The “desire to have it all”: multiple priorities for urban gardens reduces space for native nature

Ecology and Society: a journal of integrative science for resilience and sustainability

article

Elizabeth Elliot Noe¹  Bruce D. Clarkson²  Ottilie Stolte¹ 

[1] University of Waikato;Environmental Research Institute, University of Waikato

关键词: connection to nature;    extinction of experience;    gardens;    interpretative phenomenological analysis;    urban biodiversity;    urban greenspace;    value-action gap;    wildlife gardening;   

DOI  :  10.5751/ES-12515-260243

学科分类：生物科学（综合）

来源: Resilience Alliance Publications

【 摘 要 】

The majority of the world’s population now lives in cities, where reduced levels of native biodiversity, coupled with fewer opportunities for people to experience nature, are expected to result in an urban public increasingly disconnected from the natural environment. Residential gardens have great potential to both support native species and allow people daily contact with nature. Embracing the epistemological assumption that urban residents’ interactions with nature in their gardens and parks may be complex, unpredictable, contradictory, and context-dependent, we used an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach to explore the human relationship with urban nature in a New Zealand city. We conducted 21 semi-structured “go-along” interviews to facilitate a deeper understanding of participants’ personal experiences of nature in parks and gardens. Interviews revealed a tension between stated values and concrete actions affecting urban biodiversity in private gardens. This value-action gap stemmed from the multiple purposes and values that people hold for their gardens, which do not necessarily align with conservation of native nature. By recognizing that urban residents hold multiple values and want their gardens to fulfill multiple purposes, local authorities aiming to promote nature conservation in cities can design wildlife gardening programs that meet these multiple needs and reconcile conflicting priorities.

【 授权许可】

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