Uso potencial para o lazer de áreas verdes urbanas em Dourados - MS

Abstract

This work addresses the growing demands of urban areas, stemming from the fact that over 50% of the human population resides in cities, with projections to increase to 68% by 2050. This underscores the importance of addressing urban issues such as housing, essential services, climatic comfort, education, and health. The relationship between health and access to urban green areas is evident, especially for leisure activities. However, the use of these spaces is limited by challenges such as a lack of infrastructure, maintenance, and public disinterest. This research aims to understand the dynamics of urban green areas in Dourados - MS and assess the potential for diverse use of different parks. The methodology employed is based on the Sustainable Cities Program (PCS), which proposes a series of indicators related to urban green areas: 1. Measure the total number, in square meters (m²), of public green area per inhabitant, 2. Measure the percentage of the population living within a radius of up to 300m from green areas, adapted to the municipality's streets. This included the use of QGIS software to map urban green areas with potential for leisure and the analysis of five urban parks, in addition to using data from the IBGE Demographic Census and Geo Dourados. The results reveal that people's expectations regarding the infrastructure, equipment, and services of the parks are often not met. The percentages of vegetation in relation to the total area vary between 58.59% and 100%, with none of these spaces achieving a rate of urban population served greater than 2.98%, meaning that each listed urban green area is accessible to less than 3% of the population. When considering the total population living around the currently used urban parks, this value reaches only 8.33%. Thus, less than 10% of the population has the opportunity to enjoy urban green areas. However, considering all the green areas addressed in the study, properly structured and accessible to the public, it demonstrates great potential for the city in terms of leisure, recreation, educational activities, and culture. Therefore, a program of Environmental Education is proposed, in conjunction with schools, universities, and public administration, as well as extension programs integrating various activities in urban parks.