New research from the University of Sheffield suggests homeowners should be rewarded for their sustainable gardening efforts to encourage healthier urban landscapes.
Gardens are becoming increasingly important in combating the extreme effects of climate change, and when urban gardeners have access to sustainable gardening, there are many environmental and social benefits.
Encourage more gardeners to adopt environmentally friendly techniques
Not only does sustainable gardening provide quality wildlife habitat, it improves local air quality, health and well-being, gives people the opportunity to grow their own food, connect with nature, and reduce their energy bills through better home insulation.
However, to ensure that the garden is filled with plants, financial incentives should be considered. The researchers suggest that policy makers should offer incentives such as a council tax or reduced water bills. This, in turn, will also encourage more gardeners to adopt environmentally friendly techniques.
Cities have lost up to 50% of their “green” green space in the past two decades
Professor Ross Cameron, lead author of the study, said: "Gardens account for a third of all our urban areas and are vital spaces for keeping our buildings and urban environments cool in summer and absorbing rain to prevent flooding. sudden, important protection for wild animals.
"Gardens should be green and full of plants to benefit the local environment, and some types of gardens are more beneficial than others.
The paradox is that many parks are not truly green, and certain garden design trends can be very detrimental to urban environments. We pave to accommodate cars or provide sparse patio space; Factors increasing the temperature in urban areas and increasing the risk of flooding”.
landscape ecosystem services
However, not all gardens are good for our health and the environment. Sustainable gardening must be managed for a specific landscape.
For example, gardens dominated by hard, impermeable surfaces such as concrete pavers, and with limited availability of ("gray") vegetation and wildlife habitat, tend to provide few ecosystem services.
Conversely, those that are vegetated but have limited plant diversity and are managed intensively (“intensively”) will provide intermediate ecosystem services.
Parks that are heavily vegetated, use little energy and other resources, and mimic natural vegetation or transitional ecotones ("green gardens") will tend to maximize urban ecosystem services.
Other urban environmental benefits that policymakers can provide include banning environmentally hazardous materials such as pesticides; or practices such as the installation of artificial grass.
What incentives can politicians offer to ensure parks stay green?
- Offer financial rewards, such as council taxes or reduced water bills, to owners who manage more than 50% of their land
- Provide financial incentives for sustainable gardening, such as B. Planting or maintaining trees in a garden, with appropriate decisions based on garden size
- Prohibiting or limiting features that harm environmental processes, such as B. Setting a maximum area that can be covered with artificial grass and prohibiting the use of synthetic pesticides in home gardens
- Since gardens with a high proportion of plants serve as health facilities, planning processes should include mandatory requirements to include and protect well-planted areas.
“Many residents quickly recognized the value of their gardens during the pandemic restrictions”
Professor Helen Woolley, Head of Landscape Architecture at the University of Sheffield, said: "The value of this study is that it categorically defines the value of a particular type of landscape and its relationship to different socio-economic agendas. environmental. .
“Many residents were quick to recognize the value of their home gardens during the pandemic lockdown, and this scientific work builds on and reinforces what we learned at the time. It is important that policy makers and planners take note of this.
