How might we utilise the concept of botanic gardens’ in urban contexts to challenge plant blindness?

Daniel, Jasmine, Russo, Alessio ORCID: 0000-0002-0073-7243 and Burford, Bill ORCID: 0000-0002-8870-7945 (2023) How might we utilise the concept of botanic gardens’ in urban contexts to challenge plant blindness? Biodiversity and Conservation, 32 (7). pp. 2345-2364. doi:10.1007/s10531-023-02607-w

Preview

Text 12656-Russo-(2023)-How might we utilise the concept of botanic gardens’ in urban contexts.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License Publisher's Licence. Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

Plant blindness remains an understudied Anthropocentric concept. There is a societal naivety to the importance of plants, and lack of awareness of the human impact of plant life, which renders many ‘plant blind’. This research develops a Plant Blindness (PB) scale to address plant blindness within a botanic and urban space, pursuing an investigation into the motivations and beliefs of people in terms of plant awareness, plant fascination and conservationist efforts. Interviews with specialists within botany and horticulture suggest how we might better understand and utilise the function of botanic gardens’ within an urban context, using botanic spaces to further amplify societal interest in plant life, thus challenging plant blindness. Botanic gardens’ document collections of living plants, researching and setting exemplar sustainable and ethical standards for the conservation and cultivation of rare and threatened plants, educating and bringing global plant conservation to the forefront of our natural world. Botanic gardens research innovation, scientific knowledge, heritage and expertise in sustaining a globally diverse range of plant species could be advantageous in the future design of urban spaces. It is through establishing active engagement between botanic spaces and urban spaces that plant blindness can be challenged, establishing a future vision for botanic gardens and botanic spaces, exploring the role botany could adopt within society.

Item Type:	Article
Article Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Biodiversity conservation; Plant awareness; Plant knowledge; Urban space; Urban space experience
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GF Human geography. Human ecology. Anthropogeography S Agriculture > SB Plant culture > SB450.9 Gardens and gardening S Agriculture > SB Plant culture > SB469 Landscape gardening. Landscape architecture S Agriculture > SB Plant culture > SB481 Parks and public reservations
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Creative Arts
Research Priority Areas:	Place, Environment and Community
Depositing User:	Alessio Russo
Date Deposited:	25 Apr 2023 15:34
Last Modified:	19 Apr 2024 04:15
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/12656

University Staff: Request a correction | Repository Editors: Update this record