Let’s talk Green Spaces in Towns-Kenya
Have you ever imagined walking in a city with trees along its avenues leading the way to the park? Or a city where after every few meters you find a space with green vegetation, trees of different kinds of species and birds jumping from one flower to another? Or a city where every estate has a green space? How would that be? How healthy that environment and people in it would be? And how less polluted the air would be? Well, that’s what I dream of every single day! My definition for Green Spaces is simply ‘green’ in the sense of being predominantly covered with vegetation ranging from streets, walk-ways, avenues to play grounds and forest parks not forgetting proper disposal of solid waste in such areas.
More than half of the global population lives in urban areas and projected to increase to 68% in 2050. Owing to the industrial and population growth, environmental degradation is on the rise as cities continue to become centers of greenhouse gas production, solid waste and emissions of pollutants in water and air. These are more serious in developing countries due to conflict between the economic plan and the protection of the environment.
As Kenya continues to urbanize, there is increased appreciation of the importance of green spaces, parks and forests to rapidly growing population. Sadly, the rapidly urbanizing towns do not have much to show of this or low-income neighborhoods are more likely to be undeserved. Looking at the 3 counties hosting 3 largest cities in Kenya, Nairobi county currently has a forest cover of 7.78%, Mombasa 5.12% while Kisumu lags behind with 0.44%. This clearly shows there are not enough trees and green spaces to meet the rapidly growing population. However, Nairobi County prides itself with forests and reserves rambling through the city; Nairobi national Park making Nairobi the only city with a National Park and Karura Forest being one of the largest gazetted forests in the world located within a city, and gardens and open spaces like City park, Nairobi arboretum, Jeevanjee gardens among others right at the heart of the city.
The question is, how are we going to meet the Green Cities/Towns goal? yet we are far from meeting the 10% forest cover? Simply means, counties in Kenya with high forest cover like Nyeri (38.03%) are situated in rural areas where there is more tree planting and vegetation as compared to urban areas. However, with prior and proper planning, legislation and additional resources towards improving the city’s green initiatives like legislations for trees along avenues in towns or acreage allocation per 100,000 housing units, cities can achieve Green Cities Goals. This works best for developing counties, to consider in their town/urban planning policy. The truth is, you do not need a huge chunk of land in order to create a green space, you only need a tiny space to plant one/two trees and nurture them to maturity.
In addition, Green spaces goals in cities cannot be achieved with individual’s efforts but rather collective efforts between different parties i.e. town business dwellers, local authorities/municipal council and relevant stakeholders.
Why do we need Green Spaces in Towns?
Being brought up in a ‘forested locality’ then school and work take you to the city where you are surrounded by concrete buildings, sometimes you just want to escape to a nearby green space. My favorite has always been Karura forest, here there is never a dull moment, from cycling to nature walk and listening to birds has a soothing balm.
Green and nature spaces play a critical role in improving the quality of life in urban environments and cities, increasing local resilience to environmental and climate-related hazards leading to an improved health and well-being of the population in cities. According to WHO, urban green spaces are essential to human well-being, both physically and emotionally. This means that people living in cities with more trees and gardens have a better quality of life than those who live surrounded by high levels of pollution. Sadly, in most cities, green spaces have been replaced with industrial and business buildings, residential, infrastructures etc., hence increased temperatures and reduced air quality.
Green spaces also are important to mental health. Scientist points out pathways to which environmental pollution affects human health; that is; Reduced stress tolerance and suppression of the immune response. Having access to green spaces aid in treatment of mental illness. Some analysis suggests that physical activity in a natural environment can help remedy mild depression and reduce physiological stress indicators. With the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19, many people have frequently visited parks, city forest, nature walk and embraced nature to relieve themselves from stress of staying in a constrained environment for too long.
With the growing population in Kenya, it is emerging that green spaces are shrinking and we are far much behind from meeting the Green Cities goals but not late if we start doing it Now!
By,
Joan Tonui
Kudos!