Green areas of small towns in the southern Far East of Russia as an indicator of quality of urban environment

Abstract

The present discussion addresses the involvement of greenery planting in projects of comprehensive modernization of the territories of small towns in the south of Far East of Russia. The dynamics of the integral urban environment quality index and of its several components related to green spaces is assessed. A trend towards improving the living conditions in the towns due to development of public spaces, including green spaces, is evidenced. However, an integral comprehensive approach to designing and reconstructing of urban green spaces is still lacking. Large-scale greenery planting is not stipulated in most plans of improvement of public spaces. Usually, such plans are limited to developing of pathway networks for pedestrians and bicyclists, to erection of small architectural objects, to a general amelioration, and to making flowered beds. Such operations are often carried out spontaneously without accounting for the biological characteristics of vegetation intended for planting. Shortcomings concerning green spaces are found in the system of indexing of quality of the urban environment currently adopted in Russia. The indices do not account for such important parameters as the proportion of trees in vegetation, the condition of the environmental framework, the vital conditions of trees, and the degree of recreational digression of public spaces. Therefore, the development of more elaborate indices is warranted. Another shortcoming of indexing is that it is based on a ranked list of towns. The inadequacy of ranking is rooted in that most towns are different in their climatic, developmental, financial and other conditions. Modernization of urban spaces is a priority, which must be based on monitoring of their conditions.