Abstract

Woodlands are a core component of urban green infrastructure in terms of both ecosystem service provision and areal cover, with particular relevance and potential for engaging citizens in co-management approaches. Despite widespread agreement on the importance of user participation, there is still a lack of comprehensive knowledge on the underlying drivers. Extending existing knowledge is important for efforts by local authorities to facilitate and sustain participation. The present longitudinal mixed-method study investigated residents' drivers for participating in the management of urban woodland bordering their gardens in a so-called co-management zone in the Danish residential area Sletten, Holstebro. Repeated field surveys of physical signs of participation were combined with a field survey of woodland vegetation characteristics and demographic data on residents. Mixed generalised linear modelling was performed to identify the dominant personal, physical environmental and social environmental variables explaining level of resident participation. The statistical analysis was complemented by interviews with residents. Both personal and environmental drivers explained participation. Interest in gardening, stand height and residents inspiring their neighbours helped explain participation in 2010, while increase in participation between 2010 and 2015 was supported by forest edge type and length of residence. Thus, a stronger focus on the temporal dimension is recommended for future studies. Green space managers wanting to facilitate co-management can encourage participation by identifying people interested in gardening who inspire others, combined with strategic woodland vegetation design and management aimed at increasing visual and physical accessibility, i.e. establishing one-step and semi-open forest edges and sufficient tree height.

Keywords

Involvement; Green space management; Co-management zones; Gardening; Motives

Published in

Landscape and Urban Planning
2019, Volume: 186, pages: 79-90

SLU Authors

• Fors, Hanna

  • Department of Landscape Architecture, Planning and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Wiström, Björn

  • Department of Landscape Architecture, Planning and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Sustainable Development Goals

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable


UKÄ Subject classification

Landscape Architecture


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2019.02.017

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/98957