Understanding the attitudes to urban green space for government and business audiences (NY18006)

What was it all about?

This project, which ran during 2019, delivered data and insights on community attitudes and behaviours relating to green space, with the ultimate goal of supporting education around and demand for urban greening.

A national online survey was conducted, with the results clearly demonstrating that communities across Australia value urban green spaces for the multiple benefits that they provide – however this positive perception does not necessarily translate into the implementation of green space across cities and towns.

These findings have been shaped into a Community Engagement Kit, designed for local governments, businesses and others to help improve engagement with community residents on the value of trees and urban greening in their local areas. The kit provides recommendations on how green spaces can be better promoted, such as using non-technical language, focusing on broad community benefits rather than personal ones, using simple methods of communication, and adopting language that highlights the tangible benefits rather than just the concept of green space. It also has practical materials that are adaptable and editable so that users can add their own calls to action, logos and other requirements before producing resources. The kit can be accessed here.

Following on, the investment National extension of a community engagement kit (NY18007), also being delivered by Republic of Everyone, is responsible for bringing the information and resources from the Community Engagement Kit to life – ensuring that local government areas across the country have knowledge of the economic, health, wellbeing and environmental benefits of urban greening, and are equipped with the kit so that they can, in turn, communicate these benefits to their communities. A national event tour is taking place to facilitate this under NY18007.