PROBLEMS IN THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A GIS FOR URBAN GREEN DEVELOPMENT IN GHANA A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science ALEX B. OWUSU June 2005 PROBLEMS IN THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A GIS FOR URBAN GREEN DEVELOPMENT IN GHANA BY ALEX B. OWUSU has been approved for the Program of Environmental Studies and the College of Arts and Sciences by James K. Lein Associate Professor of Geography Leslie A. Flemming Dean, College of Arts and Science ABSTRACT OWUSU, ALEX B. MS. June 2005. Environmental Studies. Problems in the Design and Implementation of a GIS for Urban Green Development in Ghana ( p. 103) Director of Thesis: James K Lein Olembo and Rham (1987) demonstrated the age-old belief by urban dwellers that urban greens make cities livable although few solid scientific data are available on the measurable benefits of greens on the urban environment. With the advent of GIS and remote sensing technologies, the American Forests Organization has measured the role of urban greens in dollar terms in some selected American Cities. This is seen in terms of physical or tangible benefits, environmental and health benefits, stormwater control, air quality control, energy conservation, social and other non-quantifiable benefits. Similarly the idea of green development in urban areas of developing countries, including Ghana, has come of age, with the call for identification of suitable sites for green development through capture, storage, integration, manipulation, analysis, querying and displaying of data that are spatially referenced. It is in this view that this study analysis problems that are likely to be encountered in the design and implementation of a GIS for urban green development in Ghana. While GIS and remote sensing technologies have the capacity to be utilized in the urban green development, its application in cities of Ghana may not be without problems. Some of the possible problems identified in this study, include data availability, data currency, accuracy and precision. Other data problems relate to data standardization, data merging and the database design and management. In addition to data problems, there are other problems such as personnel, financial and other resources, political and bureaucratic procedures involved and other socio-cultural barriers such as the traditional land tenure system, perception of development and attitudinal factors. In spite of these problems, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a step; it is against this study suggested that a successful GIS development project begins on a pilot basis, involving situational assessment, needs of the end users, software and hardware requirements, requirements of the GIS (implementation plan), education and training, database design, implementation and system maintenance requirements. Approved: James K. Lein Professor of Geography D E D I C A T I O N Dedicated to Nana B. Osei-Owusu and Kwaku Jr. Owusu-Barimah ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My utmost appreciation goes to the Almighty God for bringing me this far. I would like to thank all friends and loved ones who contributed in diverse ways to the success of this work. Mention must be made, however, of the following people for their distinctive contributions: Dr. James K. Lein, my primary advisor, (Jim, God Bless you). Also to my committee members, Dr. Christopher Boone and Dr. Stephen Howard. I also appreciate the contributions of the rest of the lecturers at Ohio University and most especially Dr. Gene Mapes (Director of Environmental Studies) for her concern and encouragement. Also my heartfelt appreciation goes to Mr. Daniel Amponsah Opoku, Eric Gavua, Kwaku Owusu-Banahene, all of Ohio University and my good friend Mr. Kwadwo Afriyie of Kwame Nkruma University of Science and Technology. Finally, I am grateful to my parents, brothers and sisters, more especially, Rev. Fr. Cssp. John Osei Yaw and Fred Agyemang for their immeasurable love, encouragement and support throughout my schooling. To you I say a very big thank you. However, I must emphasize, that I am solely responsible for any shortcomings, marginal or substantial, which may be found in this text. 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page Abstract ……..…………………………………………………………….………….iii Dedication .……….…………………………………………………………………...v Acknowledgements..………..………………………………………………………..vi List of Tables……………………………………………………..……………..........9 List of Figures…………………………….………………………………….………10 CHAPTER ONE : DESTRUCTION OF NATURE IN THE CITY …..……………11 1.0 Introduction ……..………..…….…………………………………..........11 1.1. Thinking Green .. ...……….…….………………….………...…………11 1.2. The Question of Green Development …..……………….………….…..13 1.3. Research Objectives …………………………….……............................15 1.4. Research Methodology …………………………….………..………….16 CHAPTER TWO: DEVELOPMENT, URBANIZATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT NEXUS ………………...……………………………….….… ..18 2.0 Introduction …………………………………..………………………….18 2.1. Sustainable Development and Urban Environment……………...……. .18 2.2. Urbanization and Environment..…………………..…….…………..…..21 CHAPTER THREE: THE COMCEPT OF URBAN GREEN DEVELOPMENT: BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES ...……………………..………..………………..29 3.0 Introduction ……………………………………………………………..29 3.1 Urban Green Defined ....………..….…….……………...…..…………...29 3.2 Benefits of Urban Green ….…………..………………..………...………30 3.3. Challenges of Urban Green…………….…….………….…………........41 8 CHAPTER FOUR: THE ROLE OF REMOTE SENSING AND GIS TECHNOLOGIES IN URBAN GREEN..…………………………………...………46 4.0. Introduction …...………………….…………………………..…………46 4.1. GIS and Remote Sensing as a Planning Tool ..………………...……….46 4.2. Linking GIS to Urban Green Development .………………………...…50 CHAPTER FIVE: MODEL OF GIS APPLICATION IN URBAN GREEN DEVELOPMENT IN GHANA ……………………..…………….………..…..…...53 5.0. Introduction ……………………………………….……………..….…..53 5.1. Requirements for Creating an Urban Green GIS .………..……..….…...53 5.2. Urban Green Area Modeling …...……………………………….….…...64 5.3. Problems of Applying GIS Technique for Urban Green Development in Ghana ………………………………………………………………………..72 CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSON ...…………….……….………………..…………83 6.0. Introduction ………………………..………………..…….……..……..83 6.1. Recommendations ….…………………………..……….……..………..83 6.2. Future Research …………………………………………………………86 References ………………………………………………….…….………..………...87 Appendix: Photo Gallery ...…………………………………………….….…...……98 9 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Environmental Problems Facing Major Cities in Ghana …………………...……15 2. Distinct Food Crops (species and distinct varieties) Found Present in Surveys of Urban Agroforestry Systems ..…………………………………………………...32 3. Pollutants Removal by Trees in Selected Cities of US Measured in Pounds and in Dollars ……………………………..…………..…………………………….….38 4. Required Data for GIS and Urban Green Modeling ...…..……..…..…………....66 5. Factors and Constraints for GIS Modeling of Urban Green Area ………………..67 10 LIST OF FIGURES 1. World Regional Population Living in Urban Centers (1950-2015) ….………….22 2. Regional Rural and Urban Population Distribution of Ghana (1972-1984) ……...24 3. Regional Population Distribution for Ghana …………………………………….24 4. Urban Heat Island Profile – Late Afternoon Temperature …….……………….....39 5. Modeled Selection Process of Area for Urban Green Development ……...……...69 6. Modeled Structure of GIS and Remote Sensing Application for Urban Green Development …..………………………………………………..…………….…..72 7. Modeled Structure of the Asante Land Ownership System.………..…………...79 11 CHAPTER ONE DESTRUCTION OF NATURE IN THE CITY 1.0 Introduction Development plans in Ghana, like other developing countries have aimed at utilizing natural resources to generate economic growth with “how the country or a community could be converted from being a 5% saver of GDP to a 12% saver with all the changes in attitudes, institutions and techniques which accompany its conversion” (Todaro 1992 p. 90-109), as the central theme. The net effect is the emergence of bizarre economic and cultural landscape in cities devoid of natural (green) areas. These cities are characterized by heat islands, excessive runoff and shortage of ground water, lack of natural areas, with a large gap between urban dwellers and nature. Realizing how we have become captives of technology, as in the case of developed world, is the first step in bringing people back to nature. It is therefore our duty to rethink green and also explore the benefits of greening our world through the application of modern technologies such as Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). 1.1 Thinking Green The Habitat Agenda, adopted globally in 1996, clearly recognizes the urbanization challenge and the need for all governments and international agencies to prepare and implement plans of action to support sustainable urban development, which is essential in achieving economic growth, social development and environmental protection (Wekwete 2001). The US Congress first recognized the 12 importance of urban forests in 1978 with the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act, which provided funds to promote the maintenance, expansion and preservation of urban tree cover while encouraging research and development of related technical skills at the local level. The legislation also called for tree planting to complement existing urban forest and open space maintenance programs. The Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program of 1990 expanded aid to state foresters and nonprofit organizations working to promote and expand urban forest parklands