60 Deak Sjöman et al: Sustainable Smart Park Management Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 2022. 48(2):60–73 https://doi.org/10.48044/jauf.2022.006 URBAN FORESTRY ARBORICULTURE Scientific Journal of the International Society of Arboriculture & Sustainable Smart Park Management—A Smarter Approach to Urban Green Space Management? By Johanna Deak Sjöman, Anders Kristoffersson, Geovana Mercado, and Thomas B. Randrup Abstract. In parallel with ongoing discussions on what the concept of a smart city actually entails, use of smart technology in management and governance of urban green space is increasing. Application of smart technologies usually involves multiple sensors, smartphones, internet con- nections, etc., working together to make green space management more inclusive and effective. In the Sustainable Smart Parks project in Gothenburg, Sweden, new technologies are being applied and tested for availability, reliance, and relevance for contemporary management. However, moving these technologies beyond ad-hoc applications and creating a joint systems approach to future management is still unex- plored. In this article, we introduce an analytical framework based on urban ecology and nature-based thinking and use it to examine the Sus- tainable Smart Parks initiative. The framework works well in distinguishing integration of diversity, connectivity, adaptation, inclusion, and perception in different technologies. However, further studies are needed to test adequacy of the 5 initial criteria in a wider context and to increase coupling of smart technologies that share similar focus within each criterion. This would stimulate “systems mapping” and thus clearer progression toward integrated smart green space management. Keywords. Governance; Green Infrastructure; ICTs; Nature-Based Thinking; Smart City; Urban Ecology; Urban Forest; Urban Green Space; Urban Trees. INTRODUCTION The digital landscape of information and communi- cation technologies (ICTs) is an important dimension of the smart city concept (Anthopoulos 2017; Allam and Dhunny 2019). However, research has shown that smart city adoption can be somewhat ambiva- lent, and that use and interpretations are decided by the user (e.g., government organizations, business corporations, and/or researchers)(Anthopoulos 2017). Past research on smart cities has attempted to define what the term “smart” might embrace and how it could be interpreted (Albino et al. 2015; Kummitha and Crutzen 2017; Colding et al. 2020a; Grace et al. 2021). Other research has critically assessed the con- cept and identified differences from other concepts, e.g., “sustainable city development,” “resilient city,” and “knowledge city” (de Jong et al. 2015; Ahven- niemi et al. 2017). An extensive review by Mora and Deakin (2019a, 2019b) summarizes contemporary critiques on whether the smart city represents a new episode in the “context of utopian urbanism” and ©2022 International Society of Arboriculture draws parallels to previous illusions and utopian thinkers, such as Sir Ebenezer Howard and Le Cor- busier. Reported tensions and disadvantages include shortcomings in confronting dominant consumerist cultures, an increase in neoliberal economic growth, and target groups often consisting of citizens with higher socio-economic status (Martin et al. 2018; Colding et al. 2019), potentially excluding less privi- leged citizens (Gulsrud et al. 2018). Other critics claim that the smart city approach is a top-bottom intervention and a company-driven product, with cor- porate and political interests benefiting the most (Albino et al. 2015; Kummitha and Crutzen 2017). Further, the complex of interconnected systems and informa- tion, where various algorithms translate activities into data (staff working tempo, transport, activities, prod- uct placements, etc.), poses novel challenges to risk management and security (Jennings 2010; Colding et al. 2020a). Nevertheless, while conventional planning is con- cerned chiefly with “visions” for future needs, the smart
March 2022
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