Citizen Science Approach for Assessing the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Potential of Urban Green Spaces in Ghana

Frederick Gyasi Damptey (), Nana Yeboaa Opuni-Frimpong, Abdul Wahid Arimiyaw, Felicity Bentsi-Enchill, Edward Debrah Wiafe, Betty Boante Abeyie, Martin Kofi Mensah, Daniel Kwame Debrah, Augustine Oti Yeboah and Emmanuel Opuni-Frimpong
Additional contact information
Frederick Gyasi Damptey: Department of Ecology, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, 03046 Cottbus, Germany
Nana Yeboaa Opuni-Frimpong: Department of Forest Science, School of Natural Resources, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani P.O. Box 214, Ghana
Abdul Wahid Arimiyaw: ForestAid Ghana, Accra 00233, Ghana
Felicity Bentsi-Enchill: Department of Biology Education, Faculty of Science Education, University of Education, Winneba 00233, Ghana
Edward Debrah Wiafe: School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, University of Environment and Sustainable Development, Somanya 00233, Ghana
Betty Boante Abeyie: Kumasi Wood Cluster Association, Kentinkrono, Kumasi 00233, Ghana
Martin Kofi Mensah: Institute of Surface Mining and Special Civil Engineering, Freiberg Technical University of Mining, 09599 Freiberg, Germany
Daniel Kwame Debrah: Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Kumasi 00233, Ghana
Augustine Oti Yeboah: Herp Conservation Ghana, Adum, Kumasi 00233, Ghana
Emmanuel Opuni-Frimpong: Department of Forest Science, School of Natural Resources, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani P.O. Box 214, Ghana

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 10, 1-25

Abstract: Urban green spaces are linked to good human health and well-being, sustainable cities and communities, climate action, life on land and under water, as well as offering a platform for quality nature-based education. Their efficient management will no doubt be necessary if strides are to be made in efforts to protect biodiversity and enhance ecosystem service delivery in urban areas. This will, in part, require building the capacity of community members as citizen scientists to take up conservation roles. This study explored the levels of biodiversity and the proxy-based ecosystem service potential of urban green spaces in Sunyani, Ghana, using citizen science approaches. The green spaces accessed were the University of Energy and Natural Resources Wildlife Sanctuary and Arboretum, the Sunyani Parks and Gardens, the Sunyani Residency Park, and the Sunyani Senior High School Woodlot. The different levels of biodiversity (trees, arthropods) and ecosystem services were observed for the five green spaces assessed, with a significant relationship observed between arthropod communities and vegetation variables. Our results showed that citizen scientists perceived urban green spaces to supply more significant provisioning and regulating services than any other ecosystem services, even though they were highly dissatisfied with how green spaces are managed. The children’s perception of the composition of nature was slightly narrow, as they largely centered on plants and animals only. Even so, their awareness of the value of nature was high, as were the threats of human activities to nature. Citizen science approaches could complement biodiversity studies in data-deficient regions; however, collected data may require additional verification and validation from experts for conclusive and better inferences.

Keywords: environmental education; nature conservation; participatory science; sustainable development goals; urbanization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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