GEOSPATIAL MODELLING OF URBAN GREEN SPACES IN AWKA, NIGERIA

Urban green space (UGS) plays an important role in the ecosystem, such as reducing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere, providing shade and habitat for animals, improving air quality, lowering air temperatures, retaining and filtering stormwater, sequestering carbon, and making cities look better and feel healthier. This study assessed the changes in the urban green spaces across the metropolitan area of Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria, using remotely sensed data. The pattern of changes in the UGSs over 30 years using a ten-year interval from 1993-2023 was examined by analyzing from LANDSAT datasets using supervised classification into five (5) land cover classes, namely; vegetation, grass/ agricultural land, waterbody, built-up area, and open space. Data of each class were subjected to descriptive statistics. The result revealed that Awka metropolis has witnessed rapid urbanization in recent decades leading to a dramatic decline in vegetation (from 4.7% in 1993 to 1.1% by 2023). This research also reveals a shift in urban morphology with built-up areas expanding from 7.9% to 29.6%. This study concluded that the amount of vegetated area and open spaces within Awka Metropolis diminishes with an increase in built-up area. Hence, massive tree planting is recommended for areas with less vegetation.