Applying Network Analysis to the Planning of Urban Green Spaces (Case Study of Ahvas Metropolis)

Uncontrolled urban expansion leads to fragmentation and isolation of native vegetation that are surrounded by built environment. Nevertheless, urban green patches with suitable condition are still able to serve as a connected network to support biological diversity and enhance the ecological functioning of landscape. This research aims to study the value of green spaces, in maintenance of connectivity of the urban green network of Ahvaz and applying the results in urben green patches planning.

The method is through modelling and studying the case study of ahvaz metropolis. Also the landscape ecological approach and a network analysis is used. To determine a network, all green patches in Ahvaz landscape, both in the public and private were incorporated due to their habitat values in nesting native animal species. Landscape network is modelled based on Graph Theory and using IIC metric and the network connectivity and the importance of nodes were assessed. Also, patches are prioritized based on their importance.

Resaults revealed the largest patches are of higher priority that are the farms in 4th and 5th district and a large urban park in 3rd district. Indeed, the most valuable patches are located in a linear pattern along the river path.

Accurate identification of ecological valuable patches assist the targeted increases in per capita green space and suitable distribution of green spaces within the city of Ahvaz, in particular, those districts that suffer from the low per capita of green patches, which leads to effective enhancement and conservation of most important green spaces.