Residents’ attitudes and behaviours on private green spaces in the suburban areas of Central European countries

Residents’ attitudes and behaviours on private green spaces
in the suburban areas of Central European countries

Summary of a research paper published in:

Regional Sustainability, Volume 5, Issue 4, December 2024, 100180

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666660X24000793?via%3Dihub#gs1

Hardi, Tamás – Páthy, Ádám – Pozsgai, Andrea

Green spaces in urban and suburban areas play a significant role in helping settlements adapt to climate change. The design, quantity, quality, and location of green spaces influence their ability to provide benefits to people and enhance the quality of life. Private green spaces in suburban areas are an essential part of the green spaces and they can form advanced urban biocenoses if adequately managed. Our study, based on a questionnaire survey, investigated how the attitudes and behaviours of residents in 12 suburban villages from three Central European countries (Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania) shape private green spaces. Our analysis examined attitudes and behaviours related to green spaces from three perspectives; factors behind choosing the settlement and plot for moving out from cities, attitudes towards the management of private green spaces, and ways of management. The questionnaire survey was conducted in suburban zone of four cities in three Central European countries. Two cities (Győr and Kecskemét) are located in Hungary, one (Nitra) in Slovakia, and one (Cluj) in Romania. Non-metropolitan and non-capital urban areas in these post-socialist countries began experiencing suburbanisation in the 2000s. Previously, this phenomenon was observed only around the capital cities but not in other cities. In the 1990s, housing construction was limited due to capital constraints and economic difficulties. However, after the turn of the millennium, the pace of new construction accelerated, leading more urban residents to move to suburban areas to build new homes.

Three sample settlements were selected for each city. The selection criterion was that settlements should represent different zones within city region, effectively placing them along an urban-rural gradient. Of the three sample settlements, the one closest to the city has been strongly affected by suburbanization. The second sample settlement is characterised by significant growth, with the development of new suburban areas dominated by detached houses. In contrast, the third sample settlement shows population growth but lacks new neighbourhoods. Traditional villages were typically found in these sample settlements, or new buildings were built.

In line with the research model, the analysis focuses on three thematically interlinked issues. Motivation was examined through the factors of moving out of the city and the choice of ‘target’ settlement, attitudes through the importance attached to the different functions of private green spaces, and behaviour through the specific uses of green space (plant species, surface types). Our primary experience with the motivational factors was that the natural environment and, more narrowly, the quantity and quality of green spaces were of high importance in all the urban areas studied, confirming that a lifestyle close to nature is a primary perception associated with suburban areas. The figure below shows the proportion of different motivational factors that are considered important by city region.

In order to investigate attitudes towards green spaces, content factors were developed in order to examine attitudes towards gardens and green spaces in a complex way. Of the six factors developed, two are general (utility, convenience) and four refer to some aspect of awareness (biodiversity, ecology, indigenous species, climate awareness). Two characteristic results on attitudes emerge. On the one hand, it can be seen that the differences between villages and settlers are most marked in terms of convenience and utility, supporting the hypothesized existence of a difference between traditional and ‘novel’ approaches. It also shows that attitudes related to awareness can only be considered to be consistent to a small extent, thinking in complex ecological systems is characteristic of a small part of the respondents, but awareness is reflected in the practice of green space management (species richness, minimal proportion of fallow and paved areas). The table below shows the deviations from the average among those who are characterized by a certain type of awareness.

Note: + and – indicate the direction and extent of differences between the two groups, respectively. One mark means significant relative difference below 10% and two marks mean significant relative difference over 10%.

In the use and management of green spaces, differences can be seen not only in terms of attitudes, but also in the practices of settlers and villagers. Of the plant types studied, four types of trees (large trees, fruit trees, ornamental trees, and pines) are significantly more abundant in the gardens of the original villagers, as are most other plants (herbaceous plants, vines, and roses). The same is true for kitchen gardens, which were planted by two-thirds of the original villagers’ households, compared to only half of settlers. The figure below shows the most characteristics differences in the presence of plant and cultivation types.

Summarizing the main conclusions from our research, we can state that people who relocate from cities to suburban areas often possess strong emotional connection to green spaces. It is very important for many people to have a nice garden and a healthy environment. Once settled, these residents are driven to create and maintain green spaces, viewing a well-kept garden and a healthy environment as essential.

In suburban development, engaging the population in greening efforts is crucial due to the limited availability of public green spaces. Private green spaces can provide ecological services such as ecological corridors, microclimate regulation, enhancement of townscape aesthetics, and increasing biodiversity.

Our findings also indicated a gap in both attitudes and behaviours regarding the effective management of green spaces. Many residents perceived their new home as an isolated sanctuary, with fences and hedges symbolizing separation rather than integration into the broader ecosystem.

As a result, there is a need for targeted programs that consider differences in residential areas and social status and aim to create appropriate green spaces in suburban areas. Education efforts to improve the population’s ecological knowledge are also necessary.

While this study provides valuable insights, it also acknowledges limitations in capturing the full spectrum of attitudes and behaviours towards green spaces. Nevertheless, it offers a solid foundation for further research into the factors influencing green space management and the potential for enhancing suburban environments.

Acknowledgements: The research is a part of the project “Effects of Suburbanization, Urban Sprawl on the Environmental Change of Suburbs in Central European Middle-Sized Urban Regions” supported by the Hungarian National Research, Development and Innovation Fund (NKFI-6-K-128703)