Generic and functional structure of urban green areas of Poland’s provincial cities

PURPOSE: The purpose of the article is to indicate the importance of green areas in the urban tissue, based on the comparative characteristics of the generic and functional structure of urban green space resources of provincial Polish cities, as well as to classify the analyzed cities in terms of their green space resources. In addition, to indicate urban greenery as an important factor affecting the quality of life of residents in the context of sustainable urban development.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: For the realization of the intended objective, the following desk research: namely content analysis and statistical data analysis. The subject of the study is selected types of green areas based on their purpose, located within the administrative boundaries of 18 (provincial) cities of Poland. Quantitative data were taken from the resources of the Local Data Bank of the Central Statistical Office. Basic statistical parameters and cluster analysis were used to assess the diversity of green areas.FINDINGS: Green areas perform functions in the urban fabric that directly translate into living conditions in the city, among the most important are ecological, social, recreational and aesthetic functions. It is not only the size of green areas that matters, but also their structure and distribution in space to fully realize the indicated functions, in the context of the quality of living conditions of residents and the principles of sustainable urban development.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results of the study and conclusions can become valuable material pointing out the problems of land management in relation to urban green spaces, which is closely related to sustainable development at the local level. As well as paying more attention to the spatial planning process, which establishes the principles of comprehensive land use and is an effective tool for implementing environmental policies.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The article presents the results of our own research. The presented issue is worth correlating with similar studies in the international arena. Jointly identifying and solving problems of spatial management in terms of sustainable development can be reflected in raising the quality of life of residents of settlement units now and in the future.The project is financed within the framework of the program of the Minister of Science and Higher Education under the name “Regional Excellence Initiative” in the years 2019 – 2022; project number 001/RID/2018/19; the amount of financing PLN 10,684,000.00.peer-reviewe