Fragmented Urban Greenspace Planning in Major Mexican Municipalities

Abstract

Urban greenspaces are garnering attention for their myriad ecosystems and because of the key role they play in making cities sustainable. Despite their relevance, there is no one definition for the term greenspace. Therefore, local governments conceptualize and measure greenspaces in broad and varied ways. This research applied content analysis to 31 municipal urban plans in Mexico to gain insights into the way greenspaces are conceived and evaluated. The results revealed that the legal and regulatory framework for urban greenspaces is outdated and fragmented. In addition, the authors found that of the handful of quantitative urban greenspace indicators, most of which were related to maintenance problems due to limited budgets, only a few addressed greenspace accessibility. These findings suggest that Mexico should develop a national legal framework for urban greenspaces with unified concepts, indicators, and benchmarks that can be adapted to the requirements of regional municipalities. There is a need for greater political support and awareness of the importance of greenspaces for urban sustainability.