urban open and green spaces planting

URBAN OPEN AND GREEN SPACES PLANTING:
THE CASE STUDY OF KASTAMONU/TURKEY
Hakan ŞEVİK2
Nur BELKAYALI1
1Kastamonu
Serdar DEMİR3
2Kastamonu
University,
Faculty of Engineering and Architecture,
Landscape Architecture Department
TURKEY
3Kastamonu
University,
Faculty of Engineering and Architecture,
Landscape Architecture Department
TURKEY
University
Faculty of Forestry
Department of Forestry Engineering
TURKEY
Introduction
Urban population growth leads to an increase in the structuring. In this process, urban spaces kept away from the natural elements. Open and green areas are
built up the connectivity with natural environment. Urban open and green areas planting contributes to improve the physical conditions (air quality, visual
quality, energy consumption reduction with temperature compensation, humidity, providing habitat for fauna and flora, noise reduction, effects of wind and dust
reduction, light reflections prevention, etc.) of cities. Also people establish a connection with the natural environment to meet the needs of recreation and
relaxation.
Urban Open and Green Spaces Planting
Trees and forests are, because of seasonal changes and
their size, shape, and color, the most prominent
elements of urban nature (Tyrväinen et al., 2004).
The benefits of urban open and green spaces planting
are generally recognized to be found in three categories:
environmental, economic, and cultural (Anonymous,
2013).
Environmental benefits
 Trees help to improve air quality
by mitigating air pollution &
greenhouse gases
 Trees help to reduce stormwater
runoff and improve water quality
 Trees help to reduce the urban
heat island effect
 Urban trees and forests help to
reduce, and even eliminate,
erosion
 Trees shelter wildlife and promote
biodiversity
Materials & Method
Maps, photographs taken in order to reflect the current state of research area, research theses,
studies, articles and books about the research area used as the material of the study.
By this study the advantageous that can be taken from plants used in the urban open and green
spaces will be highlighted. The essential principles to get those benefits will be explained in
Kastamonu example indicating existing mis-implementations and management practices. Also
recommendations for site-specific regulations due to the geographical and historical features of the
city will be made in the light of the basic principles.
Cultural benefits
 Trees help to define a 'sense of place' and
provide desirable landscapes
 Trees and urban forests encourage community
interaction
 Trees help to reduce noise pollution by
absorbing and blocking urban noise
Photo1 A view from Candarogulları Park
Photo5
A view from
Boulevard Planting
Economic
benefits
 Trees increase property values
 Trees can reduce heating and cooling
costs for buildings
TURKEY
Photo4 A view from Boulevard Planting
Photo2 A view from Cevizli Park
Study Area
Kastamonu city is located in Northwest Anatolia
Region of Turkey. The city divided into two parts by
the Kastamonu River in the direction of north and
south. Kastamonu old settlement pattern is very
effective in terms of urban image when the
topographic feature taken into account. Old
settlement is situated in the bowl-shaped
topography and can be detected with the naked
eye from hillside.
There are 12 parks in the city center of Kastamonu
named as Yenişehir Park, Elçibey Park, Kışla Park,
Candaroğlu Park, İsfendiyar Park, Walking Park,
Cevizli Park, Alparslan Türkeş Park, Nasrullah
Square, Clock Tower, Sinanbey Park, Cumhuriyet
Square.Yenişehir Park, Elçibey Park, Kışla Park,
Cevizli Park, İsfendiyar Park and Sinanbey.
Parks have children playgroung, recreation and
entartainment areas. Besides the common feature
of Clock Tower and Cumhuriyet Square Park is that
they have a historical value. Walking park was
designed to meet the needs of sports.
Photo3 A view from Kısla Park
CITY
CENTER
Figure 1. Location Map of the Study Area
Results
Natural plant species identified in the study area
are as follows; Abies nordmanniana ssp.
bornmulleriana, Cercis siliquastrum L., Eleagnus
angustifolia L., Fraxinus excelsior L., Juglans
regia L., Pinus nigra ssp. pallasiana, Pinus
sylvestris, Platanus orientalis L., Prunus x
domestica L., Prunus lauroceasus L., Tilia
argentea.
Exotic plant species identified in the study area
are as follows; Acer negundo L., Acer
pseudoplatanus, Aesculus hippocastaneum
Hyn., Betula pendula Roth., Cedrus atlantica
(Endl.) Carr., Cedrus deodora G.Don., Cedrus
libani A.Rich., Cupressus arizonica E.L. Green,
Cupressus sempervirens L., Picea orientalis (L.)
Link., Picea pungens Engelms, Robinia
pseudoacacia L., Salix babylonica.
Other benefits
 Tree lined streets can help improve road safety
 Some studies have found trees lined streets
promote safer driving by giving the impression
of narrowing streets. They also provide a buffer
between vehicles and pedestrians.
 Tree planting can be a very valuable tool for
reclaiming derelict land within cities.
Conclusions
Some problems were encountered during the open
and green areas planting in the city center. Magnolia
sp. that used in the parks and boulevards could not
adapted to Kastamonu climate conditions. Also horse
chestnut did not be adapted due to susceptible to
exhaust gas. Plane trees is used for afforestation
activities along Karacomak Stream in terms of its
aesthetic appearance, although the roots peel, crack
the structure of the paving stones.
For a success and healthy open and green areas
planting, existing and potential problems should be
defined at first, and then the planting should be done
in the highlight of specified planning, design and
implementation principles considering existing
resources and possibilities.
References
Anonymous, 2013. Benefits of trees and the urban forests,
[On-line]
Available
:
http://www.sustainablecitiesinstitute.org
/view
/page.basic/class/feature.class/Lesson_Benefits_Urb_
Forest_Trees, Accessed 2013 April 21.
Demir, S. 2011. Plant species used in the city center of
Kastamonu, Kastamonu University Forestry Faculty Forest
Engineering Department the final Project, Kastamonu.
Tyrväinen, L., Pauleit, S., Seeland, K. & de Vries, S. 2004.
Benefits and uses of urban forests and trees. In: Urban
Forests and Trees in Europe A Reference Book. Nilsson, K.,
Randrup, T.B. and Konijnendijk, C.C. (Eds.). Springer Verlag
(in print). 24 p.