Designing a Fuzzy Inference System for Multi-Criteria Assessment of Urban Green Space Development (Case study: Shiraz Metropolitan Area)

Abstract

Urban green spaces are recognized as key ecological service providers to urban dwellers with multiple functions and also an important pillar of sustainable development. The multi criteria nature and the uncertainty associated with the assessing of green space development make the issue as complex as cannot be addressed with conventional logical methods. One of the most important methods of multi criteria assessment is Fuzzy Inference System (FIS). This paper assesses urban green space development within Shiraz metropolitan area, Iran based on various criteria by designing a special fuzzy inference system. The data for the present study were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The result revealed that increase in green space area and the per capita allocated to each person and subsequently the improvement in their distribution pattern in the last decade have changed the status of the majority of regions' green spaces toward relatively developed and definitely developed regions. Predictions and strategic analysis of the developing green space found that, if the growth rate of green space area exceeds 30%, region 7 will be a relatively developed region and if the increase in the area of this land use exceeds 45%, it will be definitely a developed region.
Keywords: Green Spaces, Multi criteria, Fuzzy Inference System