Alternative adaptation scenarios towards pesticide-free urban green spaces: Welfare implication for French citizens

Adaptation of urban green spaces (UGSs) to allow their maintenance without pesticides is likely to impact the value attached to these green infrastructures by urban citizens. To understand citizens' preferences for UGSs in this context, a Discrete Choice Experiment was administered in France in 2017, when a pesticide ban in all UGSs was implemented. It allows evaluating the impact on citizens' welfare of different UGSs management scenarios without pesticides. The scenario offering new recreational opportunities is by far the most valued by citizens. Only a minority is worse-off in the laisser-faire scenario, where the vegetation is much less controlled. Citizens suffer from welfare losses in the scenario apparently as before since it comes at the cost of deteriorated working conditions for maintenance teams. The policy recommendations drawn can contribute to greater social acceptance of the transition towards pesticide-free UGSs.

Automated summary

The provision of new recreational opportunities is highly valued by citizens in the context of pesticide-free urban green space (UGS) maintenance. However, a laissez-faire management scenario, where vegetation control is reduced, is disliked by a minority. Welfare losses are experienced by citizens in this scenario due to deteriorated working conditions for maintenance teams. Policy recommendations can enhance societal acceptance of the transition towards pesticide-free UGSs.