Investigating urban park soil health through corporate-based citizen science: linking engagement to sustainable actions

Ferrando Jorge, N. (2025) Investigating urban park soil health through corporate-based citizen science: linking engagement to sustainable actions. PhD thesis, University of Reading. doi: 10.48683/1926.00127411

Abstract/Summary

Nature-based Solutions (NbS), such as restoring and protecting urban forests, are increasingly promoted to build resilience to climate change and urbanisation. However, in urban environments, the management of soil beneath trees remains inadequate, largely because it is often overlooked in broader urban ecosystem planning for NbS. The thesis examines how enabling employee participation in a corporate-based citizen science programme can advance research on urban soils, while also promoting organisational change towards sustainability. The study draws on environmental data collected in urban parks across the UK and France (2018–2019), where employees and scientists assessed soil chemical, physical and biological properties to support holistic urban soil health monitoring. Citizen scientists’ soil colour observations, calibrated using a spectrophotometer, were successfully used to estimate soil organic carbon (SOC), highlighting the potential of fast, low-cost, scalable methods to support traditional SOC analyses in the context of climate change. In parallel, observational and survey data from eight employee-engagement programmes demonstrate how participation shaped pro-environmental behaviour by supporting changes in capability, opportunity, and motivation. Formal and experiential learning deepened environmental understanding and built capability for action. Social and physical opportunity were fostered through interactions with scientist and peers, trust-building, and the framing of sustainability as both a social norm and business opportunity. Motivation was primarily influenced through emotional engagement. Targeted science communication increased environmental concern, fostered a sense of collective responsibility, and promoted climate hope by encouraging participants to see themselves as sustainability champions. By combining hands�on, enjoyable and interactive experiences with time in nature, the programme fostered emotional connection that further motivated participants to act. Overall, the thesis demonstrates the dual value of corporate-based citizen science in addressing urban soil knowledge gaps while expanding participation and supporting positive environmental transformation within organisations. The findings underscore the significance of not only cognitive, but also affective and contextual factors in driving behaviour change.

Item Type	Thesis (PhD)
URI	https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/id/eprint/127411
Identification Number/DOI	10.48683/1926.00127411
Divisions	Science > School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science > Department of Geography and Environmental Science
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