Causal factors responsible for changes in the attributes of urban green spaces in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Abstract

Urban green spaces are an important part of public open spaces and a common service provided by a city, town, or municipal council. In Nairobi City County, green spaces have been increasingly threatened by overcrowding, poor planning, weak management structures and illegal alienation thus denying city residents access to the much-needed recreation and leisure facilities. As the population increases in urban areas, their activities impact the environment and therefore the ecosystem services. This study was done with the Principle of Intelligent Urbanism in mind, as the most prolific urban development theory developed by the International Congress of Modern Architecture. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to collect data while a cross-sectional survey designs and stratified random sampling of the green spaces was employed, based on the location within the urban core and peri-urban of Nairobi County. Four green spaces (Karura Forest, Ngong Road Forest, Nairobi Arboretum, and City Park) with diverse characteristics and attributes were selected. A sample population of 384 visitors to the green spaces was surveyed for their perceptions of the functions, uses, and benefits of the green spaces. Our findings showed that management structures and population growth are the main causal factors responsible for changes in the attributes of urban green spaces.