ANALYZING URBAN GREEN SPACES IN THE ECOSYSTEM OF THE DURRES CITY IN ALBANIA THROUGH PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF MEETING ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS, ACCESSIBILITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE

Population growth as a result of migration from rural areas to urban centers has rapidly changed the attitude and quality of life. Rapid urbanization has brought series of environmental problems such as resource limitations, pollution and noise which affect the quality of life in urban spaces. Urban green spaces are an asset and heritage of the urban ecosystem, which have evolved along with the evolution of the city itself, but their reduction has affected approach attitude in a meaningful way the ecological functions in the urban ecosystem. The urban green spaces such as parks, small forests, wooded promenades, sports fields, gardens, vegetation, trees have many ecological functions as well as other numerous environmental and social functions. Numerous studies show that urban green spaces bring health benefits to city residents. Specifically, the city of Durres, in which this study was conducted, is a city with a high development dynamic, especially in the construction sector, a dynamic that has affected and is increasingly affecting the urban green spaces within it. Evidencing the condition of urban green spaces in the city of Durres and in particular trees, would make it possible to compare their condition with reference to the EU guidelines for this purpose and other areas in the region. The increase in urban green spaces in the city of Durres would not only affect the quality of life of citizens by providing healthy living environments and would also enable and make it potentially important for the development of tourism and eco-tourism. The involvement of the community of Durres citizens would be very important in the design and growth of urban green spaces, which would bring many social and health benefits.