Guenat, S, Dougill, AJ orcid.org/0000-0002-3422-8228 and Dallimer, M orcid.org/0000-0001-8120-3309 (2020) Social network analysis reveals a lack of support for greenspace conservation. Landscape and Urban Planning, 204. 103928. p. 103928. ISSN 0169-2046
Abstract
Retaining urban greenspaces is essential to ensure that cities remain liveable and resilient. However, greenspaces are usually given a low priority by many stakeholders. This means that greenspaces are often converted to other land-uses. Using social networks to understand how stakeholders interact, and influence one another, is increasingly acknowledged as a key tool in conservation and sustainable land management. Nevertheless, social networks are rarely studied in the context of urban greenspace conservation. We carry out a social network analysis of stakeholders affecting greenspace conservation in two fast growing cities in sub-Saharan Africa. We applied the Netmap method, which mixes visual networks with qualitative interviews, and carried out 23 interviews with stakeholders involved in urban planning and/or greenspace management. Although stakeholders such as non-governmental organisations were supportive of greenspace conservation, analyses revealed that no stakeholders actively protect greenspaces while having sufficient influence to change the plans or decision-making of others. Stakeholders thought that government and traditional leaders had negative, or at best, mixed impact on greenspace conservation. Even though some of these stakeholders recognised the multiple benefits that greenspaces provided, they were strongly influenced by economic pressures to develop land. A lack of support amongst influential stakeholders is undermining the conservation of greenspaces in African cities. To redress this, a better understanding of ways to change perceptions of greenspaces is needed. Additionally, governance structures that support collaboration and coordination should be promoted. Co-developing and communicating a context-specific evidence-base which emphasises the full economic benefits of greenspaces for multiple groups will also be essential to gain the support of influential stakeholders, and thus ensure that rapidly expanding cities in sub-Saharan African conserve greenspaces.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. This is an author produced version of an article published in Landscape and Urban Planning. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) > Sustainability Research Institute (SRI) (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 28 Aug 2020 14:41 |
Last Modified: | 19 Feb 2022 01:38 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2020.103928 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:164884 |
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Filename: Guenat et al. LUP. Author accepted version.pdf
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