Lifestyle and language barriers influence community engagement with green infrastructure

Everett, Glyn; Matsler, A. Marissa; Chan, Faith Ka Shun; Naclerio, Marissa A; Morzillo, Anita T; Lamond, Jessica E

Abstract

Few studies have focused on value structures, experiences, and cultural diversity as it relates to bioswale planning and implementation. We used ‘Point of Opportunity Interactions’ to understand previously undocumented views of the Cantonese-speaking immigrant community regarding bioswale design and use for stormwater management in Portland, Oregon, USA. Approximately half of participants were not aware of bioswale function. Maintenance costs and aesthetics were noted concerns, but parking and safety were not. Lack of outreach materials in the Chinese language(s), evening and weekend work schedules, and lack of clarity about maintenance responsibility were among barriers to public participation. Overall, lack of trust for the city and city officials was apparent, and hindered outreach and engagement. Emphasis on informality and place-based data collection near bioswales as neutral outdoors spaces, andproximate to participant residences, facilitated communication with this ‘hard-to-reach’ population and revealed information that would have gone unknown using traditional outreach strategies.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 26, 2023
• Online Publication Date: May 20, 2023
• Publication Date: Oct 31, 2023
• Deposit Date: Jun 5, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: May 21, 2024
• Journal: Ambio
• Print ISSN: 0044-7447
• Electronic ISSN: 1654-7209
• Publisher: Springer (part of Springer Nature)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 52
• Pages: 1650–1660
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-023-01877-6
• Keywords: Point of opportunity interactions (POI), Bioswales, Hard-to-reach communities, Green infrastructure, Cantonese, Stormwater management
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10835772
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13280-023-01877-6
• Additional Information: The research was performed as part of the ‘Clean Water for All’, Blue-Green Cities Research Consortium (www.bluegreencities.ac.uk; UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council grant EP/K013661/1, with contributions from the Environment Agency and Rivers Agency, Northern Ireland) and part of the Portland-Vancouver Urban Long-Term Research Area Exploratory Project (ULTRA-Ex; US National Science Foundation grant #0948983). Data analysis and writing time were allocated under Urban Flood Resilience in an Uncertain Future (EPSRC grant EP/P004180/1). Photo credits: G. Everett and M. Matsler.