The spatial distribution of green spaces in the urban fringe of Bangkok.

Abstract

Urban green spaces with a wide variety of functions to ameliorate the urban environment have been decreased and fragmented in the urban fringe areas of Southeast Asian cities. In order to elaborate practical and efficient plans to conserve urban green spaces, and to monitor them continuously. From this view point, we inspected green cover, land-use and landholding, and their correlations in the urban fringe of Bangkok using GIS. As a result, the following four facts are revealed. First, urbanization has been proceeding together with land fragmentation, and green cover is finally diminished after the construction of a new house on a subdivided vacant plot. Second, rural land-uses sustain high green cover, while urban land-uses have relatively low green cover with a several range depending on the type of housing. Third, rural land-use is tied to a canal, whereas urban land-use is linked with a road; besides these development patterns influence on the distribution of green spaces. Finally, the inaccessible landlocked plots with high green cover observed a lot.