Using GIS and satellite data to assess access of green area for children living in growing cities

Sammanfattning: Urban green space (UGS) refers to open spaces within an urban context that are filled with greenery and nature. These can range from very small vegetation to expansive park areas. The common denominator is that they have proven to be beneficial for human health and well-being. Access to green spaces is also important for children. Research suggests that time spent in green spaces supports the behavioral, intellectual, and physical development of children. When cities are growing, it is often associated with a loss of UGS due to the current concept of densification which is achieved by infill, repurposing land, and adding height to existing buildings. The loss of UGS can negatively affect access to green spaces for the inhabitants of an urbanized city. It is supported by previous research that access is not equal, and oftentimes those with lower socio-economic standing are negatively affected by the loss of UGS. Given the above, this study set out to examine how changes to a city influences UGS and access to green space in urban areas using the city of Malmö as a case study. A rapidly growing urban area, it is the fastest growing city in Sweden. While the city reports diminishing UGS within the urban context, the municipality has aimed to expand Malmö through densification - mostly through the refurbishing of industrial areas according to official documents regarding city development. This study uses the official greenery guidelines for Malmö, to assess how access to UGS corresponds to official aims. It focuses on the relation to children’s daytime access to UGS by examining the accessibility from school environment, using pre- and compulsory schools as the base for analysis. This study also examines how this varied depending on socio-economic background. To assess the extent of UGS access, GIS is used to develop a methodology using open access satellite-, demographic- and socioeconomic data. By creating a landcover map of Malmö. using a satellite image and maximum-likelihood classification, the UGS was mapped for the studied year. Statistical analysis using SPSS was used to examine correlations to socioeconomic variables, making it possible to analyze how access to green space varies depending on socio-economic properties. The study concludes that UGS access in Malmö does not correspond to official aims. It is also concluded that there are strong correlations between the access to UGS from schools and built-up environment and the socio-economic variables income, educational level, employment rate and heritage.