User participation in urban green commons: Exploring the links between access, voluntarism, biodiversity and well being

Abstract

Polycentric governance and stakeholder participation in natural resource management have potential benefits for both human and environmental well-being. Researchers and decision-makers have attempted to conceptualise the ecological, social and political potential of such semi-formal approaches to urban green space management. However, few studies have quantified the actual benefits in terms of biodiversity and associated ecosystem service provision, or the factors that mediate levels of participation.The links between biodiversity potential, site access and user participation were explored in a case study comprising ten established examples of organised social-ecological initiatives in the inner-city area of Greater Manchester. At the micro-scale, the case study quantified the levels of community involvement (measured in volunteer hours month¯¹) in local green commons and the biodiversity potential (assessed using floristic and structural diversity as a surrogate) of the ten sites. Descriptive analysis identified that site spatial and design characteristics affected all three measures and subsequent correlational analyses revealed a high degree of synergy between site use and biodiversity.

Informal Urban Green Space: Residents’ Perception, Use, and Management Preferences across Four Major Japanese Shrinking Cities

“…This raises the question of how local governments can procure additional green space areas, not least to adapt to climate change, rising temperatures and associated heat waves. Cities in North America and Europe have been looking toward participative vacant land management to meet residents' needs [10][11][12][13][14]. However, despite introducing participative management for formal green spaces since the 1990s [15], local governments in Japan have been slow to explore this direction for non-traditional green spaces.…”

Shifts in ecosystem services in deprived urban areas: understanding people’s responses and consequences for well-being

“…Restoration of the urban commons has been set in motion through global treaties, e.g., Ramsar for wetland protection, as well as collective citizen action. Although such initiatives have succeeded in raising public awareness and support, improving ecological conditions, and creating tourism and recreational benefits, such initiatives do not necessarily benefit all citizens alike (Enqvist et al 2014, Cobbinah et al 2015, Dennis and James 2016. Even though restoration may counter the negative effects of environmental degradation, it comes with access restrictions that have the same effect that pollution has: the use of livelihood-supporting ES is inhibited.…”

The Impact of International Cooperative Initiatives on Biodiversity (ICIBs)

“…Direct environmental outcomes relate to the production of additional greenspace, or the enhancement and maintenance of existing greenspace Mattijssen et al Draft). Reported benefits of active citizenship include the provision of regulatory ecosystem services (Krasny et al 2014), an increase in biodiversity and pollination (Dennis and James 2016) and a decrease in CO2 emissions (Barthel, Parker, and Ernstson 2015).…”

“…Several scholars have suggested that especially European and US cities now experience the next step in polycentric governance, where the involvement of citizens in greenspace governance further shifts from a focus on public participation in government policies towards increased active citizenship (Buijs and al. 2017;Dennis and James 2016;Andersson et al 2014;McMillen et al 2016;Chan, DuBois, and Tidball 2015). Indeed, Aichi Target 1 states that by 2020, at the latest, people are aware of the values of biodiversity and the steps they can take to conserve and use it sustainably.…”