Unveiling Participation Dynamics: A Comparative Study of Green Infrastructure Practices
Mingwei Yuan, Jin-Oh Kim
Abstract
Outcomes for urban green infrastructure (GI) and low-impact development (LID) vary; thus, we ask when and how public participation affects performance. We apply a four-dimensional framework—breadth (who participates), depth (decision influence), identity (values/place attachment), and potential (incentives/capacity)—to conduct a literature review of Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. After deduplication and screening, 107 English-language studies were coded and compared across cases. Across contexts, early and representative engagement combined with clearly specified decision rights was associated with designs better aligned with local hydrologic and social conditions. Processes that attend to identity were consistently linked to stewardship behaviors. Institutionalized incentives and capacity, such as dedicated funding, defined roles, and feedback mechanisms, coincided with more durable operations and maintenance (O&M). Conversely, broad outreach without decision influence or feedback tended to remain tokenistic, with technical complexity and resource limits attenuating public influence. Effects appeared configurational rather than linear, with particular combinations of the four dimensions more often associated with success. Embedding codesign and feedback across the project lifecycle, pairing equity safeguards with community partnerships, and resourcing participation through clearly defined roles and incentives may help translate participation into resilient ecological and social outcomes.