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A large survey of towns and cities across Europe has found that protecting biodiversity is now a major goal when planning and caring for urban green spaces. Biodiversity means having many different kinds of plants, animals, and other living things. It is no longer something city planners think about only after making other decisions. Researchers surveyed 574 municipalities, or local governments, in 18 European countries. They found that 85 percent see biodiversity as a main reason for how they plan and manage public parks, lawns, and green areas that connect different parts of cities. The findings were published in the journal Nature Cities. The study is one of the first large surveys to show how European city officials judge the health of nature in their cities and what they are doing to improve it.

The survey covered a large and varied area. Researchers received 612 individual responses from 18 countries, including Germany, France, Denmark, Slovenia, Latvia, and Luxembourg, between April 2023 and May 2024. Each survey was aimed at the person responsible for making important decisions about public green spaces in their town or city. These places ranged from small towns with only a few hundred people to major cities such as Berlin, Paris, and Vienna. The questions were translated into each country's language to help prevent misunderstandings. Taking part was voluntary. The survey included northern, southern, eastern, and western Europe, although the researchers said that some areas were not fully represented because participation was voluntary.

The results showed strong support for biodiversity. Along with the 85 percent of municipalities that said biodiversity was a main goal, 82 percent said they provide training to city officials and workers on how to manage green spaces in ways that help nature. About three quarters said they actively try to help residents understand and accept these methods. This matters because some practices that are good for nature, such as leaving fallen leaves on the ground or allowing plants to grow more freely, can look messy to people who are used to neatly cut lawns. Just over half of the municipalities, 54 percent, said they directly involve residents in planning and designing green spaces. This could encourage local people to start their own projects to help nature in cities.

But protecting biodiversity is not the only goal. Researchers asked participants to rate the importance of 13 goals for planning and managing green spaces. The four most important goals were all about improving the lives and well-being of people living in cities. Protecting biodiversity came fifth, with 83 percent saying it was fairly important or very important. More than half of respondents considered 12 of the 13 goals important. The only exception was creating places for urban gardening, where people grow fruits and vegetables in cities. Only 38 percent said this was fairly or very important, while 34 percent said it was not very important or not important at all. The researchers said these results show that cities want green spaces to serve several purposes at once. However, different goals can sometimes clash. For example, a park that looks neat and is good for recreation may not always be the best place for wildlife.

The survey also asked local governments how healthy they thought nature was in their own cities. More than half, 57 percent, said their urban natural areas were in good or very good condition. Only 11 percent said they were in poor or very poor condition. Most respondents, 68 percent, believed that nature in their cities had improved over the past 10 years. However, about one in five, or 19 percent, said conditions had become worse. The researchers suggested this might be because city development has reduced the amount or quality of green space and increased the amount of land covered by buildings, roads, and other hard surfaces that water cannot easily pass through. These findings are based on the opinions of people with professional knowledge, rather than detailed measurements of plants, animals, and habitats. Even so, they provide a useful general picture of the condition of nature in European cities, something that has not been widely available before.

The researchers also used statistical methods to look for connections between the features of municipalities and how much they value biodiversity. They found that biodiversity was more likely to be a main goal in places with a larger share of land covered by hard, sealed surfaces, such as roads and buildings. It was also more likely to be a main goal in countries with higher scores on a national quality-of-life index, which measures how good living conditions are. The researchers suggested one possible explanation. Cities with a lot of sealed land often have little green space. Removing hard surfaces to create new green areas can be difficult, so improving the natural quality of existing parks and green spaces may be the most practical choice. The connection with quality of life may mean that governments in places where basic needs are better met can pay more attention to other values, including helping people, plants, and animals live together in cities.

Other findings showed similar patterns. Training on nature-friendly management was more common in municipalities with more sealed land, in places farther north, and in countries with higher quality-of-life scores. Residents were more likely to be involved in green space planning in larger municipalities and in countries with higher quality-of-life scores. Efforts to help the public accept nature-friendly management were also more common in larger municipalities and places with more sealed land. The researchers said these patterns may show differences in the resources available to local governments. Larger and wealthier municipalities may have more money, staff, and support for involving residents in decisions. They may also have better access to universities and other organizations that can help. Meanwhile, municipalities in countries with lower quality-of-life scores may need to focus on urgent problems such as housing, healthcare, and transport. This can leave them with fewer resources for biodiversity projects, even when they understand the benefits.

Location also affected how municipalities viewed nature in their cities. Places farther east were more likely to say their urban natural areas were in good ecological condition, meaning they were valuable for plants, animals, and their habitats. Places farther south were more likely to give their green spaces lower ratings. The researchers suggested this could be because southern cities often have dry summers, heatwaves, and water shortages, making parks and other green areas look less green and healthy. Municipalities in countries with lower quality-of-life scores were more likely to report that their urban nature had improved over the past decade. The researchers stressed that these regional and cultural differences are important when making policies. Rules and programs designed to help biodiversity should be flexible enough to meet local needs rather than being exactly the same everywhere. This is also supported by the finding that municipalities with many buildings and sealed surfaces are already among those most focused on improving nature.

The study comes at an important time for European environmental policy. Current European Union measures under the Nature Restoration Regulation mainly look at how much urban green space exists. This survey also gives information about the ecological quality of those spaces, including how many different species and habitats they support. The researchers see the findings as encouraging. They suggested that the positive changes reported in the survey could become stronger as European policies place more importance on nature in cities. They hope the results will help local governments communicate more effectively with residents and develop plans that can be adjusted to the needs of different places.

However, the study has some important limits. Researchers collected answers from only one representative in each municipality. That person's views may not reflect everyone working in the local government, although the large number of municipalities helps reduce this problem. The amount of sealed land was calculated using built-up surfaces within official municipal boundaries. These boundaries can also include farmland or forests outside the main city, which could make the measurements less accurate for some municipalities. The ratings of ecological conditions were based on professional opinions, not detailed scientific surveys of habitats. More detailed studies of urban habitats will be needed to decide which areas most urgently need restoration. Even with these limits, the main finding is clear: most European municipalities believe protecting biodiversity is an important goal that should be pursued alongside meeting the needs of residents, rather than replacing those needs. Finding the right balance between healthy nature and people's needs will be a major part of how European cities plan and manage green spaces in the future.

Subject of Research: A survey of European local governments about green space planning and the importance of biodiversity

Article Title: Biodiversity is a key motivation for European urban green space planning and management

Article References: De Vrieze, E., Krouthén, A. S., Baeten, L., Deák, B., Valkó, O., Moesch, S. S., Barot, S., Drejerska, N., Fischer, L. K., Garcia Antúnez, O., Gernow, L., Gonçalves, P., Grilo, F., Kamenečki, M., Krstonošić, D., Lampinen, J., Lata, J.-C., Mudrák, O., Neuenkamp, L., … Klaus, V. H. (2026). Biodiversity is a key motivation for European urban green space planning and management. Nature Cities. [https://doi.org/10.1038/s44284-026-00537-6](https://doi.org/10.1038/s44284-026-00537-6)

Image Credits: Created using AI

DOI: 10.1038/s44284-026-00537-6

Keywords: biodiversity in cities, managing green spaces, local governments, Europe, survey, nature in cities, Nature Cities, land covered by hard surfaces, public acceptance, quality of life, city planning, restoring nature