Urban greenery variation between residential typologies: Implications for recreation
Oskar Bäcklin, Sofia Thorsson, Cornelia Wing
Abstract
• Access to greenery varies across residential typologies. • Recreational benefits from greenery are unequally distributed among typologies. • Modern residential areas exhibit limited access to recreational benefits from Greenery. • The results emphasize the importance of intra-urban investigation of greenery. The importance of greenery for human well-being and recreation in urban areas is well-known. While many studies have examined the recreational importance of large green spaces, parks, and forests, the greenery encountered in our everyday surroundings, particularly in areas near our residences, has not been extensively researched. In this study, we investigated differences in tree canopy coverage, ground- and total amount of greenery among four common Nordic residential typologies, as well as how this greenery is perceived in terms of recreational values by residents. We utilized GIS-analysis and survey data for this investigation. The results revealed significant variations in urban greenery and recreational values between typologies, with modern dense residential areas being much less green and assessed to provide the least recreational values. Furthermore, the results suggest that trees and lawns play crucial roles in shaping residential areas that are pleasant to live in. These findings offer insights into the characteristics and challenges associated with the amount of greenery in various typologies, as well as preferences towards different types of greenery important for creating enjoyable outdoor residential environments. Finally, the results emphasize the importance of fine-scale investigation of greenery in residential areas.