Despite global efforts at promoting environmental sustainability through development of Green Infrastructure (GI) facilities at urban centres; social menaces, depletion and wrong use of green spaces ...still persists in many developing nations. Indeed, attitude of residents towards the use of these facilities have not been commensurate to the reasons why the GI facilities were created. This study therefore examines the socio-demographic factors associated with visiting GI sites among residents of Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 1560 participants in a questionnaire survey. Descriptive statistics was used to explore data distributions while Chi-square test was used to investigate residents’ socio-demographic characteristics associated with visit to green infrastructure sites in the study area. Participants were mostly men (58.6%) and younger than 50 years old (85.8%). Percentages of residents visiting GI facilities for either spiritual exercises (male=26.4%, female=23.8%) or joblessness (male=48.9%, female=52.1%) is higher than percentages of residents visiting GI facilities for recreation/relaxation (male=24.7%, female=24.1%) activities in Lagos Metropolis. The study suggests among others that, the Lagos State government should develop GI facilities to enhance more opportunity for job generation, while more public orientation on positive attitude toward use of GI facilities should be emphasized ABSTRACT Despite global efforts at promoting environmental sustainability through development of Green Infrastructure (GI) facilities at urban centres; social menaces, depletion and wrong use of green spaces still persists in many developing nations. Indeed, attitude of residents towards the use of these facilities have not been commensurate to the reasons why the GI facilities were created. This study therefore examines the socio-demographic factors associated with visiting GI sites among residents of Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 1560 participants in a questionnaire survey. Descriptive statistics was used to explore data distributions while Chi-square test was used to investigate residents’ socio-demographic characteristics associated with visit to green infrastructure sites in the study area. Participants were mostly men (58.6%) and younger than 50 years old (85.8%). Percentages of residents visiting GI facilities for either spiritual exercises (male=26.4%, female=23.8%) or joblessness (male=48.9%, female=52.1%) is higher than percentages of residents visiting GI facilities for recreation/relaxation (male=24.7%, female=24.1%) activities in Lagos Metropolis. The study suggests among others that, the Lagos State government should develop GI facilities to enhance more opportunity for job generation, while more public orientation on positive attitude toward use of GI facilities should be emphasized.
Green infrastructure (GI) provides ecosystem services that aid in mitigating the effects of environmental sustainability challenges (ESCs) and improving the health of residents. However, the extent ...to which GI quality influences environmental challenges (ECs) in highly populated urban settlements in developing countries remains unclear. This paper examined residents' evaluation of GI quality and its influence on environmental sustainability challenges in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 1560 participants in a questionnaire survey. Results of descriptive and regression analysis revealed that the leading ESCs were greenhouse gas emission, waste management, and water quality and GI quality was rated poor by the residents. Availability of adequate, well-equipped green areas and parks had significant influence on ESCs in the study area. The study implies that to effectively mitigate the effects of ESCs more attention should be given to improving the quality and quantity of GI in Lagos Metropolis.
Although urban green infrastructure (GI) and sense of community provide several benefits to residents, the relationship between them seems not to be unclear, especially in the context of densely ...populated urban settlements in the developing countries. This study investigated the influence of GI on sense of community amongst residents in selected neighborhoods in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 1,560 residents who participated in a questionnaire survey conducted in the study area. The results of the descriptive statistics and categorical regression analysis reveal that although the residents rated the existing stock of GI to be of poor quality, they perceived GI as having a positive influence on the development and sustenance of sense of community in the neighborhoods. The rate of loss of green areas, access to recreational parks, and proximity of green areas to the residents emerged as the top three aspects of GI with the most significant influence on sense of community in the residents. This implies that to enhance the contribution of GI in promoting sense of community in urban residents, these aspects of GI should be given adequate attention in Nigeria and other developing countries.
The high rate of loss of urban green spaces is reducing connectivity between people and nature, and the ability of the urban population to appreciate and enjoy the natural environment. However, not ...much is known about the extent to which ongoing efforts at planning green infrastructure are influencing residents’ connectedness to nature, especially in cities in sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigates the influence of green infrastructure (GI) on residents’ self-perceived connectedness with nature in selected residential neighbourhoods in Lagos, Nigeria. Through a multi-stage sampling technique, 1,560 residents were included in a survey and the data were analysed using descriptive and categorical regression analyses. The results showed that, although the residents were generally dissatisfied with the quality and quantity of GI in their neighbourhoods, they felt that the existing GI has a significant positive influence on their connection to nature. The regression analysis also revealed that the current state and availability of green areas for relaxation in the neighbourhoods were the two GI characteristics with the most influence on residents’ sense of connectedness to nature. These findings are instructive in noting that, to improve the urban population’s connectedness to nature using GI, city planners and managers should pay specific attention to providing and maintaining green areas for relaxation in residential neighbourhoods in the study area and beyond.
Given the significance of green infrastructure in enhancing social, economic and ecological sustainability of the built environment, it is important to unearth how green infrastructure can influence ...pro-environmental behaviours among the urban population. This research assessed the influence of green infrastructure on residents’ endorsement of the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria. A total of 1560 residents recruited through the multi-stage sampling technique participated in the survey, and the data gathered were subjected to descriptive and regression analyses. The participants generally felt that the available green infrastructure in their neighbourhoods was of low quality and rapidly disappearing, but it positively influenced all the key variables of the NEP and its endorsement. The size of neighbourhood green spaces, availability of green spaces for relaxation and its proximity to the people were found to be the three attributes of green infrastructure with the most noticeable influence on residents’ endorsement of NEP. This study implies that the availability and accessibility of a reasonable quantity of green areas within urban neighbourhoods can enhance a better understanding of the role of green infrastructure and promote favourable environmental behaviours among the urban population within and outside Nigeria.
Understanding public attitudes towards the environment and factors influencing it is very important in predicting pro-environmental behaviour of citizens. However, in many cities in sub-Saharan ...Africa, where rapid urbanisation has come with diverse environmental sustainability challenges, there are very few studies that provide insight into the attitude of citizens towards urban green infrastructure (UGI) and the factors influencing it. This study investigated residents’ attitude towards UGI and the factors influencing it in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria. The data were collected through a questionnaire survey of 1560 participants and physical observations in selected neighbourhoods in the study area. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression and content analyses. It was observed that the most common UGI in the study area were parks, gardens, grasses, sport fields and street trees and that around 67% of the participants demonstrated good attitude towards UGI in their respective neighbourhoods. In addition, around 47% of the variance in
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was explained by the regression model with residents’ perceived role of UGI in fostering social cohesion and health benefits and quality of neighbourhood UGI emerging as the top three factors that influenced residents’ attitude towards green infrastructure. This study implies that adequate knowledge of the social and health benefits and quality of GI are vital to developing positive attitudes towards GI among urban population.
Green Infrastructure (GI) facilities have the capacity to enhance health and mitigate Environmental Sustainability Challenges (ESC). However, the extent of the mitigation and health benefits is ...unclear in developing countries. This study examined the impact of GI on ESC and Perceived Health (PH) of urban residents in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 1858 residents of Lagos Metropolis who completed semi-structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test were used to explore data distributions and assess the association of the availability of GI with resident’s PH and ESC. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval (OR;95%CI) were estimated for good health and ESC mitigation. Participants were mostly men (58.9%) and younger than 50 years old (86.3%). Good health (20.5%) and high mitigation of ESC (collection and disposal of waste-52.7% and official development assistance-63.9%) were reported where GI is mostly available. Participants were more likely to report good health (OR:1.40; 95%CI:1.02-1.92) and high mitigation of ESC water quality (OR:1.42; 95%CI:1.12-1.81) passenger transport mode (OR:1.41; 95%CI:1.06-1.89) where GI are mostly available. Availability of Green infrastructure is supporting health and mitigating environmental sustainability challenges in the study area. Green infrastructure should be provided in urban areas where environmental sustainability is under threat.
Zaradi čedalje večjega krčenja zelenih površin v mestih se slabša povezanost ljudi z naravo, mestni prebivalci pa zato manj cenijo naravno okolje in v njem manj uživajo. Še vedno ni veliko znanega o ...tem, kako trenutna prizadevanja pri načrtovanju zelene infrastrukture vplivajo na povezanost prebivalcev z naravo, zlasti v mestih podsaharske Afrike. Avtorja v raziskavi proučujeta vpliv zelene infrastrukture na občutek povezanosti prebivalcev, kot navajajo sami, z naravo v izbranih stanovanjskih soseskah v Lagosu v Nigeriji. Na podlagi večstopenjskega vzorčenja je bilo v anketo vključenih 1.560 prebivalcev, podatki pa so bili analizirani z deskriptivno in kategorično regresijsko analizo. Rezultati kažejo, da čeprav so prebivalci večinoma nezadovoljni s kakovostjo in količino zelene infrastrukture v svojih soseskah, hkrati menijo, da ta pomembno pozitivno vpliva na njihovo povezanost z naravo. Regresijska analiza je poleg tega pokazala, da stanje in razpoložljivost zelenih površin za preživljanje prostega časa v soseskah najbolj vplivata na občutek povezanosti z naravo. Navedeni izsledki kažejo, da bi morali urbanisti in mestne oblasti za to, da bi z zeleno infrastrukturo izboljšali povezanost prebivalcev z naravo, posebno pozornost nameniti zagotavljanju in vzdrževanju zelenih površin v stanovanjskih soseskah na proučevanem območju in drugje.
Understanding preferences for urban green infrastructure (UGI) and the factors responsible for these are very important for adequate provision and effective management of these vital components of ...the urban environment. There are however very few studies that provide insight into residents’ preferences for UGI in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to examine residents’ preferences for the different forms of UGI with green, tree, water and other features and the factors that influence these in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria. The data were obtained via a questionnaire survey of 1560 participants in the study area and analysed using descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis tests and multiple regression analysis. The results indicate that the participants generally showed more preferences for UGI with green features including green corridors, lawns, sports fields, parks and gardens than others. Variation in the participants’ preferences for UGI was mainly due to differences in their local government area of residence. Nevertheless, the four top determinants of participants’ preferences for the different forms of UGI were the environmental and health benefits and quality of UGI as well as the respondents’ involvement in pro-green infrastructure activities in their neighbourhoods. The study conclude that urban planners should focus on strategies that maximise the environmental and health benefits and quality of green infrastructure and foster citizens’ participation in the development and management of UGI in cities in Nigeria and others countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
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