Governance Systems for Health and Well-being promoting Greenspace

Supervisors: Thomas B Randrup SLU, Kjell Nilsson, Åsa Ode Sang SLU

Cooperation with:
Nordregio, Sweden
Aalto University, Finland
Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway
Täby Municipality, Sweden
Vilhelmina Municipality, Sweden
Aarhus Municipality, Denmark
Stavanger Municipality, Norway
Espoo Municipality, Finland
Ii Municipality, Finland

Financier: NordForsk
Time period: 2020-2024

The PhD-project Governance Systems for Health and Well-being promoting Greenspace is a part of the larger Nordgreen project that aims to explore connections between human health and well-being and green space, and how knowledge of this is implemented in municipal planning and management processes. Focus is on challenges such as densification and uneven access to green and health promoting spaces. The project is done together with six Nordic cities: Täby, Vilhelmina, Stavanger, Aarhus, Espoo and Ii.

The purpose of this PhD project is to support sustainability though smart planning and management, by describing modes of operation within local government planning and management, both within the organisations and in cooperation with external actors.

Methodologically, we will analyse how the connection between green space and human health and well-being is presented in local government policy and strategy documents, as well as the how organisational working processes support this connection. Additionally, case studies within the partner cities will be performed to qualify the understanding on how these plans and processes are implemented in practice.

This will result in new approaches to governance, planning and management of green spaces, to promote green spaces as human health and well-being facilitators.