Spatial disparity patterns of green spaces and buildings in arid urban areas

Urban green spaces are a crucial component in regards to the quality of life, ecosystem balance and recreational services of populations, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. This study aimed to explore spatial patterns of accessibility to public parks on a neighbourhood scale in the Sohar Wilayat, Oman. Utilising GIS techniques and landscape metrics, we investigated the spatial variations of green patches relevant to other land use types predominantly residential buildings in each local area. The entropy index, the landscape shape index (LSI) and the area-weighted mean shape index (AWMSI) were calculated to analyse landscape spatial patterns of urban green spaces across the study area. The results of this study indicated that the large numbers of green space patches in the majority of neighbourhoods were associated with large population size. In measuring spatial accessibility to public parks, the central neighbourhoods were characterised by low scores and long distances from green spaces, while neighbourhoods in the south and north showed short distances and high scores for residents’ accessibility to the nearest park. High rates of fragmentation and irregular shapes, particularly within marginal and inner neighbourhoods, can be attributed to rapid urbanisation and sprawl, which has extensively transformed urban green spaces and vacant land into dwellings. Our findings suggest that a spatial quantification and identification of green space distribution patterns and the accessibility of public parks could provide decision-makers and municipality planners with invaluable guidelines for allocating green parks and recreational amenities equitably and efficiently to urban residents.