Cut council tax for green gardeners to help cities tackle climate change

Homeowners should be rewarded to garden sustainably, to help combat the damaging effects of climate change in cities and promote a healthier urban landscape.

According to new research from the University of Sheffield, policymakers should offer incentives, such as council tax or water bill discounts, to encourage gardeners to use environmentally sensitive techniques to help combat climate change in cities and boost communities' health and wellbeing.

The new study, published by Professor Ross Cameron in Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, highlights that, as gardens become increasingly important in the battle against the extreme effects of climate change, financial incentives should be considered to ensure gardens are well stocked with plants.

Professor Cameron said: “Gardens account for a third of all our urban areas and are vital spaces in terms of keeping our buildings and city environments cool in summer, absorbing rain to avoid flash flooding and providing an important refuge for wildlife.

“Gardens need to be green and full of plants to be beneficial to the local environment, and some types of garden are more beneficial than others.”

“The paradox is that many gardens are not actually green and some trends in garden design can be very damaging for the urban environment. We have paved them over to house the car, or provide sterile patio space; factors that increase urban temperatures and increase flooding risk.”

The study calls for policy-makers to promote more sustainable garden management and to help foster gardening activities that help us meet important environmental and sustainability targets.

Professor Cameron outlines potential incentives that could be offered by policymakers to ensure gardens remain green and well-planted, including:

• Offering financial rewards – such as a reduction in council tax or water bills – for house owners with more than 50 per cent of their garden space planted
• Offering financial incentives to plant or maintain trees in gardens, with appropriate choices based on size of garden
• Banning or restricting features that damage environmental processes e.g. having a maximum area artificial grass can cover and banning synthetic pesticides for home garden use
• Acknowledging that gardens with a high proportion of plants act as a health facility, and that planning processes should have mandatory requirements to include and protect, well-planted areas

The research suggests well-planted gardens not only provide a quality habitat for wildlife, but also improves local air quality, improves health and well-being, provides people with the opportunity to grow their own food, connect with nature and reduce energy bills by better insulating homes.

Professor Helen Woolley, Head of the Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Sheffield, said: “The value of this research is it categorically states the value of a particular landscape type and how that links to different socio-environmental agendas. Many citizens quickly realised the value of their home gardens during the pandemic lockdowns, and this academic paper builds on and reinforces what we learned then. It is important that policy makers and planners take note.”

Professor Ross Cameron is also the author of a new book exploring the science behind how introducing plants into your life and space, irrespective of how much outdoor space you actually have, can promote a powerful, long-lasting and positive impact on your well-being.