Sociocultural and Ecological Dynamics of Green Spaces in Bangladesh

1. PRESENTATION
Sociocultural and Ecological Dynamics of
Green Spaces in Bangladesh
1

2. Introduction of green space
Green space is land that is partly or completely covered with grass,
trees, shrubs, or other vegetation. Green space includes parks,
community gardens, and cemeteries. Green spaces provide vital
health services as well as environmental services; they are eugenic,
reducing socioeconomic health inequalities, facilitating activity and
promoting better mental health and well-being. The green space
designates, commonly in an urban or suburban area, an area with
vegetation, ranging from a simple square to a large park through
road plantations. Green spaces embellish the environment of cities
according to several modes such as social as a place of rest and
walk within everyone’s reach; biological for the production of
oxygen by trees and their contribution to the mitigation of several
nuisances related to climate, and human health and economic
benefits .

3. The useful of the systematic classification for urban green spaces planning and management was
interpreted through landscape pattern analysis.The analysis defined five categories of
urban green spaces: conservation green space, greenway, community green space,
residential green space and amenity green space.
In urban or per urban areas, green spaces are vegetated areas whose typology is based on
precise criteria based on the area covered . Thus, we distinguish the following different types of
spaces:
• Square: area less than 1 ha
• Proximity garden: area between 1 and 4 ha
• Urban park: area greater than 5 ha
• Per urban park: area greater than 100 ha
Parks often offer water supply points, afforestation beds, and ornamental trees, but also created
spaces such as lawns. Their location shows a recreational, sports, or relaxation vocation, with
the presence of playgrounds, sports equipment, and benches. However, a public garden and a
square are small spaces. The public garden is designed as a place to relax, and a square is seen
as a meeting place. According to WHO, at least 10 m2 of green space in urban centres and
25 m2 in per urban areas are recommended per inhabitant.
Classification of Green Spaces

4. There is considerable debate over the supply of open green space in Dhaka.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan (DMDP) suggests that Dhaka
City had 0.5 square meters of green space per capita in 1995 (RAJUK, 1995).
In 2009, a critical review of the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) suggested that
there were only 0.052 square meters of green space per capita, a full order
of magnitude less than the number put forward in the DMDP . Irrespective
of the source, the supply of open green space in Dhaka is much less than
the WHO recommendation of nine square meters per capita. Indeed, a
1991 study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) (1991)
identified a failure to provide sufficient land for parks and public spaces as
a problem in Dhaka.
Open green space in Dhaka

5. Benefit of greenspace
Green spaces benefit cities and urban quality of
life because they can: ƒ
• Deliver positive health,
• Social and environmental outcomes;
• Upgrade the social and environmental quality
of disadvantaged and deprived areas;
• Make cities more livable and enjoyable;
• Contribute to the positive image of cities/
city branding or identity.

6. Greenspace impact on climate change
Nowadays, climate change impact is expressed in an increase in
temperature and precipitation over almost the entire territory,
despite some variations. Changing these two parameters inexorably
affects biodiversity and with it the dynamics and functioning of
ecosystems. Greenspace can impact on climate change. There are:
• Provides shade
• Reduces heat island effect
• Reduces likelihood of flooding through decreased run-off
• Reduces stress, anxiety and depression, common symptoms
experienced after a flood
• Community gardens provide local food source
• Improve air quality

7. Biodiversity has been defined as the totality of genes, species, and ecosystems that inhabit the
earth with the field contributing to many aspects of our lives and livelihoods by providing us
with food, drink, medicines and shelter, as well as contributing to improving our surrounding
environment. Benefits include providing life services through improved horticultural production,
improving the business and service of horticulture as well as our environment, as well as
improving our health and wellbeing, and our social and cultural relationships. Threats to
biodiversity can include fragmentation, degradation and deforestation of habitat, introduction of
invasive and exotic species, climate change and extreme weather events, overexploitation of our
natural resources, hybridization, genetic pollution/erosion and food security issues and human
overpopulation. This chapter examines a series of examples that provide the dual aims of
biodiversity conservation and horticultural production and service; namely organic horticultural
cropping, turf management, and nature-based tourism, and ways of valuing biological
biodiversity such as the payment of environmental services and bioprospecting. Horticulture
plays a major role in the preserving of biodiversity
Green Spaces and Biodiversity

8. Preserving green spaces in Bangladesh
Vegetation in a city is sometimes synonymous to presence of nature in the
predominantly man made environment. The urban environment is characterized by
an intense use of the available space, where the preservation of open green spaces is
of special ecological importance
• presence of vegetation in Dhaka
• Vegetation zones of Dhaka City

9. In the city of Dhaka, the areas devoted to green spaces are very small. Thus, the green
space/population ratio is almost zero, despite the international standard. The existing green
spaces date from the colonial period and see their surface regressed, if they have not
disappeared. Set up at a time when the city was born, all the green spaces are concentrated in
the oldest townships of the city, although this one knew an important development during the
last thirty years. This situation does not allow the entire population of Bangladesh to benefit
directly or indirectly from green spaces. The need for green space is essential in urban areas,
especially those with low incomes, as it helps to reduce health costs. Bangladesh must develop
and significantly increase the proportion of vegetated surface, taking into account the different
needs of its population. Thus, urbanization policy should integrate the green space dimension for
the well being of all, in order to meet the international standards of 21st century urban cities. This
policy will involve a rational and equitable rebalancing of local biodiversity conservation issues,
environmental balances, recreational needs, and other associated values. Finally, our green
spaces imperatively require developments oriented towards the replacement of all old trees with
a preference for indigenous diversity on the other hand. This vision would lead the capital city to
clearly fit into a policy to combat global climate change, by increasing carbon sequestration and
improving the quality of life of urban and per urban populations.
Conclusion

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