An assessment of the distribution, contribution, and management of urban green spaces to local livelihoods of Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) and Johannesburg (South Africa)

Abstract in English, Zulu and Afrikaans

Vegetation plays an indispensable role in improving the livelihoods of people in rural areas by providing a wide array of direct and indirect benefits. Vegetation in urban areas provides the same ecosystem services to urban dwellers. As the rate of poverty is outpacing the economic growth rate, many urban residents are increasingly becoming reliant on urban green spaces (UGSs) for sustenance. Therefore, urban residents of Johannesburg and Bulawayo depend on primary resources derived from UGSs. This study seeks to assess the distribution, contribution and management of UGSs with regard to local livelihoods in Bulawayo and Johannesburg. To meet the objectives of this research, UGSs for both cities were identified using remote sensing data derived from Landsat and Sentinel-2A imagery. Additionally, a mixed-methods approach was employed to develop a nuanced understanding of the nexus between UGSs and the livelihoods of the local residents. According to Johannesburg’s land use and land cover change (LULCC) maps, the vegetation cover changed from 51,757 ha in 2005 to 42,764 ha in 2020. Similarly, in Bulawayo the vegetation cover decreased by 2,768 ha. Geospatial distribution of plant families indicated that Fabaceae and Poaceae were the most dominant plant families in both urban areas, each accounting for 21% of the total plant diversity in UGSs. The economic and social value of UGSs was emphasised in this research. A notable finding was the predominant role of UGSs as social spaces, with 45% of participants in Bulawayo and 51% in Johannesburg visiting UGSs for dating purposes. Job creation was also prominent, with about 30% (Bulawayo) and 65% (Johannesburg) of the residents engaging in photography. In terms of liveability, 54% of respondents in Bulawayo associated UGSs with an improvement in their quality of life, compared to only 34% of respondents in Johannesburg who shared this view. Despite all the positive benefits of UGSs, 100% of the respondents in both cities reported a decline in the quality of UGSs due to inadequate maintenance and insufficient urban management practices by relevant authorities. Therefore, knowing that UGSs are deteriorating, urban planners can act to protect, restore, or expand green spaces before it is too late.

Plantegroei speel ’n onontbeerlike rol in die verbetering van die lewensbestaan van mense in landelike gebiede deur die verskaffing van ’n wye verskeidenheid direkte en indirekte voordele. Dit is van kardinale belang om daarop te let dat die plantegroei in stedelike gebiede ook dieselfde ekosisteemdienste aan stedelike bewoners verskaf. Aangesien die tempo van armoede die ekonomiese groeikoers oortref, raak baie stedelike inwoners toenemend afhanklik van stedelike groen ruimtes (SGR’s) vir lewensonderhoud. Daarom word verwag dat die stedelike inwoners van Johannesburg en Bulawayo meer afhanklik sal wees van primêre hulpbronne afkomstig van SGR’s. Hierdie studie poog om die verspreiding, bydrae en bestuur van SGR’s met betrekking tot plaaslike lewensbestaan in Bulawayo en Johannesburg te assesseer. Om die doelwitte van hierdie navorsing te bereik, is SGR’s vir beide stede geïdentifiseer deur gebruik te maak van afstandswaarnemingsdata afkomstig van Landsat- en Sentinel-2A-beelde. Volgens kaarte van die landgebruik- en grondbedekkingsverandering (LULCC) van Johannesburg het die plantegroeibedekking verander van 51,757 ha in 2005 na 42,764 ha in 2020. Terselfdertyd het die plantegroeibedekking in Bulawayo ook met 2,768 ha afgeneem. Georuimtelike verspreiding van plantfamilies het aangedui dat Fabaceae en Poaceae die mees dominante plantfamilies in beide stedelike gebiede was, elk verantwoordelik vir 21% van die totale plantdiversiteit in SGR’s. Die ekonomiese en sosiale waarde van SGR’s is in hierdie navorsing beklemtoon. ’n Merkwaardige bevinding was die oorheersende rol van SGR’s as sosiale ruimtes, met 45% van deelnemers in Bulawayo en 51% in Johannesburg wat SGR’s vir afspraakdoeleindes besoek het. Wat leefbaarheid betref, het 54% van die respondente in Bulawayo SGR’s met ’n verbetering in hulle lewenskwaliteit geassosieer, vergeleke met slegs 34% van die respondente in Johannesburg wat hierdie siening gedeel het. Ten spyte van al die positiewe voordele van SGR’s, het 100% van die respondente in beide stede ’n afname in die gehalte van SGR’s gerapporteer as gevolg van onvoldoende instandhouding en onvoldoende stedelike bestuurspraktyke deur relevante owerhede.

Izitshalo zidlala indima ebalulekile ekwenzeni ngcono izimpilo zabantu basezindaweni zasemakhaya ngokuhlinzeka ngemihlomulo eqondile ebonakalayo naleyo engabonakali. Kubaluleke kakhulu ukuba siqaphele ukuthi izitshalo zinomthelela ofanayo nasezindaweni zasemadolobheni ngokokusebenzisana kwemvelo kubahlali basemadolobheni. Njengoba izinga lobumpofu lidlula izinga lokukhula komnotho, izakhamuzi eziningi zasemadolobheni ziya ngokuya zibeka ithemba lazo kulezo zindawo ezingatshala kuzo (ama-UGS) ukuze ziziphilise. Ngakho-ke, kulindeleke ukuthi izakhamizi zasemadolobheni eGoli kanye nezaKwaBulawayo zithembele kakhulu ekusizakaleni ngohlelo lwe-UGS. Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuhlola ukusatshalaliswa, umthelela kanye nokuphathwa kohlelo lwe-UGS mayelana nempilo yasendaweni KwaBulawayo naseGoli. Ukuze sizuze lokho esikuhlosile ngalolu cwaningo, kuye kwahlonzwa ama-UGS akuwona womabili lawa madolobha kusetshenziswa idatha yokubukeka kwesimo ethathwe kuLandsat neSentinel-2A. Ngokwemibhalo yamabalazwe acacisa ngokusetshenziswa nokuguquguquka komhlaba (LULCC) eGoli, izitshalo ziye zashintsha ukusuka kuma- 51,757 ha ngonyaka wezi-2005 zaya kuya kuma- 42,764 ha ngonyaka wezi-2020. Ngokufanayo, naKwaBulawayo izitshalo ziye zancipha ngama-2,768 ha. Ngokwendawo okutshalwe kuyo kukhomba ukuthi iFabaceae nePoaceae yikho okuhamba phambili kuzo zombili lezi zindawo ezingamadolobha, indawo ngayinye inama-21% ngokwezinhlobonhlobo zezitshalo ngokwe-UGS. Lolu cwaningo lugcizelela inani lezomnotho nezenhlalo ngokwama-UGS. Okuphawulekayo ngokwemiphumela kube yiqhaza elisobala lezindawo zomphakathi ezingama-UGS, lapho kubalwa ababambiqhaza abangama-45% baKwaBulawayo kanye nabangama-51% baseGoli abahambela izindawo ezingama-UGS ngenhloso yokuyongcebeleka. Mayelana nokuphila, ababambiqhaza abangama-54% baKwaBulawayo babona ama-UGS njengento ezokwenza ngcono izimpilo zabo, uma kuqhathaniswa nababambiqhaza abangama-34% kuphela baseGoli nabo abanombono ofanayo. Nakuba kukhona okuhle esingakuzuza ngama-UGS, kuma-100% wababambiqhaza emadolobheni womabili kubikwa ukuthi kunokwehla kweqophelo lama-UGS ngenxa yokungalungiswa okwanele kanye nezinqubo ezingenele zokuphathwa kwedolobha ngokweziphathimandla ezifanele.

M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences