has been determined that GI elements, where vegetation and water landscape elements are used together, have a higher potential for ecosystem services. In addition, it has been concluded that the green areas of the residential gardens should not be planned and designed solely within their own areas. Based on these analyses, it has been determined that the benefits are considerably increased when the green areas of the residential gardens are planned and designed through a holistic GI-oriented design approach based on the total building parcel. Thus, it is very important to consider GI systems with a holistic approach in residential gardens throughout the city. This holistic approach will allow the benefits of GI to be spread throughout the city and will ensure that the benefits are homogenized within the city.