Cut council tax for green gardens to help cities tackle climate change, UK researchers say

According to new research from the University of Sheffield, suppliers should offer incentives, such as council tax or water bill discounts, to encourage gardeners to use the technology. environmental impact to help fight climate change in cities and improve the health and well-being of communities.

The study, published by Professor Ross Cameron in Urban forest and urban greenindicating that, as gardens become more important in the fight against the severe effects of climate change, financial incentives should be considered to ensure that gardens are maintained with plant.

Professor Cameron said, “Gardens make up a third of all our cities and they are a vital part of keeping our homes and urban environments cool in summer, absorb rain to prevent flooding and provide a great refuge for wildlife.

“Gardens need to be green and full of plants to benefit the local environment, and some types of gardens are better than others.”

“Unfortunately, many gardens are not really green and some aspects of garden design can seriously damage the urban environment. problem.”

The study calls on policymakers to encourage sustainable agriculture and help foster agricultural practices that help us meet important environmental and sustainability goals.

Professor Cameron outlines the incentives that can be provided by policy makers to ensure that gardens are green and well planted, including:

• Offering financial incentives—such as reductions in council tax or water bills—for homeowners with more than 50 percent of their gardens planted.
• Provide financial incentives to plant or maintain trees in gardens, with reasonable options based on garden size
• Limit or limit the features that harm the environment such as having a maximum that can cover or ban synthetic pesticides for use in the home garden.
• Acknowledging that gardens with most plants act as a health center, and planning processes should have the necessary requirements to include and protect healthy planting areas.

Will Teare, 32, from Norton Lees, and his family planted a garden to provide a home for wildlife and a place for them to enjoy at the same time.

He said, “When we moved into our house, we thought about how we could create a garden that would help us be closer to nature, so it was important to us. it is the welfare of wild animals.

“Man is responsible for a lot of habitat loss for wildlife and we want to invite him back into the garden. Everything we try in the garden, if of the plants we use, or going to work in different areas of the country. garden, say with a kind of forest or lake, there must be wealth for wildlife.

“It’s great family fun, the birds coming to nest, or watching the frogs and new creatures around the pond, liven up the garden, and it’s a reason for the kids to be happy. .”

“I think like us, everyone can do with their space, have a small tree, different plants, or create different living spaces; the most important thing is more than “Permanent conservation can be beneficial for wildlife, but also beneficial for us. The effort to plant a garden gets people thinking about it!”

Unlike in the past, where maintaining a private garden was left largely to the discretion of the homeowner, Professor Cameron says significant changes in policy and practice are required if local authorities need to properly address the effects of climate change and loss of biodiversity in the area. city ​​status.

He said, “Our research shows that some cities may have lost 50 percent of their ‘green’ gardens in the last two years. At this point, we think it’s wrong that we need to print them with a cocktail of chemicals to keep them alive and free of harmful substances.

Research shows that well-planted gardens not only provide a good habitat for wildlife, but also improve indoor air quality, improve health and well-being, and give people the opportunity to grow their own food, connect with nature and reduce energy bills through efficiency. separate house.

Professor Helen Woolley, head of the Department of Landscape Studies at the University of Sheffield, said, “The value of this research is to show the value of a landscape and how it relates to socio- He realized the value of their home garden during the pandemic lockdown, and this worksheet builds on and reinforces what we learned then.

Professor Ross Cameron is the author of a new book that explores the science behind incorporating plants into your life and space, regardless of how much outdoors you actually have. food, can have a strong, long-lasting and positive effect on your health. . “How plants can save your life” will be published by Quercus on May 25, 2023.