Does the management of woody edges in urban parks match aesthetic and ecological user perception

In recent times, the focus in urban park management has shifted from mere aesthetics to the difficult task of striking a balance between ecology and the aesthetic outlay of those parks. Park managers design the spatial arrangement, the structure and the ecological diversity of vegetation to mimic natural ecosystems. However, the ecological benefit is often associated with a decrease in the aesthetic value for users. To better understand this trade-off, we eye-tracked 196 users in Rennes (France) to test if 'ecological' management of woody edges was in accordance with their aesthetic preferences and ecological perception. We identified which were the visual areas of interest for users in four types of managed woody edges and analysed which were considered as the most aesthetic and the most ecologically valuable. Finally, we analysed if both aesthetic user preferences and 'ecological' management of woody edges were compatible. Based on a classification of increasing management complexity of woody edges, we showed that users' aesthetic preferences were mainly focused on tree and shrub layers, while users identified the herb and shrub layers as the most favourable area for maintaining biodiversity. Thus, the more complex the edge, the more the relationship between aesthetic preferences and ecological management is for park management. More precisely, in complex woody edge structures, some vegetation layers such as shrub could represent a specific lever to fulfil both aesthetic and ecological purposes.