Urban ecological analysis of Stephen Juba Park: A pre-design and post-design assessment (Manitoba)

The Urban Ecological Analysis (UEA) of Stephen Juba Park was conducted by performing a relative comparison of the Pre-Design and Post-Design Assessment. These assessments focused on trees as being a primary means of achieving sustainable development. The application of CITYgreen 4.0, a geographic information system, determined the amount of carbon, storm water, pollution removal, and wildlife benefits for the park. An overall increase in benefits was anticipated.; A literature review of sustainable development, geographic information systems and urban forestry was conducted to provide background knowledge and ideas that have been established. Discussed is the vagueness of sustainable development which allows for the development of methods to calculate and measure set goals; That geographic information systems are a flexible and beneficial tool; To increase awareness of the benefits the urban forest provides and how CITYgreen can be used to determine them; To provide a methodology that can be applied by others.; The assessment began with a pre-design and post-design tree inventory of the park. This data was then entered into CITYgreen to determine the benefits. The relative comparison of the results illustrated slight increases and decreases of the benefits.; This result can be attributed to the land use that remained as an urban park and the assessment focused on a single site. Determining the benefits on a citywide scale by selecting various development densities and tree covered sample sites, the accumulated benefits can be significantly higher. So, by increasing awareness of the urban forest benefits towards the sustainable development of a city by utilizing GIS technology, urban foresters and landscape architects can enrich the urban environment and thus result in greener, healthier cities and citizens.