Green space management for biodiversity: Swedish Managers’ experience of implementation and influence

The global biodiversity crisis requires multifaceted approaches across several contexts to reduce the speed of the decline and potentially enhance biodiversity. Management of green spaces, including municipal parks, housing areas and cemeteries, can strengthen these efforts. This paper reports the results of a workshop with 33 green space managers from tactical and operational levels, with eight facilitating researchers, on central aspects influencing management for biodiversity. Workshop participants shared their contextual experiences and ranked 16 predefined aspects that affect green space management for biodiversity. Prioritisation of biodiversity in politics and governance, its priority internally in the organisation and nature’s overall priority in society emerged as important factors. Access to economic resources, laws and regulations, and communication both within organisations and with the public were much discussed. Meadow establishment and maintenance, deadwood handling and plant selection were concrete examples of the work where knowledge about biodiversity could also play a role. Green space management holds promising yet untapped potentials for enhancing biodiversity. This article serves as a starting point for further research in this field. • Urban green space managers (still) have limited practical biodiversity-experience • Biodiversity is often enhanced through meadows and other grasslands • Political prioritisation of biodiversity is heavily influencing practice • Economy, regulations and communication are other influencing aspects • Urban green space management holds potentials to preserve and enhance biodiversity