Defining Urban Green Spaces in the Colombo District across Multiple Uses

Abstract

Urban green spaces play a major role in the congested urban environment, which helps to minimize the ecological imbalance of the urban environment. Urban green spaces help to reduce stress, improve mood, promote physical activity, foster social cohesion, reduce air and water pollution etc. There are no static definitions to explain urban green space and different countries define urban green space based on the availability of their green resources. In Sri Lanka also no clear definition of urban green space. Colombo District of Sri Lanka is a highly urbanized and populated district, so land demand is very high for various uses of built-up areas. As a result, existing green spaces are depleting and it needs to emphasize strategic planning and management. However Sri Lanka does not have a standardized definition of green space, and it is one of the major obstacles to developing land use planning in the urban areas related to green spaces. This study aims to formulate an informative definition of green space for the Colombo District through the review of global and local definitions, followed by thematic analysis and expert validation. The proposed definition describes green spaces as natural and man-made vegetated areas in diverse landscapes that fulfil multifunctional roles, enhancing environmental quality and community well-being.