Green spaces as places for inclusion: Inclusive governance in six urban green spaces in the Netherlands and Spain

This study analyses how the governance of urban green spaces can foster social inclusion in cities affected by globalisation and inequality. To address the question of which institutional governance configurations are most effective in promoting social inclusion, an ethnographic approach was combined with a multiple-case study design in the Netherlands and Spain. Through participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis, cooperative processes and tensions were identified in various urban green spaces that differed in property regimes and scale. The findings show that agreements on access and usage rules, flexible governance structures, and the coordination of tangible and intangible resource exchanges between urban managers, residents and visitors are key to enhancing inclusion. Finally, a typology of inclusive governance forms is proposed, arranged along a continuum from centrally administered municipal governance to community-based governance, with an intermediate hybrid governance model between them. • Analyses how governance of urban green spaces can foster social inclusion in cities affected by globalisation and inequality. • Combines ethnographic fieldwork and multi-case study methods across six urban green spaces in the Netherlands and Spain. • Identifies configurations of social and ecological factors sustaining inclusive governance over time. • Proposes a typology of governance forms ranging from municipal to community-based, with hybrid models in between. • Provides practical insights for policymakers to balance social, ecological and institutional dimensions in urban green management.