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Urban Resilience and Residential Greenery—The Evidence from Poland

Author

Listed:
  • Joanna Dobrzańska

    (Department of Landscape Architecture, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Grunwaldzka 55, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland)

  • Adam Nadolny

    (Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformatics, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Grunwaldzka 53, 50-357 Wrocław, Poland)

  • Robert Kalbarczyk

    (Department of Landscape Architecture, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Grunwaldzka 55, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland)

  • Monika Ziemiańska

    (Department of Landscape Architecture, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Grunwaldzka 55, 50-375 Wrocław, Poland)

Abstract

Social distancing and movement restrictions associated with COVID-19 have highlighted the role played by easily accessible greenery at one’s own residence, which is of key importance to people’s physical and psychological wellbeing. The main focus of this study is to provide insights into residential green areas in Wrocław, Poland in terms of knowledge, investment, trends and associated issues, as examined from the perspective of the potential to boost urban resilience. Sixty-six representative multi-family construction projects typical of Central European cities were analyzed. The study is divided into three stages: I—pre-construction (selection of locations), II—construction of a housing estate (clearance of vegetation, number of trees planted, use of pro-ecological solutions), and III—post-construction (monitoring of the condition of green areas by means of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and data from Sentinel-2 satellites). The results highlighted the insufficient use of pro-ecological solutions (green roofs, fountains or ponds) and shortage of woody plants in residential green areas. Their implementation should be included in any strategies for Wrocław’s transformation toward a sustainable post-pandemic city. Furthermore, the main findings of the study also revealed an imbalance between the amount of vegetation cleared vs. vegetation planted during construction and unequal access to high-quality greenery for local residents. Although some positive trends in spatial planning were observed compared to previous studies, two construction projects were implemented in floodplains. NDVI analyses indicate the poor condition of residential green areas; moreover, the change in NDVI for the period 2015–2020 attests to the poor standards of vegetation maintenance. The results of this study suggest that the potential of residential green areas for boosting urban resilience has not been fully utilized in Wrocław. It is highly recommended to implement monitoring of the condition of green areas by means of NDVI and to introduce detailed provisions on the shaping of green estate areas in the Local Development Plans to enhance Wrocław’s resilience. The main findings being presented expand the directions of methods of monitoring residential areas’ conditions in terms of applied landscape research and boosting urban resilience.

Suggested Citation

  • Joanna Dobrzańska & Adam Nadolny & Robert Kalbarczyk & Monika Ziemiańska, 2022. "Urban Resilience and Residential Greenery—The Evidence from Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-18, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:18:p:11317-:d:910871
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Greta Montanari & Andrea Giordano & Gianmario Guidarelli & Federica Maietti & Elena Svalduz, 2023. "A Strategic Interpretation of Landscape through Interaction between Natural, Built and Virtual Environments: The Case Study of Piazzola sul Brenta," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-16, September.
    2. Zuzana Vinczeová & Attila Tóth, 2025. "Urban Green Spaces and Collective Housing: Spatial Patterns and Ecosystem Services for Sustainable Residential Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-18, March.
    3. Magdalena Szczepańska & Anna Gałecka-Drozda & Agnieszka Wilkaniec, 2023. "Green Space at New Housing Estates: Flat Price Versus Accessibility to Good Quality Greenery," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-18, June.
    4. Justyna Rubaszek & Janusz Gubański & Anna Podolska, 2023. "Do We Need Public Green Spaces Accessibility Standards for the Sustainable Development of Urban Settlements? The Evidence from Wrocław, Poland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-26, February.
    5. Krzysztof Mitelsztedt & Mariusz Ciesielski & Tomasz Hycza & Marek Lisańczuk & Kacper Guderski & Sylwia Kurpiewska & Krzysztof Korzeniewski, 2025. "Exploring the Possibilities of Implementing the ALS-Based 3-30-300 Concept for Urban Green Space Management in Small Municipalities," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-19, February.

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