RECREATIONAL MAPPING AND PLANNING FOR ENLARGEMENT OF THE GREEN WEDGES IN GREATER COPENHAGEN

Since 1947 the development of greater Copenhagen has followed a plan that divided the city into a centre and five urban fingers and since the 1980ties they have formally constituted a part of the planning frame. Between the fingers four green wedges and three green rings constitute a multifunctional recreational landscape of high value to the citizens. In spring 2007 a new planning reform was carried out in Denmark moving country side planning from the former Counties to municipality level. As a part of their legacy the Council for Greater Copenhagen in 2006 proposed a vision for an enlargement of the existing green wedges and a new fourth green ring. Based on theoretical and empirical studies on preferences, use and composition of green spaces a method for monitoring and analysis that identifies visual experiences in 7 classes developed in Stockholm was adapted to Danish conditions and conducted within a geographical information system. Areas that comprise one or more of the visual experience values was designated by use of map based indicators for each of the 7 experience classes (Wilderness, Feeling of the forest, Wide views and scenery, Biodiversity and land form, Cultural history, Activity and challenge, Service and gathering). For incorporation into the municipal planning policy the seven mapped experience classes wer