Urban communities appreciate green spaces and should be allowed to co-manage these areas for better results, writes interdisciplinary researcher Tapan Kumar Nath.
IN 2022, the Prime Minister of Malaysia outlined directions towards developing and improving the country’s urban green infrastructure, which would turn into therapy spaces in an effort to relieve the stresses of life that directly improve mental and physical well-being of urban people.
To achieve this vision, I urge the authorities to engage community associations actively in the governance structure of urban green spaces (UGS).
(Feature pic: Precious forests stretch across the dense urban clusters of Kota Damansara and Mont Kiara. | Pic from Google Earth Pro, 2023)
Involving community in managing forests, including UGS, enhances collective action, improves wellbeing of users, and increases efficiency in resource use. Such multi-stakeholder management has been observed by researchers. In Scotland, for example, several urban community woodlands are being managed in a way that involves locals in making decisions about how to manage the woodlands.
Despite these known benefits, Malaysia lacks community involvement in UGS governance. Our recent study – soon to be published – shows that community associations have little say in the governance of UGS. Most community associations remain excluded from the decision-making process in managing UGS.
Green and good
Urban green spaces refer to both natural and man-made vegetative areas in urban environments. These can be forests, parks, gardens, and mountain routes. UGS provide essential ecosystem services to the urban population: they moderate temperatures, reduce noise, mitigate climate change, enhance air quality, and lower the risk of flooding.
These green areas, regardless of their size, provide an exceptional opportunity for urban dwellers to engage in “green exercise” activities, such as walking and cycling, within natural surroundings. Engaging in green exercise improves personal well-being with positive impacts on both mental and physical health. People of all ages benefit.
Such health benefits extend beyond the individual. The society gains economic benefits, such as cost savings for public health services and greater productivity resulting from reduced illness and absenteeism in the workplace. It was estimated that 30-minute walk three days a week by 2.12 million individuals in the UK can generate an economic benefit of £1.75 billion per year.
On the decline
In a 2018 study, my colleagues and I found that Kuala Lumpur residents had growing appreciation for the benefits and functionalities of UGS.
Yet, green spaces are imperilled. They are being degraded, fragmented, and reduced by the development of infrastructure, commercial, and industrial areas, which has been exacerbated by the rapid urbanisation and population growth.
I’ve found only a handful of studies on changes in UGS in Malaysia. One study found that Kuala Lumpur lost about 88% of its UGS between 2007 and 2017 (it gained 114% in built-up regions). Another study in 2017 indicated that the UGS in the capital fell from 13 square metres per person in 2010 to 8.5 square metres in 2014 due to unplanned development and increasing population density.
Consequently, Kuala Lumper does not meet the global average of 9 square meters of UGS per person.
Communities act to protect
In response to the depletion of green spaces in Kuala Lumpur, urban dwellers, especially those living nearby, have taken measures to preserve the remaining urban forests. Several local associations/NGOs have volunteered to engage in an informal manner with forestry/local government agencies to safeguard and preserve these UGS as urban community forests.
Several societies, including the Kota Damansara Community Forest Society (KDCFS), Friends of Bukit Kiara (FoBK), Shah Alam Community Forest Society (SACF), and Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) are strongly linked to these urban community forests.
These associations interact with government agencies. They raise funds and oversee activities such as the building and upkeep of forest trails for visitors, educational programmes for school kids, and partnerships with researchers. Every week, thousands of nature enthusiasts visit these urban community forests for physical exercise and leisure activities.
The urban community forests exemplify how community involvement can contribute to the preservation of a UGS for educational purposes, biodiversity conservation, and visitor activities. The co-management model of KDCFS was highly recognised in the Malaysian National Policy on Biological Diversity 2016 – 2025 and strongly recommended for replication in many more locations. This model shows how a community association works with government agencies, civil society, corporate sector, and other stakeholders towards effective management of urban community forests.
Co-management benefits
What can we sustain and promote from the KDCFS model?
A co-management committee, legally endorsed by the authority of the respective UGS, can be formed with members from community associations, relevant government agencies (e.g., the forestry department, the department of landscape, city councils, etc.), civil society, and researchers. This small committee would jointly look after the overall management of UGS and ensure financial sustainability for the maintenance of recreational facilities. For financial sustainability, government agencies can allocate regular fiscal budgets for UGS management.
UGS play a significant role in the social, environmental, and economic aspects of sustainable development, which form the basis of 17 United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs). Hence, I recommend that city councils adopt enduring strategies and implement measures to facilitate the expansion and collective governance of these significant green areas. This approach could aid the government in attaining the SDGs.
Tapan Kumar Nath is a Professor at the School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia. He studies how communities and the authorities could work together to better manage and use resources in the Global South.
[Edited by YH Law]
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Macaranga.
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