Articles
LANDSCAPING OF HOUSING ESTATES IN GHANA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE STATE HOUSING CORPORATION
Unfortunately, most people consider that landscaping is a type of decoration to be applied after buildings and reads have been constructed.
The main difficulty in trying to introduce landscaping in the State Housing Corporation comes from the authorities of the Corporation.
Their lack of interest led to insufficient financial allocation for any significant landscape work.
They also lack a concern for the existing physical environment as well as the environment they create.
Lack of respect for the natural environment has led to the destruction of the existing landscape.
There is also lack of coordination among the professionals involved in the construction of the estates : architects, planners, engineers and landscape designers.
Another problem is that those who occupy certain categories of estates have little or no concern for their immediate environment and do little or nothing to help.
Once the public realise that pleasant surroundings to everyday life are as important as the dwelling house itself and that the whole landscape is an extension of their own homes, things might improve.
To effect any significant change in the landscape outlook of the estates, interest in ornamental horticulture must be instilled in the authorities of the Corporation, purchases of the houses and the general public by educational campaigns on the values of landscaping.
This will lead to the allocation of adequate finance for landscaping projects, recruitment of qualified personnel, and proper coordination among the agencies and professionals involved, for the preservation and improvement of the natural environment to produce aesthetically inviting and habitable Housing Estates.