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Polarised views of urban biodiversity and the role of socio-cultural valuation: Lessons from Cape Town

Stålhammar, Sanna LU (2021) In Ecosystem Services 47.
Abstract
This study investigates values and narratives of urban biodiversity in the highly culturally and biologically diverse city Cape Town, South Africa. Local expressions of values of biodiversity are explored, in the context of the challenge of accounting for diverse values of biodiversity through a green infrastructure approach. Based on interviews with practitioners involved in green space and biodiversity management I investigate: i) narratives around challenges of different values of biodiversity and green space for management and planning, and ii) the perceived potential of assessments of social values of biodiversity and ES in practice. Highly polarised views of nature and biodiversity exist within management and planning of urban nature... (More)
This study investigates values and narratives of urban biodiversity in the highly culturally and biologically diverse city Cape Town, South Africa. Local expressions of values of biodiversity are explored, in the context of the challenge of accounting for diverse values of biodiversity through a green infrastructure approach. Based on interviews with practitioners involved in green space and biodiversity management I investigate: i) narratives around challenges of different values of biodiversity and green space for management and planning, and ii) the perceived potential of assessments of social values of biodiversity and ES in practice. Highly polarised views of nature and biodiversity exist within management and planning of urban nature within the city. This study shows the complexity of including and integrating highly diverse and contrasting meanings of urban nature and biodiversity for citizens and stakeholders in management and planning based on an ES and GI approach. Potential value-conflicts arise when applying a green infrastructure approach in places with high biodiversity values, where management is based on a traditional conservation perspective. Socio-cultural valuation can be useful in green infrastructure planning, but needs to go beyond a consideration of current preferences, consider informal engagements, and recognise the potential of urban green for citizen building. (Less)
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
ekosystemtjänster, Urban green infrastructure, urban green space, socio-cultural valuation, Biodiversity, Narrative analysis, Urban biodiversity, Socio-cultural valuation, Green infrastructure, Urban ecosystem services, Urban green space, Urban green space planning
in
Ecosystem Services
volume
47
article number
101239
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85099680516
ISSN
2212-0416
DOI
10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101239
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8a67ae53-5b4a-411e-a59f-2d461078d023
date added to LUP
2021-01-25 14:28:16
date last changed
2022-04-26 23:56:04
@article{8a67ae53-5b4a-411e-a59f-2d461078d023,
  abstract     = {{This study investigates values and narratives of urban biodiversity in the highly culturally and biologically diverse city Cape Town, South Africa. Local expressions of values of biodiversity are explored, in the context of the challenge of accounting for diverse values of biodiversity through a green infrastructure approach. Based on interviews with practitioners involved in green space and biodiversity management I investigate: i) narratives around challenges of different values of biodiversity and green space for management and planning, and ii) the perceived potential of assessments of social values of biodiversity and ES in practice. Highly polarised views of nature and biodiversity exist within management and planning of urban nature within the city. This study shows the complexity of including and integrating highly diverse and contrasting meanings of urban nature and biodiversity for citizens and stakeholders in management and planning based on an ES and GI approach. Potential value-conflicts arise when applying a green infrastructure approach in places with high biodiversity values, where management is based on a traditional conservation perspective. Socio-cultural valuation can be useful in green infrastructure planning, but needs to go beyond a consideration of current preferences, consider informal engagements, and recognise the potential of urban green for citizen building.}},
  author       = {{Stålhammar, Sanna}},
  issn         = {{2212-0416}},
  keywords     = {{ekosystemtjänster; Urban green infrastructure; urban green space; socio-cultural valuation; Biodiversity; Narrative analysis; Urban biodiversity; Socio-cultural valuation; Green infrastructure; Urban ecosystem services; Urban green space; Urban green space planning}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Ecosystem Services}},
  title        = {{Polarised views of urban biodiversity and the role of socio-cultural valuation: Lessons from Cape Town}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101239}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101239}},
  volume       = {{47}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}