The latest study by our researchers has been published by the international publisher Routledge. Co-authors: Tamás Hardi, Melinda Smahó, Ádám Páthy, Petra Kinga Kézai, Andrea Uszkai, Nóra Baranyai (2026). Private Green Space Management Practices and Urban Climate Adaptation Potential: A Study of Suburban Ecosystems. Routledge.
The study examines how the attitudes, motivations, and behaviors of private garden owners influence the ecological management of green spaces in suburban areas. According to the results of a questionnaire-based research conducted in Hungarian, Romanian, and Slovakian municipalities, owners often view their own gardens as independent, isolated ecosystems, and are less aware of their connection to the ecological system of the neighborhood or the municipality as a whole. Decisions regarding garden maintenance are significantly shaped by individual expectations, social influences, habits, and time investment. The adoption of more ecologically sustainable garden management is primarily hindered by social norms, resistance to change, fear of loss, and the pressure of community adaptation.