ASSESSMENT OF ROADSIDE LANDSCAPE UP-GRADATION: A CASE STUDY OF CANAL ROAD, FAISALABAD.

A field and social survey was conducted to assess the effectiveness and visual quality of roadside landscape planning at canal road, Faisalabad, as landscape assessment is an important tool to check qualities and flaws of a landscape planning and proposed design for a place. In the field survey, previous and new vegetation was studied and an inventory of plantation was prepared, while for social survey, questionnaires were developed for residents and officials to acquire relevant information regarding their perceptions on environmental improvement, property value enhancement, encroachment control, health benefits, pollution control, and care and management of roadside plantation. The total sample size was 200 respondents, 100 from each side of canal, viz. east and west side. Collected data were analyzed statistically using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS; Version 11, 2003). Results of the study showed that majority of respondents, 94.5%, agreed that environment was improved in the vicinity, 68% of respondents agreed that pollution has reduced, 95.5% of respondents agreed that encroachment was controlled and 97% of respondents observed that property value was increased in the surroundings as a result of landscaping and plantation in roadside green spaces. Majority of respondents (91.5%) also believed that these improvements had positive impact on human health. Regarding public awareness about plantation, only 16.5% were aware and majority (83.5%) of respondents was not aware of type of plantation installed in the green spaces. About two-third (65%) of respondents noticed problems in the recently developed roadside green spaces, out of which majority assessed daily maintenance, development and management as major issues, while lack of irrigation system, labor, resources and machinery was reported by developers and landscape architects. However, the impact assessment of recent landscape improvements revealed that development of green spaces and proper plantation along the roads impart highly positive impact on environmental, social, health and economic status of an urban community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]