Addressing injustice in green infrastructure through socio-ecological practice: What is the role of university–community partnerships?

Abstract

University–community partnerships provide a valuable mechanism to support socio-ecological practice to address complex urban water issues. University–community partnerships have the potential to become a model for engagement that can be replicated to enhance participation around green infrastructure (GI), to expand access to GI in disadvantaged communities, and ultimately, to mitigate injustice and heighten urban resilience. In this Perspective, we describe our team’s experience designing and leading a university–community partnership to better understand injustices in GI planning, design, and implementation, and to help mitigate those injustices, in Tucson, Arizona, US. We build from scholarship on university–community partnerships and draw from our involvement to highlight three keys lessons for successful partnerships: (1) understanding and valuing the socio-ecological context; (2) investing, and reinvesting, in the collaborative process; and (3) embracing a diverse set of roles for universities.