StartClim2010.A: Fields of action and responsible persons within climate change adaptation of public parks in cities

Public parks are of substantially importance in urban structures. Therefore the parks´ protection and the sustainment of necessary framework requirements within climate change are important for the quality of life in cities. Both, the anthropogenic caused climate change itself and resulting secondary effects endanger the long range functionality and quality of public parks. Regarding the planning, implementation, maintenance and usage of parks, the diverse fields of action are staffed with different stakeholders – so far, climate change adaptation in all fields of action is solely taking place reactively. Because of missing strategic approaches the responsible persons for setting adaptation measures are still undefined. For finding out, which fields of action in public parks occur because of climate change and who responsible persons for setting adaptation measures are, a detailed literature review as well as qualitative interviews with experts and stakeholders are projected, held in the capital cities of the nine federal states of Austria. The underlying aim of research is the sustainable protection of the usability of public parks in cities within climate change. The results shall contribute to the national climate change adaptation strategy and shall furthermore form the basis for developing operation guidelines.