Urban forest – state 2013

The geodata layer ‘urban forest’ contains all clusters of publicly accessible green space with a minimum area of 60 ha. This geodata layer was obtained by selecting all ‘green areas’ based on the land use map (condition 2013). These green areas were clustered algorithmically on the basis of closeness, including physical barriers. Subsequently, only those green areas adjacent to a public road accessible on foot were preserved. On this basis, five grid layers (resolution 10x10m²) were drawn up, selecting clusters by function level on the basis of a minimum surface area: neighbouring green (> 0.2 ha); district green (> 10 ha); urban area green (> 30 ha); urban green (> 60 ha); urban forest (> 200 ha). Thus, the selected clusters with a higher function level are always a subset of the selected clusters of a lower function level. As a result of the method used, the vegetable type ‘urban forest’ consists not only of forest but of different types of green space. More information can be found in this background document: https://archief-algemeen.omgeving.vlaanderen.be/xmlui/bitstream/handle/acd/768624/Groentypo_2019.pdf the method described therein was applied to the land use map condition 2013. The presence of green has a positive impact on a wide range of aspects that define a qualitative environment. This includes a positive impact on physical, mental and social health, but also biodiversity, climate resilience, landscape quality, etc. A common Flemish reference framework (introduced in MIRA-S 2000) to assess the availability of green space states that every inhabitant should have access to neighbourhood green at a maximum of 400 m, district green at a maximum of 800 m, urban part green at a maximum of 1 600 m, urban green at maximum m, urban green up to 3 200 m and urban forest up to 5 000 m. This data layer allows, among other things, to calculate the number of inhabitants in a given area that has access to urban forest, taking into account the above-mentioned maximum distance.