Greening for meaning: Sense of place in green citizen initiatives in the Netherlands
Mellany N.C. van Bommel, Marthe L. Derkzen, Lenneke Vaandrager
Wellbeing Space and Society
Urban Farm DB summary
This mixed-methods study aimed to understand the meanings attributed to green citizen initiatives in the Netherlands by using the concept of sense of place and to investigate which factors predict this sense of place. Surveys (n=130) were used alongside interviews with 38 participants from ten green citizen initiatives. Findings demonstrate a strong sense of place among participants, which was significantly predicted by meaningful experiences, a sense of safety within the initiative, and length of involvement. Participation in green citizen initiatives appears to create meaning across place attachment, place identity, place dependence, and a broader societal meaning of place.