Stakeholder Engagement in the Generation of Urban Ecosystem Services: The Case of the Vuores Stormwater System

Abstract

This case study examines how stakeholder engagement supports the process of generating urban ecosystem services. As our empirical case, we study the Vuores stormwater system in a new urban residential district in Finland. The Vuores site is interesting and valuable for a case study, as it is one of the most comprehensive urban stormwater systems in Finland and it generates a variety of ecosystem services. The empirical data consists of interviews with 10 planners and designers of the Vuores site, representing both public and private organizations. Qualitative content analysis is used in the data analysis. The findings of the study present how the key stakeholders, namely business organizations, the public sector and the local community, engage within the case. The case study provides a deep understanding of stakeholder engagement, that is, the aims, practices and outcomes of stakeholder relationships, in the process of generating urban ecosystem services.