Ekonomiese waarde van groen ruimtes: Suid-Afrika in kontras met Europa

Abstract

English: The increase of worldwide urbanization results (among others) that green spaces are being neglected, sometimes sacrificed. Urban areas are valued higher than green spaces; mainly because urban areas can be measured in terms of monetary value (such as property prices) and green-spaces mainly have indirect, immeasurable value (social, recreational, biodiversity). The international approach to link economic value to green spaces was tested in Potchefstroom (South Africa), with the anticipation that it would prove that economic value of residential properties increases as distance to the nearby green spaces decreases, as in the cases internationally. Results however illustrated the opposite tendency in Potchefstroom. The uniqueness of the South African environment was evident. It was found that a creative approach is needed in order to quantify the value of green spaces. An instrument was proposed to identify and evaluate green spaces with the aim to quantify the intrinsic value of green spaces and compare development costs and benefits with environmental costs and benefits. It was concluded that this approach could stimulate green planning and prioritize it within the spatial decision-making process.

Afrikaans: Die toenemende tempo van wêreldwye verstedeliking veroorsaak (onder andere) dat groen ruimtes verwaarloos word en soms opgeoffer word. Stedelike gebiede word hoër gewaardeer as groen ruimtes, omdat stedelike gebiede gemeet kan word in terme van monetêre waarde (soos eiendomspryse) terwyl groen ruimtes hoofsaak indirekte, onmeetbare waarde inhou (sosiaal, rekreasie, biodiversiteit). In ’n poging om die waarde van groen ruimtes in Suid-Afrika te kwantifieer, is die verband tussen die plaaslike groenruimtes en eiendomspryse bepaal in Potchefstroom, gebasseer op die internasionale benadering wat stel dat residensiele eiendomswaarde verhoog soos die afstand na groenruimtes verminder. Resultate in Potchefstroom was egter kontrasterend tot die algemene tendens in ontwikkelde lande. Die uniekheid van die Suid-Afrikaanse beplanningsruimte en omgewing het duidelik na vore gekom. Daar is gevind dat ’n kreatiewe aanslag nodig is ten einde die waarde van groen ruimtes beter te kwantifiseer. ’n Instrument om groen ruimtes te identifiseer en evalueer is voorgestel, met die doel om die intrinsieke waarde van die groen ruimtes te kwantifiseer en voordele (inkomstes) van ontwikkelingsprojekte met omgewingsprojekte te kan vergelyk. Daar is gevind dat hierdie benadering groen ruimte beplanning kan stimuleer en prioritiseer binne die ruimtelike besluitnemingsproses.