Abstract

Urban green areas present a lucid example for the harmonious co-existence of the artificial and natural environments best illustrated by their interdependence and interconnection in urban spaces. Urban green areas are essential for the health and wellbeing of citizens. The present study aimed to investigate those multiple benefits for citizens that arise through the existence of urban green areas, as well as important policy dimensions that should be considered when designing the expansion of urban green spaces in urban development. The study was based on a literature review to examine for available evidence on the benefit levels derived by the existence of urban green areas. An extended literature review was followed by a structured review, based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, which partly followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The search was conducted in two databases, and a total of 1674 articles and abstracts were identified through the database searches. After removing 114 duplicates, 1560 records were initially screened based on title and abstract. Following inclusion and exclusion criteria, 14 articles were incorporated in the structured review and a total of 47 in the extended review. The extended literature review identified 33 additional articles examining aspects of benefits that did not fall under the pre-established inclusion and exclusion criteria used in the structured review, such as health benefits and other social parameters associated with urban green spaces. The selected studies were allocated in five principal groups according to study types: three of the them consisted of studies employing “willingness to pay” (WTP) methods, five were based on property values, two studies assigned monetary values, while another two assigned CO2 values, and, finally, two studies were based on qualitative criteria. The results indicated benefits to citizens and increased welfare levels gained by the existence of urban green areas. The conducted review revealed a number of findings and recommendations that could direct future research and urban policy. Those hints could assist local authorities as well as stakeholders in order to measure and assess the benefits of green spaces and urban parks and promote measures and programs to assist their further deployment.

Highlights

  • The present study aimed to investigate those multiple benefits for citizens that arise through the existence of urban green areas, as well as important policy options that should be considered when deciding the development of urban green areas

  • An important issue raised is associated with the presentation of the values relevant to the social welfare resulting from urban green spaces and parks and from the employment of different methods: (a) willingness to pay; (b) an increase in the value of properties neighbouring to green urban factors and parks; and (c) the quality of carbon monetary factors

  • The present study served as a source of useful policy recommendations concerning the development of urban green areas and parks based on the evidence of relevant studies

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Summary

Introduction

The rapid growth of urbanisation has not diminished the important role of the natural environment and ecosystems as their associated values covering a wide range of services including mental and physical regeneration, cultural/educational feedback, and even food provision. Natural ecosystems are associated with the provision of clean air, soil, and water, and they contribute to the protection against natural disasters [1,2,3]. This re-evaluation of natural values, and the effort to bring nature closer, has made urban green areas very important and necessary for the design of sustainable approaches [4,5,6].

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