Urban green spaces in Australian cities: social inclusion and community participation

Abstract

Urban green spaces provide many benefits to urban dwellers, from the environmental functions of cooling, air purification, stormwater mediation and biodiversity habitat, to contributions to mental and physical well-being, sense of place and connections to community. Urban environmental justice requires that there is equitable access to urban green spaces, distributed throughout the city. While some researchers have focused on the ‘unintended consequences’ of rising property prices and ‘green gentrification’ adjacent to new or rejuvenated green spaces, the health and well-being benefits of proximity to green space reinforce the importance of a distributed green space network across urban area..