Green spaces for heat-resilient neighbourhoods in Govan: Community research report

From summer 2023 to the end of 2024, a community-led research project investigated green and natural spaces in Govan and their role in helping residents to cope with hotter weather. Supported by Impact Arts and by the Open University, the team of five community researchers interviewed fellow residents of Govan in a number of different settings, asking them about the natural spaces in their neighbourhood and how they experienced changing weather. Whilst talking, we walked, made collages and drew with the people we were talking to, as a way of enrichening our discussions. The community researchers and Open University academics then read and discussed the recordings, notes and pictures that had been created, and grouped our insights into themes to make sense of them. One of the most important points we noticed across all the discussions was how green spaces in Govan supported healing and spirituality. Different people told us how they took solace in nature, and how it supported recovery and interaction. However, not everybody felt the green spaces around them were accessible and safe. This had to do with lighting and perceptions of safety at night, and also ease of physical access to spaces for those less able to move. We also heard a lot about stewardship and responsibility. It is hard to get away from the fact that vandalism is a problem for many of the spaces in Govan, but citizens coming together and participating in restoring and looking after green spaces can support the council’s efforts. Stewardship needs to be accompanied by awareness of the adaptations that are needed for a changing climate, and a sense of what is appropriate for different locations. Knowledge of climate change also came across strongly, with many residents seeing changes in the weather and seasons when they were outside. Underlying all of these issues was the question of inequality – not only inequality in access to green spaces, but also inequality in access to the knowledge and skills required to create and maintain green spaces. So, how do all of these relate to experiences of hot weather? The common strand is that as well as providing shading and cooling, green spaces can also influence people’s resilience – in other words, their ability to cope with changes and extremes in the climate when they do come. What’s needed next? The collages in this zine show visions for what a greener Govan might look like under a changing climate, along with the words of the people we spoke with. The council has a vital role to play in supporting nature in Govan, but there is also a place for community groups to work alongside them in doing so if they can be supported with resources and skills. There are lots of good initiatives going on, but they can sometimes feel a bit piecemeal. What is needed is coordination, and to create programmes that can be sustained over time. Lastly, the regeneration of open spaces in Govan needs to protect and enhance nature, and do this in a way that engages and benefits the people who live in and visit Govan.