From Participation to Involvement in Urban Open Space Management and Maintenance

Sari Suomalainen (), Outi Tahvonen and Helena Kahiluoto
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Sari Suomalainen: School of Bioeconomy, Landscape Design and Construction, Häme University of Applied Sciences, Lepaantie 129, 14610 Lepaa, Finland
Outi Tahvonen: HAMK Bio Research Unit, Häme University of Applied Sciences, Lepaantie 129, 14610 Lepaa, Finland
Helena Kahiluoto: Sustainability Science, LUT University, 53851 Lappeenranta, Finland

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 19, 1-19

Abstract: Urban open spaces (UOS) provide an everyday environment for residents to experience nature. However, the management of UOS—from zoning to construction and maintenance—tends to follow efficient and straight-forward processes lacking use of residents’ experiences. This study first collected the views of management professionals on how participation can best benefit management of UOS. Second, a survey used biodiversity as a case to clarify how the ongoing changes in urban biotopes challenge conventional management of UOS. The results showed that especially in the maintenance phase of current UOS management there is potential to further involve residents in a continuous dialogue and activities to account for local perceptions, including residents’ sensing and emotions raised by UOS. Such involvement may facilitate positive human-nature relations but may require new modes of interaction. We thus propose such adaptive management to foster residents’ contribution to sustainability transition.

Keywords: strategic management; green spaces; residents’ perceptions; governance; sustainability transition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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