Why Your Neighborhood’s Green Spaces Aren’t Just About Dollars

Understanding the hidden factors that shape urban green spaces

Choosing a neighborhood to live in is not the easiest thing to do, especially when you are moving to a new city. There are so many things to consider, from communication, to access to public transportation, safety, quality of the school district, affordability, or access to natural areas. 

At least, these are some of the things that we considered when we bought our house. And while we’re not in our preferred neighborhood by far, there’s something that we’re very happy about: We have a forest.

On the other hand, my husband’s family bought a house in a neighborhood that has gotten increasingly unaffordable to buy anything there anymore. They have the safety and the easy access to public transportation, but the school district isn’t the best. And, sadly, they have no forest. 

See? People tend to think that wealthier neighborhoods will always be the ones with the prettiest parks and green areas, but that’s not necessarily always the case. Nonetheless, what does science have to say about it? 

When you walk through an urban park, it’s easy to assume that wealthier areas naturally have more greenery and biodiversity, right? Well, this assumption has fueled the concept of the “luxury effect,” a term used to describe how wealth and biodiversity often appear linked in cities. 

Indeed, other articles have shown that the most vulnerable neighborhoods tend to lack the necessary tree cover to protect them from many harms, including the growing impacts of climate change. 

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However, a new paper by Dr. Poulton Kamakura and colleagues challenges this idea, arguing that the connection between wealth and biodiversity is more complex than it seems. 

For the study, the authors introduce the POSE framework, which shifts the focus from wealth alone to power, objectives, socio-ecological context, and the efforts of individuals and groups to shape urban environments.

But let’s go back a little bit. How did the researchers study this?

The study critically examined previous research on the luxury effect, exploring the mechanisms that might link wealth to biodiversity. The authors reviewed literature across different urban settings and included case studies from Phoenix, Arizona, and Delhi, India, to illustrate how local contexts influence urban biodiversity. 

They then proposed the POSE framework as a more flexible tool for understanding how various actors — residents, governments, or community organizations — impact urban ecosystems.

And what did they find?

Well, the “luxury effect” doesn’t always hold up under scrutiny. That’s because while wealthier areas often show higher biodiversity, this is not a universal rule. 

For instance, in some places, lower-income neighborhoods with vacant lots can host high biodiversity due to less landscaping and greater space for native plants. In other cases, affluent urban areas can have fewer trees and green spaces, particularly in dense, high-rise settings like Manhattan. That makes sense, right?

The study also highlighted the role of power dynamics. Wealth can enable individuals to influence local environments, but collective action, historical legacies, and government policies often play equally significant roles. 

For example, in Phoenix, community advocacy groups and municipal decisions about water use and landscaping shaped biodiversity patterns as much as individual wealth. Meanwhile, in Delhi, rapid urbanization and redevelopment have led to a loss of green spaces across income levels, showing how policy and planning decisions can override wealth-driven biodiversity trends.

So ultimately, the answer is that it depends and that a holistic approach should be considered. 

But what does this all mean to us?

The so-called “luxury effect” oversimplifies the story of urban biodiversity. Instead of assuming that wealth automatically creates greener spaces, the authors argue for a broader perspective that considers the complex interplay of power, community goals, environmental factors, and effort.

 This approach can help identify more effective ways to promote urban biodiversity, especially in areas where traditional wealth-focused strategies might fall short.

But what are some important take-home messages here?

The POSE framework offers a new way to think about urban ecosystems by focusing on four key factors:

• Power: Who has the ability to make changes, and how is this power distributed? Wealth is one form of power, but social connections, knowledge, and community organizing can be equally influential.
• Objectives: What are the goals of those shaping the environment? For example, a government might prioritize housing over green spaces, while a local community might push for pollinator gardens.
• Socio-Ecological Context: How do historical, cultural, and physical conditions shape what’s possible? Factors like climate, urban layout, and past policies can all play a role.
• Effort: How much energy and resources are people putting into their objectives? Even those with limited power can make an impact if they’re highly motivated.

In the end, this framework doesn’t just provide a clearer picture of how urban biodiversity develops—it also points to actionable steps. By recognizing the roles and motivations of diverse actors, cities can craft policies that truly resonate with their communities, whether planting trees in underserved areas or safeguarding green spaces amid urban redevelopment.

Rather than framing biodiversity as a luxury reserved for the wealthy, this research encourages us to view it as a shared resource that can be shaped by many hands. By digging deeper into the “why” behind urban greenery, we can move toward more equitable and sustainable urban ecosystems that truly benefit all residents and nature alike.

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