My Research Project

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Green space management – Institutions, user demands and governance approaches in Norway

 

Introduction

Changing patterns of urbanisation (Antrop, 2004) and building projects within city boundaries (St.meld. nr. 31, (2002-2003)) diminish and fragment urban green spaces in Norway (Halvorsen Thorén, 2010). This challenges the use of urban green space that is dependent upon time and access as well as motivation (Koppen et al., 2014) and the ability of a place to fulfil the needs of a user (Kaplan and Kaplan, 1989). Accessible and relevant green spaces have to be where people already live. Public urban green spaces are means to accomplish wider societal aims (Konijnendijk, 2005), such as social inclusion, inclusive design and health promotion. Such aims link green space to city planning and goals of sustainability, creation of urban networks and further national and international policies, such as the Agenda 21 and EU’s Aarhus Convention. The reduction of green space challenges the existence of provided services and the values perceived (Haaland and van den Bosch, 2015, Kabisch et al., 2015).

The provision of quality green space is a practical domain that interlinks planning, design, management and maintenance with governance and is dependent upon municipal institutions practicing green management. These institutions have been subjected to internal organisational changes and reforms in respond to new public management and new public governance (Leiren et al., 2016). Municipal managers have to prioritise and facilitate quality urban green spaces under resource constrains, varied political support, increasing demands of varied user groups (Lindholst et al., 2016, Walker, 2004) and national and international policies. Realization of those policies varies greatly with local context. Resources used by municipal authorities are varied, no uniform organisation and a multiplicity of priorities and practices exists (Randrup & Persson, 2009).

Complexity and plurality exists in defining the quality of green space. Definitions are influenced by academic or practical orientations of experts, and varying perceptions among professionals, politicians and the users. To recognise the most important characteristics of the overall urban green structure, and to assess the delivery of those in quality urban green spaces is a constant challenge for green space managers. Planning operations include more and more the involvement and encouragement of the public and other stakeholders in order to better plan green spaces according to their demands and needs (Lindholst et al., 2015, UK National Ecosystem Assessment, 2014). Participation can take place at different levels and stages of the planning process, resulting in a range of new practices and interactions  Research points at different challenges and benefits arising with involvement of the public, illuminating the range of opinions about what characterises quality green space and which practices provide successful keeping of quality green space (Fors et al., 2015).

In order to prevent the depletion and keep the quality of urban green space, successful policies, practices, resources available and public involvement processes must be identified. Thus, the analysis of the green space management situation in Norway needs to focus on both the relation and the dependencies necessary to create and safeguard quality green spaces.

Statement of the Problem  

Literature indicates that urban green space managers operate primarily on the operational and tactical level, focusing on maintenance issues. Management of green spaces is often fragmented and managers are located in different departments and units (Leiren et al., 2016, Randrup and Persson, 2009). Thus, available resources differ between municipalities and the actual use of resources depends greatly upon the manager. Resources include knowledge, based on education, ability to communicate and understanding of local public needs and values. Resources also include modes of financing, collaborations, participation, models and quality assessment tools.

New challenges arise in management of existing green spaces, when combined with resource constrains and new modes of public involvement. A variety of approaches to integrate such processes into management of green space has emerged, but the conjuncture of supply of quality green space provided by municipalities and their managers and the demand set by users is unclear.

Aims

The overall aim is to describe the state of contemporary green space management in Norway and identify key practices that keep quality green space.

Secondary aims are i) to identify key resources for up-keep of quality green space (as defined by managers and users), and ii) to contribute to the further development of a theoretical framework for management of green space.

 

Objectives

1. To analyse contemporary Norwegian municipal green space management from an institutional perspective through the identification of available resources, rules, discourses and actor approaches.
2. To describe the state of green spaces as evaluated by green space managers and users, including an identification of successful practices.
3. To assess the consequences of contemporary green space management on keeping quality green space.