pesd2025191001

	PRESENT ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Volume 19, Issue no.2/ 2025

	Title: Sustainability of green infrastructure in Biskra: Assessment and prospects for improvement
	Authors : Mounir HADJI 1 * , Alexandru-Ionut PETRISOR 2 1 Architect, Doctoral student, Doctoral School of Urban Planning, "Ion Mincu" University of Architecture and Urbanism, 18-20 Academiei Street, District 2, Bucharest, Romania, 2 PhD (Ecology), PhD (Geography), Habil. (Urban planning), Professor and Director, Doctoral School of Urban Planning, "Ion Mincu" University of Architecture and Urbanism, Bucharest, Romania; Professor, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Urbanism and Architecture, Technical University of Moldova, Chisinau, Moldova; Senior Researcher I, National Institute for Research and Development in Urban Planning, Construction and Sustainable Territorial Development URBAN-INCERC; Senior Researcher I, National Institute for Research and Development in Tourism, Bucharest, Romania, E-mail : * Corresponding author: alexandru_petrisor@yahoo.com
	https://doi.org/10.47743/pesd2025192008
	VIEW FULL TEXT
	Abstract This article explores the dynamics of green infrastructure in the city of Biskra, Algeria, emphasizing its crucial past role, particularly given the presence of palm groves, with respect to urban sustainability. The constant urban sprawl, at the expense of their ecological potential, has been an imminent threat to urban ecosystems, causing environmental, socio-cultural, and economic challenges. This justifies the need to evaluate the sustainability of green infrastructure in the city of Biskra. To achieve this, we used a methodology based on a qualitative method based on a questionnaire, collecting opinions and perceptions of residents on various aspects of green infrastructure, and a sustainability barometer, providing a quantitative measure of relevant environmental, socio-cultural, and economic indicators. By integrating qualitative data from the questionnaire and quantitative measures from the barometer, our study yields a holistic assessment of the sustainability of green infrastructure in Biskra. The results highlight its vulnerability and issues related to its sustainability. We identified improvement opportunities and phrased recommendations for strengthening the sustainability of urban green infrastructure.

	References Adad, M.C.; Zerouala, M.S. (2002) Apprendre du passé, Cas du vieux Biskra. Sciences & Technologie, 17, 123-32. https://revue.umc.edu.dz/a/article/view/1798 Aivaz, K.A.; Serbanescu, M. (2024) Ecosystem Services Evaluation of the Danube Delta: An Analysis Using Hierarchical Multifactor Regression. Studies in Business and Economics, 19(1), 5-21. https://doi.org/10.2478/sbe-2024-0001 Aouissi, H.A.; Petrisor, A.-I.; Ababsa, M.; Bostenaru-Dan, M.; Tourki, M.; Bouslama, Z. (2021) Influence of Land Use on Avian Diversity in North African Urban Environments. Land, 10(4), 434. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10040434 Badache, H. (2014) L’espace Public entre Conception et Usage: Cas des jardins publics de Biskra. Master thesis. Mohamed Khider University, Biskra, Algeria Benedict, M.A.; McMahon, E.T. (2002) Green infrastructure: smart conservation for the 21st century. Renewable Resources Journal, 20(3), 12-7. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273127683 Benedict, M.A.; McMahon, E.T. (2006) Green infrastructure: linking landscapes and communities, 1st ed.; Island Press: Washington, USA, 2006; pp. 2-84. Bouzaher, L.S.; Alkama, D. (2017) Le role du palmier dans la decentralisation et le developpement local des Ziban. Courrier du Savoir, 22, 113-20. https://www.univ-biskra.dz/revues/index.php/cds/article/view/1914 Cameron, R.W.F.; Blanuša, T.; Taylor, J.E.; Salisbury, A.; Halstead, A.J.; Henricot, B.; Thompson, K. (2012) The domestic garden – Its contribution to urban green infrastructure. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 11(2), 129-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2012.01.002 Carter, T.; Keeler, A. (2008) Life-cycle cost–benefit analysis of extensive vegetated roof systems. Journal of Environmental Management 87(3), 350-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2007.01.024 Cilliers, S.; Cilliers, J.; Lubbe, R.; Siebert, S. (2013) Ecosystem services of urban green spaces in African countries - perspectives and challenges. Urban Ecosystems, 16(4), 681-702. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11252-012-0254-3 Cirillo, C.; Podolsky, L. (2012) Health, Prosperity and Sustainability: The Case for Green Infrastructure in Ontario, Report of Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition and Ecojustice, Ontario, Canada. pp. 1-25. Dechaicha, A. La soutenabilité de la ville au Sahara entre compacité et tendances d’étalement urbain, Cas d’étude: Les grandes villes du Bas-Sahara algérien, Doctoral dissertation, Mohamed Khider University, Biskra, Algeria, 2020. Frank, A.A.; Mattioli, L. (2023) Implementation of sustainable development goals at the local-neighbourhood scale. Journal of Urban and Regional Analysis 15(1), 125-49. https://doi.org/10.37043/JURA.2023.15.1.6 Gavrilidis, A.A.; Nita, M.R.; Onose, D.-A. (2023) Healthy landscapes: a review of the research on urban landscapes associated with health and wellbeing. Journal of Urban and Regional Analysis, 15(1), 27-53. https://doi.org/10.37043/JURA.2023.15.1.2 Gifex, Quelles sont les communes de la wilaya de Biskra? Available online: https://gifex.com/fr/fichier/quelles-sont-les-communes-de-la-wilaya-de-biskra/ (accessed on 25/05/2024). Gobert, J.; Deroubaix, J.F.; Bourdeau-Lepage, L.; Franchomme, M. (2023) Mise en scène et en récit de la nature dans la ville : de nouvelles frontières. Développement durable et territoires. Économie, géographie, politique, droit, sociologie, 14(3), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.4000/developpementdurable.23586 Gren, A.; Andersson, E. (2018) Being efficient and green by rethinking the urban -rural divide- Combining urban expansion and food production by integrating an ecosystem service perspective into urban planning. Sustainable Cities and Society 40, 75-82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2018.02.031 Hartig, T.; Mitchell, R.; de Vries, S.; Frumkin, H. (2014) Nature and health. Annual Review of Public Health, 35, 207-28. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-032013-182443 Haughton, G.; Hunter, C. (1994) Sustainable cities, 1st ed.; Routledge: London, UK, 2003; pp. 8-27. Isabelle, M.; Zadra-Veil, C.; Cantuarias-Villessuzanne, C.; Chardon, A.C. (2019) Immobilier durable de la ville d'aujourd'hui à la cité de demain, Le 1?? journée d’étude du laboratoire ESPI Réflexions et Recherches, Groupe ESPI, Paris, France. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.11599.20649 Kim, D.; Song, S.-K. (2019) The Multifunctional Benefits of Green Infrastructure in Community Development: An Analytical Review Based on 447 Cases. Sustainability, 11(14), 3917. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143917 Kouzmine, Y.; Fontaine, J. (2018) Démographie et urbanisation au Sahara algérien à l’aube du XXIe siècle. Les Cahiers d’EMAM. Études sur le Monde Arabe et la Méditerranée, 30, 12-35. https://doi.org/10.4000/emam.1426 Lovell, S.T.; Taylor, J.R. (2013) Supplying urban ecosystem services through multifunctional green infrastructure in the United States. Landscape Ecology, 28(8), 1447-463. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10980-013-9912-y Noby, M.; Elattar, M.E.; Hamdy O. (2023) A Machine Learning Model to Predict Urban Sprawl Using Official Land-use Data. Urbanism Architecture Constructions, 14(3), 249-258. Paraschiv, G.I.; Stan, M.-I. (2023) A Brief Survey Concerning Environmental Action: The Need for Collective Engagement. Ovidius University Annals: Economic Sciences Series, 23(1), 182-91. Petrisor, A.-I.; Mierzejewska, L.; Mitrea, A. (2022) Mechanisms of Change in Urban Green Infrastructure - Evidence from Romania and Poland. Land, 11(5), 592. https://doi.org/10.3390/land11050592 Petrisor, A.-I.; Mierzejewska, L.; Mitrea, A.; Drachal, K.; Tache, A.V. (2021) Dynamics of Open Green Areas in Polish and Romanian Cities During 2006-2018: Insights for Spatial Planners, Remote Sensing, 13(20), 4041. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13204041 Prescott-Allen, R. (1997) Barometer of Sustainability: Measuring and Communicating Wellbeing and Sustainable Development, 1st ed.; IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. pp. 1-27. Singh, H.; Kikon Z.T. (2024), Blueprint for sustainable development of urban villages: A case study of Alipur village, Haryana. Urbanism Architecture Constructions, 15(2), 131-46. Stan, M.-I.; Cortel, E.M. (2022) Sustainable rural development: an assessment of citizens' perception regarding the role of the planning framework within the Romanian local communities. Technium Social Sciences Journal, 35, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.47577/tssj.v35i1.7351 Tzoulas, K.; Korpela, K.; Venn, S.; Yli-Pelkonen, V.; Kazmierczak, A.; Niemel?, J.; James, P. (2007) Promoting Ecosystem and Human Health in Urban Areas using Green Infrastructure: A Literature Review. Landscape and Urban Planning, 81(3), 167-78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2007.02.001 Xiao, X.D.; Dong, L.; Yan, H.; Yang, N.; Xiong, Y. (2018) The influence of the spatial characteristics of urban green space on the urban heat island effect in Suzhou Industrial Park. Sustainable Cities and Society 40, 428-439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2018.04.002 Yang, J.; McBride, J.; Zhou, J.; Sun, Z. (2005) The urban forest in Beijing and its role in air pollution reduction. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 3(2), 65-78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2004.09.001 Ziogou, I.; Michopoulos, A.; Voulgari, V.; Zachariadis, T. (2018), Implementation of green roof technology in residential buildings and neighborhoods of Cyprus. Sustainable Cities and Society 40, 233-243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2018.04.007

© 2007 Present Environment and Sustainable Development
ISSN 1843-5971 (Printed version) ISSN 2284 – 7820 (online version)

Home Editorial Board

Webdesign Adrian Ursu ©2008 UAIC