Participating in urban green space Public participation has created a surplus of expanded and developed data, which can aid both decision makers and the public in urban green space development. Climate Change and Environment © PhotoDisc Urban green space such as parks and recreation areas can contribute to the quality of city dwellers' lives. This is the case both on a personal and commercial basis. Unfortunately, green space has not always been given proper attention when it comes to allocating public funds. European researchers and planners have therefore developed applied methodologies through the use of case studies in order to best identify people's needs for local urban green space. Public Participation has helped green space practitioners and the people accommodate their differences and needs. The data for Public Participation (PP) has been gathered from a wide array of sources including market research, focus groups, consultations and forums with participants. All consortium members were involved and feedback has been positive at all levels regarding input about local green spaces and how they can be maintained. A wider representation has been the result of the door-to-door surveys and focus group recruitment operations. Furthermore public participation may be combined with economic and visualisation techniques in order to have better informed decision support. From what it appears various levels of Public Participation are necessary depending on the context, issues, institutions and potential outcomes. The common ground however is that regardless of the scenario, Public Participation has given more opportunities to all parties involved and an enhanced understanding of their role in the process.
