A municipality is interested in a green structure plan for several reasons:

1. To map current status of green areas and their changes over time. For example, what happens with the vegetation in public parks over time, even if the mapped land use does not change?

2. To maintain biological diversity. Different species or groups of species use different varieties of green structure as corridors. For example, small birds would avoid open areas, and need a corridor of trees to move safely. In open areas, they would expose themselves to predators.

3. Green structures are being used for recreation.

4. Vegetation converts carbon dioxide to oxygen, reduces noise, and has aesthetical value. Vegetation also binds water, reducing the prospect of floods after heavy rainfall.

5. If accurate, the green structure map can be used in overlays.

The green structure includes private gardens. Although not accessible to the public, private gardens containing trees contributes to items 2 and 4 above.

Forest and farmland are not in the focus of this study, since they are well mapped, and the land cover aligns well with the land use classification of traditional mapping.