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Lifestyle and language barriers influence community engagement with green infrastructure

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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, and proximate to participant residences, facilitated communication with this ‘hard-to-reach’ population and revealed information that would have gone unknown using traditional outreach strategies.

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Acknowledgements

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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Frenchay Campus, University of the West of England, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol, BS16 1QY, England

    Glyn Everett & Jessica E. Lamond

  2. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA

    A. Marissa Matsler

  3. School of Geographical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo, 315100, China

    Faith Ka Shun Chan

  4. Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA

    Marissa A. Naclerio & Anita T. Morzillo

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  1. Glyn Everett
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  2. A. Marissa Matsler
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Correspondence to Anita T. Morzillo.

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Everett, G., Matsler, A.M., Chan, F.K.S. et al. Lifestyle and language barriers influence community engagement with green infrastructure. Ambio 52, 1650–1660 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-023-01877-6

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