Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

African Urbanism: the Geography of Urban Greenery

  • Published:
Urban Forum Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Whilst the issue of urban greenery has received considerable research attention in many individual African countries in recent years, little has been done to explore and document the influence and the management implications of urbanisation on urban greenery across Africa. To address this gap, this paper reviews the state of urban greenery across African cities by analysing urbanisation pressures on the preservation and management of urban greenery. Drawing from published literature, policy documents and international reports, the study findings indicate an increasing depletion of urban greenery across major cities in Africa owing to urbanisation-induced anthropogenic influences. This paper advocates for an urban resilience model to management of urban greenery.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Achim, S. and Gonzalo, O. (2004), Indigenous knowledge and natural resource management: local pathways to global development. World Bank Report.

  • Adger, N. (2003). Building resilience to promote sustainability: an agenda for coping with globalisation and promoting justice. IHDP Update, 2, 1–3.

    Google Scholar 

  • African Green City Index (2010). Assessing the environmental performance of Africa’s major cities. A research project conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit, sponsored by Siemens. Retrieved on 29/08/2015 from: http://www.siemens.co.za/sustainable-development/pdf/African-Green-City-Index.pdf

  • Ahern, J. (2011). From fail-safe to safe-to-fail: sustainability and resilience in the new urban world. Landscape and Urban Planning, 100(1), 341–343.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmed, A., & Dinye, R. D. (2012). Impact of land use activities on Subin and Aboabo Rivers in Kumasi Metropolis. International Journal of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, 4(7), 241–251. doi:10.5897/IJWREE12.036.

    Google Scholar 

  • Analo, P. A. (2011). Management of recreational open spaces in residential estates in the city of Nairobi: case study of Umoja I estate. Kenya: University of Nairobi Digital Repository. Retrieved from: http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke:8080/handle/123456789/4489.

    Google Scholar 

  • Angel, S., Parent, J., Civco, D. L., Blei, A., & Potere, D. (2011). The dimensions of global urban expansion: estimates and projections for all countries, 2000–2050. Progress in Planning, 75, 53–107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arifin, H. S., & Nakagoshi, N. (2011). Landscape ecology and urban biodiversity in tropical Indonesian cities. Landscape and Ecological Engineering, 7, 33–43. doi:10.1007/s11355-010-0145-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barbosa, O., Tratalos, J. A., Armsworth, P. R., Davies, R. G., Fuller, R. A., Johnson, P., & Gaston, K. J. (2007). Who benefits from access to green space? A case study from Sheffield, UK. Landscape and Urban Planning, 83(2), 187–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beatley, T. (2000). Green urbanism: learning from European cities. Washington, DC: Island Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowler, D. E., Buyung-Ali, L., Knight, T. M., & Pullin, A. S. (2010). Urban greening to cool towns and cities: a systematic review of the empirical evidence. Landscape and Urban Planning, 97, 147–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brand, F. S., & Jax, K. (2007). Focusing the meaning(s) of resilience: resilience as a descriptive concept and a boundary object. Ecology and Society, 12(1), 23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chelleri, L., & Olazabal, M. (2012). Multidisciplinary perspectives on urban resilience: a workshop report. Bilbao: BC3, Basque Centre for Climate Change.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cobbinah, P. B., Erdiaw-Kwasie, M. O., & Amoateng, P. (2015a). Rethinking sustainable development within the framework of poverty and urbanisation in developing countries. Environmental Development, 13, 18–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envdev.2014.11.001.

  • Cobbinah, P.B., Erdiaw-Kwasie, M.O., and Amoateng, P. (2015b). Africa’s urbanisation: implications for sustainable development. Cities. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2015.03.013

  • Cobbinah, P. B., Black, R., & Thwaites, R. (2015c). Biodiversity conservation and livelihoods in rural Ghana: impacts and coping strategies. Environmental Development, 15(0), 79–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envdev.2015.04.006.

  • Cohen, B. (2006). Urbanisation in developing countries: current trends, future projections, and key challenges for sustainability. Technology in Society, 28, 63–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Darkwah, R. M., & Cobbinah, P. B. (2014). Stewardship of urban greenery in an era of global urbanisation. International Journal of Environmental, Ecological, Geological and Geophysical Engineering, 8(10), 671–674.

    Google Scholar 

  • Depietri, Y., Renaud, F. G., & Kallis, G. (2012). Heat waves and floods in urban areas: a policy-oriented review of ecosystem services. Sustainability Science, 7, 95–107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Djibril, K., Coulibaly, A., Wang, X., & Ousmane, D. (2012). Evaluating green space use and management in Abidjan City, Cote d’Ivoire. International Journal of Economics and Management Engineering, 2(3), 108–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duvernoy, G. (1995). Keeping it green, political and administrative issues in the preservation of the urban forest. In G. A. Bradley (Ed.), Urban forest landscapes: integrating multidisciplinary perspectives (pp. 78–87). Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Environment Agency. (2002). Toward an urban atlas: assessment of spatial data on 25 European cities and urban areas. Copenhagen: Environmental Issue Rep. 30, EEA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuwape, J. P., & Onyekwelu, J. C. (2011). Urban forest development in West Africa: benefits and challenges. Journal of Biodiversity and Ecological Sciences, 1(1), 78–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grumm, E. (2011). The use and misuse of wetlands in Kampala. Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. Paper 1022. Accessed 10/06/2015 from: http://digitalcollections.sit.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2021&context=isp_collection

  • Gwedla, N., & Shackleton, C. M. (2015). The development visions and attitudes towards urban forestry of officials responsible for greening in South African towns. Land Use Policy, 42(1), 17–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jabareen, Y. (2013). Planning the resilient city: concepts and strategies for coping with climate change and environmental risk. Cities, 31, 220–229.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jim, C. Y. (2004). Green-space preservation and allocation for sustainable greening of compact cities. Cities, 21(4), 311–320. doi:10.1016/j.cities.2004.04.004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Langer, H., & McNamara, J. (2011). Africa green city index. Munich: Siemens AG.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marsh, R. (2002). Working with local institutions to support sustainable livelihoods. Berkeley, USA: University of California.

    Google Scholar 

  • McConnachie, M. M., Shackleton, C. M., & McGregor, G. K. (2008). The extent of public green space and alien plant species in 10 small towns of the Sub-Tropical Thicket Biome, South Africa. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 7, 1–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McDonald, R. I., Forman, R. T. T., & Kareiva, P. (2010). Open space loss and land inequality in United States’ cities, 1990–2000. PloS One, 5(3), e9509. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0009509.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McMichael, A. J. (2000). The urban environment and health in a world of increasing globalisation: issues for developing countries. Bulletin of the World Health Organisation, 78(9), 1117–1126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mensah, C. A. (2014). Urban green spaces in Africa: nature and challenges. International Journal of Ecosystem, 4(1), 1–11. doi:10.5923/j.ije.20140401.01.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mileti, D. (1999). Disasters by design: a reassessment of natural hazards in the United States. Washington, DC: Joseph Henry Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mpofu, T. P. Z. (2013). Environmental challenges of urbanisation: a case study for open green space management. Research Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Management, 2(4), 105–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oduwaye, L. (2013). Globalisation and urban land use planning: the case of Lagos, Nigeria. A paper presented at the 18th International Conference on Urban Planning, Regional Development and Information Society. Rome, Italy, 20–23 May

  • Okpala, D. (2009). Regional overview of the status of urban planning and planning practice in Anglophone (sub-Saharan) African countries. Regional study prepared for ‘Revisiting Urban Planning: Global Report on Human Settlements’. http://unhabitat.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/GRHS.2009.Regional.Anglophone.Africa.pdf (Retrieved 22/05/2015).

  • Paula, D. (2004). Indigenous knowledge systems in sub-Saharan Africa: an overview. African Region: Indigenous knowledge, local pathway to global development, the World Bank.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pickett, S. T. A., Cadenassso, M. L., & Grove, J. M. (2004). Resilient cities: meaning, models, and metaphor for integrating the ecological, socio-economic, and planning realms. Landscape and Urban Planning, 69, 369–384.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pillien, J., & Walpole, S. (2001). Moving from open access to extraction to new participatory levels of accountable management. Palawan, Philippines: Malampaya Sound.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pravettoni, R. (2011). Population distribution in Africa. UNEP/GRID-Arendal. Retrieved 10/06/2015 from: http://www.grida.no/graphicslib/detail/population-distribution-in-africa_1709#

  • Quagraine, V. K. (2011). Urban landscape depletion in the Kumasi Metropolis. In K. K. Adarkwa (Ed.), Future of the tree: towards growth and development of Kumasi (pp. 212–233). Kumasi, Ghana: KNUST Printing Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saldivar-Tanaka, L., & Krasny, M. (2004). Culturing community development, neighborhood open space, and civic agriculture: the case of Latino Community Gardens in New York City. Agriculture and Human Values, 21, 399–412.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tan, P. Y., Wang, J., & Sia, A. (2013). Perspectives on five decades of the urban greening of Singapore. Cities, 32, 24–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tratalos, J., Fuller, R. A., Warren, P. H., Davies, R. G., & Gaston, K. G. (2007). Urban form, biodiversity potential and ecosystem services. Landscape and Urban Planning, 4, 308–317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tzoulas, K., Korpela, K., Venn, S., Yli-Pelkonen, V., Kazmierczak, A., Niemela, J., & James, P. (2007). Enhancing ecosystem and human health through green infrastructure: a literature review. Landscape and Urban Planning, 81, 167–178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UNDESA/PD. (2012). World urbanisation prospects: the 2011 revision. New York: United Nations.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNDESA/PD (2013). World population prospects: the 2012 revision, DVD Edition.

  • UNEP (2011) ‘Towards a green economy: pathways to sustainable development and poverty eradication, a synthesis for policy makers’. Retrieved 16/05/2013 from: www.unep.org/greeneconomy/portals/88/documents/ger/GER_synthesis_en.pdf.

  • UNHABITAT. (2012). State of the world’s cities 2010/2011: bridging the urban divide. London, UK: Earthscan.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNHABITAT. (2014). The state of African cities 2014: re-imagining sustainable urban transitions. Nairobi, Kenya: UNHABITAT.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNISDR. (2013). Making cities resilient: summary for policy makers. A global snapshot of how local governments reduce disaster risk–April 2013.

  • United Nations. (2012). Resilient people, resilient planet: a future worth choosing. New York: United Nations, Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Global Sustainability.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vale, L., Campanella, J., & Thomas, J. (2005). The resilient city: how modern cities recover from disaster. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, B., & Salt, D. (2006). Resilience thinking: sustaining ecosystems and people in a changing world. Washington, DC: Island Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waters, J.J.J. (2012). Reconsidering resilience in rapidly urbanising areas, In: L. Chelleri and M. Olazabal (eds.), Multidisciplinary perspectives on urban resilience: A Workshop Report (pp.59-65). Basque Centre for Climate Change.

  • White, M. P., Pahl, S., Ashbullby, K., Herbert, S., & Depledge, M. H. (2013). Feelings of restoration from recent nature visits. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 35, 40–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patrick Brandful Cobbinah.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Cobbinah, P.B., Darkwah, R.M. African Urbanism: the Geography of Urban Greenery. Urban Forum 27, 149–165 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12132-016-9274-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12132-016-9274-z

Keywords

Navigation