Challenges and Opportunities of Urban Green Spaces Planning and Development in Hossana Town, SNNPRS, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to assess the status, challenges and opportunities of urban green spaces planning and development in the Hossana town in the SNNPR. The researcher used both qualitative and quantitative research approach and descriptive survey research design. To achieve the objectives of the study both qualitative and quantitative data were used. Based on the nature of the study data were collected from different respondent using questionnaires, interviews, and observations. The total households of the study was 12.797 and the sample size of the study was 388 households. They were chosen using systematic random sampling technique. 8 Key Informant Interviewers were used to supplement the data obtained from household survey and key informants were chosen using purposively sampling. Both quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods were used. SPSS version 20 was used to analyze the quantitative data and narrative analysis method was used to analyze qualitative data. The researcher used descriptive statistics and one way ANOVA for quantitative data. The finding of the study shows that the existing types of green spaces were low in terms of quantity and quality aspects. The coverage of urban green spaces component has decreased within the last three years. There are several challenges for the decline in coverage and quantity. Some of these challenges include lack of awareness, weak institutional capacity, lack of budget, lack of coordination between community and municipality, less attention and priority given for urban green spaces. Furthermore, the opportunities were urban green space proclamations, Existing rule and regulation and available of land was the major opportunities and initiatives for the planning and development of urban green spaces. To solve the above problems the following recommendations were given: awareness creation on the communal nature of urban green spaces, develop institutional capacity, allocate sufficient budget, the government should provide greater attention to improve green space development, integration among different stakeholders, give trained professionals and improving official capacities of local actions are responsible to urban green spaces planning and development in the study area.