ECOSYSTEMS IN THE URBAN SYSTEM: URBAN GARDENS UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF META-GOVERNANCE

In the context of network governance, urban gardens in Europe have been gaining prominence in the urban system, pushing urban actors to adopt new roles in the green space provision arena. City councils have had to adopt new roles that are compatible with the networked nature of urban gardens by using meta-governance strategies. We study the effects of self-organization determinants and meta-governance strategies on the ecosystem services two Parisian urban gardens provide. We combine two analytical tools from different academic backgrounds: urban green space literature and network governance. Data were collected via three methods. First, 13 interviews were conducted with garden adherents and public officials. Second, observations of the urban gardens have been done. Third, the analysis of policy documents was carried. The study suggests a dynamic interactive governance of urban gardens, with multiple associative actors, volunteers, and governmental actors involved. We found that these gardens provide various ecosystem services (e.g., water management, urban heat island mitigation, limiting pollution). Besides these ecosystem services, urban gardens also provide social-ecological services by creating a relational space where urban dwellers socialize and interact with the urban ecosystem pedagogically. In addition, this paper sheds light on the conditions affecting the self-organization of these gardens. Boundary-spanning activities were particularly vital for self-organization’s health. In addition, the results highlighted other determining factors such as (i) the presence of a facilitative association, (ii) the electoral cycle, (iii) the attitude of public officials, (iv) the presence of an expert. Furthermore, we concluded that the local district council engaged in several meta-governance strategies. More precisely, it engaged in supportive actions for the urban gardens, created a strategic framework, formulated rules of the play, and adopted a networker role. This paper concludes that the interaction between the meta-governance strategies and the self-organization determinants forge urban gardens that provide a range of ecosystem services vital for city dwellers. Such services must be better understood to comprehend the contribution of urban gardens to urban ecosystems and develop a more relational approach to urban greenery. This study ends with a set of recommendations for policy and research.