The urban wasteland as alternative to create green areas in Texcoco, Mexico

Abstract

The creation of urban green areas is affected by rapid population growth and the consequent change in land use, despite the fact that green areas are fundamental for providing ecosystem services. The objective of this study was to analyze the conversion of urban wasteland spaces into green areas. The surface of green area per inhabitant (m2 AV h-1) existing in the city of Texcoco was estimated and wasteland spaces were identified through satellite images. Some soil properties were analyzed to determine the feasibility of establishing vegetation, and a survey was applied to a representative sample of the population to know the social perception of urban green areas. It was found that the city of Texcoco has 0,649 m2 AV h-1. Eighty-four wasteland spaces with potential for conversion into green areas were located, with a total area of 778,601.91 m2 , which corresponds to 13.42% of the city. The proposed conversion would achieve 7.38 m2 AV h-1. In general, the surveyed population shares the idea of creating more green spaces in the city of Texcoco, however, economic and political factors should be considered in the future.