A Husqvarna report examines the evolution of urban green spaces and the new challenges professionals may face in areas such as biodiversity, urban planning and staff availability.
The Re urban green spaces – from Nice to Necessary study also examines the growing use of battery-powered tools and autonomous solutions in professional green space maintenance.
Ordes, 22 November 2022.- Husqvarna’s European report Re urban green spaces – from Nice to Necessary brings together interviews with experts, professionals and citizens in Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands to examine the future role of urban green spaces and how the profession and the tools used to maintain them may evolve.
The study also examines expected changes in the equipment used by professionals. According to the survey results, 44% of the professionals consulted expected petrol-powered products to be prohibited by 2027.
Yvette Henshall-Bell, President of Husqvarna’s Professional Business Unit, noted in the report that the company expected battery-powered tools and autonomous solutions to play an increasingly important role in its professional offering.
New challenges and new skills
When asked about the future, 66% of green space professionals considered that an increase in the number of trees in urban areas would be one of the main changes affecting the sector over the following ten years.
In addition to planting new trees, the report highlights the importance of their maintenance and the technical knowledge required to manage trees and other elements of urban green spaces appropriately.
60% of the professionals surveyed also expected greater attention to biodiversity in the years ahead.
Barriers and solutions
The study identifies staff shortages as one of the main challenges facing the sector. 37% of the professionals surveyed cited this as a barrier to the development and maintenance of urban green spaces.
In this context, the report examines the use of robotic lawn mowers and other autonomous solutions for certain repetitive tasks, allowing professionals to devote more time to work requiring specific knowledge and experience.
Henshall-Bell also highlighted the role these technologies may play in work organisation and in the evolution of the tools used by green space maintenance professionals.
The future of urban green spaces
39% of the professionals surveyed identified competition from property development and other commercial interests as one of the main barriers to expanding urban green spaces. A similar percentage cited a lack of political interest.
Meanwhile, 38% of experts and professionals expected measures aimed at improving citizens’ access to green spaces close to their homes to increase over the following five years.
The report also includes forecasts of a greater presence of features such as parklets and green roofs in cities.
More diverse green spaces may create new maintenance and travel requirements. In this area, the study identifies the automation of certain mowing and irrigation tasks as one of the technologies professionals may incorporate into their work.
About the survey
The report, produced by Kairos Future for Husqvarna, includes interviews with 23 green space professionals and data from two surveys: one involving 100 industry professionals and another involving 3,313 members of the public across six countries.
The survey was conducted between 25 May and 16 June 2022.
