Role of urban green spaces and tree plantations in improving ecosystem services and urban resilience

The study aimed to quantify the impact of urban green spaces on air quality, microclimate and climate resilience of cities. The study analysed the impact of urban green spaces on air quality, microclimate regulation and increasing the resilience of urban areas to climate threats. The article conducted a comprehensive analysis of the existing green areas in the five largest cities of Albania: Tirana, Durres, Shkoder, Vlora and Elbasan. To assess the ecosystem services of green spaces, measurements of the concentration of pollutants (CO₂, NO₂, SO₂, CO, PM2.5, PM10), temperature, humidity, and the soil composition and its ability to retain pollutants were analysed. The results showed that in areas with a high density of greenery, NO₂ and PM2.5 concentrations were reduced by 30-50%, indicating a significant air filtration capacity of trees. Temperature measurements demonstrated that park areas had 4-7°C lower temperatures than densely built-up areas, confirming their role in mitigating the urban heat island effect. In addition, soil analysis revealed a 15-25% reduction in Pb, Cd and Hg, which demonstrates the green areas’ ability to naturally cleanse the environment. The green areas also retained 20-40% of precipitation, reducing the risk of flooding and increasing the water-holding capacity of the soil. The findings of the study highlight the need to integrate nature-based solutions into the urban management system to improve the sustainability of the urban environment. The data obtained can be used to develop recommendations for sustainable urban planning and justifying environmentally oriented approaches to the development of urban areas