Green Belts and the Improving of Air Quality - CASE STUDY: Timisoara and its Surroundings

Abstract

The paper proposes an efficient network of forest belts that can fulfil the multiple roles characteristic to a well-designed intervention: protecting the city against agricultural dust, noise protection, air filtration, stabilization of land, improvement of the quality of agricultural products when growing in protected areas, conservation of the biodiversity following the relief, climate and hydrographical conditions and the development of agricultural landscape. This last goal is very important as in the vicinity of Timisoara one has little natural landscape attractions. The paper also aims to establish a favourable ratio intervention / costs, leading to the actual implementation of the proposal in a short time to have concrete results. The main research methods used are bibliographic documentation, analysis of sampled data provided by institutions in the field and simulation, in order to determine the optimum size of the forest belts for an efficient protection against agricultural dust and other major pollutants which arise from the surroundings of the city. The paper sets a proposal of practical solutions to improve air quality and decrease negative effects on public health due to high levels of allergens coming from plants on vacant lots as well as agricultural plots.Green belts are accessible ways to improve the quality of the environment of a city and its surroundings. The success of these methods also depends on the existence of programs and organizations that promote measures in the field.