reCONNECT: A biographical approach to develop new human-nature relationships for restored cities

Nature restoration in cities is a crucial aspect of sustainable urban development, especially in terms of contributing to climate adaptation and biodiversity conservation. However, it can involve significant changes at an individual level, which may challenge the traditional relationship between people and nature. The acceptance of restoration projects by urban dwellers depends on whether they establish new relationships between people and nature. Research indicates that there are significant differences in the acceptance of restoration measures, particularly between young and older people. The comparatively low level of acceptance among today's youth and young adults poses a significant challenge for urban nature restoration. Against this background, this research project takes a biographical approach to identify influences on the acceptance of urban nature throughout the life course. By using a biographical approach, we can systematically identify age and generational influences and possible intervention points for educational institutions, urban planning, and greenspace management. Qualitative interviews will be conducted with young people and adults of various ages residing in Vienna, as well as with experts from different fields such as environmental education and urban planning. The project aims to develop an explanatory model of the interactions between age and generation-related influences, different human-nature relationships, and the acceptance of urban restoration. The results will establish a knowledge base for developing intervention strategies and designing further experiments in urban areas to develop new human-nature relationships for restored cities.