URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY: A CHALLENGE TO EFFECTIVE LANDSCAPING IN NIGERIA

The poor quality of the Nigerian urban environment has been attributed partly to the inadequate%2C misuse and mis- management of the urban open spaces. This%2C according to various researchers%2C has exerted a major strain on the physical outlook of the environment and a negative effect on the welfare and productivity of the residents. This has called for the need to identify and analyze the open spaces in the urban environment and assess the implications of their landscape planning on the status of the city and the development of a healthy and sustainable environment. This study therefore discusses the concept of sustainability%2C particularly within the built environment. It looks into the principles and indicators for sustainability of the environment and the resulting problems. Furthermore%2C a case study of Akure urban core was carried out to assess the uses and landscape status of the open spaces. The results when statistically analysed showed the inadequacies in the provision and management of the open spaces in the study area. It therefore recommends attainable policies for the effective sustainability of the environment. Abstract in Bahasa Indonesia : urban environment%2C sustainability%2C landscaping