The impact of urban development on urban green spaces. A case study of Tororo municipality.

Abstract

Rapid urban development has had a significant impact on urban green spaces in Tororo Municipality. The study was about the impacts of urban development on urban green spaces with the major objective to assess the impacts of urban development on urban green spaces. The problem for the study was change of use of green spaces and underutilisation. A descriptive study design approach was employed. The study targeted the whole population of Tororo Municipality and used a simple formula of proportions to get the sample size of 100 people that included the technical personnel, local leaders, landlords near green spaces and the users. The literature reviewed were on the overview of urban green spaces, their benefits, challenges faced in the management of green spaces and the strategies for urban development and green spaces. The study used the observation, document review, interview and questionnaires to get the necessary information from the respondents. The field findings were based on the specific objectives that were; to identify and map the available green spaces thus there were nine green spaces studied that included the park, stadium, playgrounds, municipal garden and open spaces. The benefits of urban green spaces being economic, environmental, and health of individuals, thus the findings got from the respondents were; beautification of the environment, prevention of flooding, spaces for exercise, spaces for social interaction. The management challenges being no coordination among institutions, change of use by some individuals, ownership struggles. How urban development has affected urban green spaces in Tororo Municipality- the finding were noise and air pollution, loitering of animals, solid waste disposal and destruction of green plants. The strategies were stop all economic activities on green spaces, stop solid waste disposal in green spaces, stop building close to green spaces. The recommendations were sensitisation about the benefits of green spaces, enforcing existing laws, use of green finger concept. In conclusion, urban developments and its associated effects on green spaces in Tororo Municipal Council should be curbed because of the role played by green spaces. The implication of the findings from this research on impacts of urban developments on the urban green spaces in Tororo Municipal Council is that council authorities and policymakers should identify and manage the issues of changing land uses before they get to a stage of creating a nuisance or affecting the development of the municipality.