Green spaces in Sofia – analyses of spatial distribution

Abstract

Green spaces in urban ecosystems is the main provider of a variety of ecosystem services. It is important for a city that undergoes dynamic changes in size, structure and number of inhabitants to manage bal-anced urban green spaces. Using the geographical information systems, this research investigates the green spaces within the building boundary of Sofia by administrative regions and confirms and demon-strates the spatial deficiencies in their distribution. The proportion of parks and gardens and open green spaces by region is taken into consideration and supplemented with analysis of the density of the tree coverage in the park. The green area per capita is calculated to demonstrate how the coverage with green spaces relates to the population. The results outline some main issues that urban development is facing towards sustainability. If considered by the planning and management of the city this could help respond to the contemporary challenges and adopt policies for a vital, healthy, and attractive environment for the capital’s residents.