Beyond polemics: towards an understanding of the narratives around the desired and despised Conocarpus tree in Kuwait for better urban green infrastructure

Reem Alissa

Landscape Research, 2024, vol. 49, issue 6, 867-881

Abstract: Over the past three decades, Kuwait’s urban landscape has become dominated by the controversial Conocarpus lancifolius tree. This exotic tree is shrouded in a polemic discourse, oscillating between desiring or despising it. On one extreme it is desired by local environmental activists as a versatile evergreen tree that can withstand Kuwait’s harsh arid climate and saline soil; on the other, it is despised by local ecologists and engineers for its monoculture and the destructive behaviour of its roots to subsurface urban infrastructure. This qualitative research aims to understand the multiple narratives around C. lancifolius by analysing institutional reports, social media, local news and grounded interviews. It argues for the need to move beyond polemics regarding C. lancifolius by calling for inclusive landscape governance frameworks for its management, and offers initial context-specific recommendations which may contribute to better urban green infrastructure (UGI) implementation in Kuwait.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1080/01426397.2024.2358253

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