2.6 Community Engagement
The knowledge, awareness, perspectives, and
perceptions of a city’s residents and workers are
important for the success for urban greening
strategies (Kendal et al., 2022). Even with the best
tree planning and management policies in place,
unless residents and business owners value trees,
urban greening will be challenging, and maintaining
larger trees in the urban landscape will be difficult
(Kirkpatrick et al., 2012). People’s perception,
attitudes and values can affect whether trees are
seen as important and worth looking after, or a
nuisance and a burden (Kirkpatrick et al., 2012).
Where communities and businesses are involved
in decision-making about urban trees, have the
opportunity express diverse viewpoints and learn
about the perspectives of others, there is a higher
chance of success in urban forestry and greening
(Carmichael et al., 2018).
It is essential that the implementation of Launceston’s
Urban Greening Strategy occurs in a collaborative
and participatory way to ensure the wider community
and landowners understand the many benefits that
trees can provide, that species selection can reduce
risks, and can increase ‘buy‑in’ to the urban greening
strategy (Barron et al., 2021; Kendal et al., 2022). It
will be necessary to work closely with residents, to
understand their needs, preferences and concerns,
and then to share experiences and test different
approaches that may work better in particular places.
Some of the ways that local communities have
been involved in delivering urban forest strategies
are through ‘Adopt-A-Tree’ programs where the
community can request free street trees in exchange
for tree care and watering, free tree giveaway
programs where community members plant trees
on private land and balconies, community co-design
planting processes, tree inventories supported
by community participation, community gardens,
education programs such as planting days that involve
the community in ongoing management of the urban
forest. Incentives like ‘Adopt-A-Patch’ where schools
or groups use a patch as an outdoor classroom create
a sense of connection between trees and places.
Another example from the City of Melbourne allows
community members to communicate with trees
by writing them an email. The implementation plan
intends to develop a program for how the community
is to be engaged in a participatory way.
perceptions of a city’s residents and workers are
important for the success for urban greening
strategies (Kendal et al., 2022). Even with the best
tree planning and management policies in place,
unless residents and business owners value trees,
urban greening will be challenging, and maintaining
larger trees in the urban landscape will be difficult
(Kirkpatrick et al., 2012). People’s perception,
attitudes and values can affect whether trees are
seen as important and worth looking after, or a
nuisance and a burden (Kirkpatrick et al., 2012).
Where communities and businesses are involved
in decision-making about urban trees, have the
opportunity express diverse viewpoints and learn
about the perspectives of others, there is a higher
chance of success in urban forestry and greening
(Carmichael et al., 2018).
It is essential that the implementation of Launceston’s
Urban Greening Strategy occurs in a collaborative
and participatory way to ensure the wider community
and landowners understand the many benefits that
trees can provide, that species selection can reduce
risks, and can increase ‘buy‑in’ to the urban greening
strategy (Barron et al., 2021; Kendal et al., 2022). It
will be necessary to work closely with residents, to
understand their needs, preferences and concerns,
and then to share experiences and test different
approaches that may work better in particular places.
Some of the ways that local communities have
been involved in delivering urban forest strategies
are through ‘Adopt-A-Tree’ programs where the
community can request free street trees in exchange
for tree care and watering, free tree giveaway
programs where community members plant trees
on private land and balconies, community co-design
planting processes, tree inventories supported
by community participation, community gardens,
education programs such as planting days that involve
the community in ongoing management of the urban
forest. Incentives like ‘Adopt-A-Patch’ where schools
or groups use a patch as an outdoor classroom create
a sense of connection between trees and places.
Another example from the City of Melbourne allows
community members to communicate with trees
by writing them an email. The implementation plan
intends to develop a program for how the community
is to be engaged in a participatory way.
No comments:
Post a Comment