Den privata trädgården som urban resurs : Villaägares roll i att nå Malmös mål om 30% krontäckning

Sammanfattning

Climate change and increasing urban density pose significant challenges to modern cities, making urban forests essential for providing critical ecosystem services such as temperature regulation, stormwater management, and biodiversity support. Furthermore, the newly enacted EU Nature Restoration Law establishes binding targets to halt the loss of urban green spaces and ensures an increasing trend in tree canopy cover across member states. Malmö has adopted the international 3-30-300 rule, aiming for a 30% tree canopy cover in all neighborhoods, but achieving this is difficult due to limited space on public land in the city center. Consequently, private gardens emerge as a vital but often overlooked resource for reaching these targets and complying with European regulations. This study investigates how owners of detached homes in central Malmö perceive their gardens in relation to the city’s greening goals and explores the factors that influence their willingness to plant or preserve trees on their property. Using a qualitative approach consisting of a literature review and ten semi-structured interviews analyzed through a phenomenographic method, the research reveals that villa owners primarily view their gardens as private sanctuaries and extensions of personal identity rather than functional urban resources. While trees are highly valued for providing “wandering shade”, cooling, and supporting biodiversity, they are simultaneously perceived as a practical burden due to the labor required for maintenance, fears of damage to infrastructure, and potential conflicts with neighbors regarding sunlight. The study concludes that achieving Malmö’s canopy targets is impossible without the active participation of private landowners. To foster this engagement, governance must shift from regulatory “sticks” to supportive “carrots”, as owners expressed a strong preference for incentives such as expert advice, subsidized arborist services, and the provision of suitable tree species through the municipality.