Objective The evolution of urban community governance in China has progressed through three distinct historical phases: The danwei (work unit) system under planned economy, the neighborhood committee system during market reform, and the current community-based governance model. These institutional transformations have fundamentally reshaped social relationship patterns, eroding traditional kinship-based connections and resulting in fragmented community networks and a continuous decline in residents’ sense of belonging. In recent years, urban renewal strategies have shifted from singular focus on physical space renovation to integrated approaches that actively cultivate social capital — collective assets embedded in social networks, mutual trust, and shared behavioral norms. Across Chinese cities, green space development initiatives (particularly community gardens and urban agriculture programs) are increasingly positioned as dual-purpose interventions that bridge physical environment improvement with social relationship reconstruction, often serving as neutral grounds for conflict resolution and collective identity formation. While these projects demonstrate potential in enhancing community cohesion and resident well-being, persistent challenges exist regarding sustainable operation funding models , quantifiable social outcomes, and equitable access across socioeconomic groups. Under China’s precision governance paradigm emphasizing data-driven policymaking, this research systematically investigates the operational mechanisms through which community green spaces inspire social capital, incorporating both grassroots practices and institutional innovations, based on which evidence-based optimization strategies for urban renewal practices are proposed.
Methods This research combines visual mapping analysis using CitieSpace software with a blend of inductive and deductive review methods. The process involves three main stages. The first stage uses CitieSpace to analyze global research patterns by studying which countries produce the most studies and tracking changes in key research topics over time. The second stage carefully examines existing studies to identify common research methods, areas of agreement among scholars, and ongoing debates in the field. The third stage creates a focused collection of studies that specifically explore how green spaces create social benefits, looking particularly at three aspects: how people connect socially, how trust develops between community members, and how shared community rules form. For the data collection phase, English-language articles published between January 2000 and October 2023 were gathered from the Web of Science database using search terms related to social connections and green spaces. The search strategy is TS = (“social capital*” OR “social network”) AND (“green space*” OR “garden” OR “park”). We selected 63 articles that clearly linked green spaces to community social benefits after removing duplicate entries and unrelated studies. After a thorough evaluation, we selected 32 articles specifically explaining how green spaces foster social connections for final analysis.
Results Geographical distribution analysis reveals concentrated research output from Western countries: The United States contributing 22 studies (34.9%), followed by Canada (8), Australia (5), and the United Kingdom (4), collectively representing 72% of total publications. Temporal keyword evolution identifies three developmental stages: The early phase (2000 – 2010) emphasized macro-level urban green infrastructure planning and public health outcomes; the middle phase (2010 – 2018) shifted focus to micro-level community gardens as mental health interventions and food security solutions; the current phase (post-2018) explores multifunctional green spaces as social capital incubators within precision governance frameworks. Four key findings emerge from cross-study synthesis. 1) Green spaces function as critical social infrastructure where spatial design quality directly influences relationship-building capacity — well-maintained walking paths and visible seating areas increase spontaneous interactions by 41% in Shanghai case studies. 2) Subjective user perceptions of accessibility and safety outweigh physical attributes in determining social outcomes — communities with participatory design processes report 37% higher trust level and 29% greater willingness to contribute maintenance labor. 3) Successful projects establish virtuous cycles where social networks reinforce trust, which subsequently shapes shared behavioral norms — Guangzhou communities with co-created garden rules demonstrate 68% higher norm compliance. 4) Academic debates persist regarding spatial boundary effects — whether social capital benefits remain localized or permeate broader urban systems. Empirical data from Chinese cities shows community gardens in Beijing’s high-density neighborhoods have reduced elderly isolation rate by 23% – 37% through structured intergenerational gardening programs, especially in neighborhoods integrating childcare facilities with senior activity zones.
Conclusion The research delineates three operational pathways for social capital inspiration through green space: First, multidimensional network development strengthens bonding ties within demographic groups (elderly walking clubs), builds bridging connections across social divides (intergenerational urban farming cooperatives), and establishes linking partnerships with external institutions that secure long-term resource flows. Second, trust cultivation mechanisms leverage both physical design features and social programming. Third, norm institutionalization processes transform temporary collaborative behaviors into sustained governance protocols — communities adopting digital management platforms maintain 53% higher space utilization rate than those relying on manual systems, though requiring ongoing digital literacy training for elderly residents. For Chinese urban renewal, three implementation strategies are proposed: 1) Integrated spatial-social programming combining green infrastructure with cultural activities like garden-based heritage festivals that reactivate local traditions; 2) micro-intervention approaches prioritizing resident-led projects (neighborhood planters) that yield measurable trust-building effects within 6-12-month cycles; 3) adaptive governance models establishing hybrid digital-physical participation platforms for continuous community input via WeChat mini-programs and offline suggestion boxes. This framework specifically addresses China’s urbanization challenges including high-density living environment, aging population, and vertical community structure. Future research should employ longitudinal studies tracking social capital evolution over 5-10-year cycles and investigate the capacity of digital tools to sustain community engagement amist rapid technological change. By systematically aligning environmental design with social governance objectives, cities can develop green spaces that simultaneously enhance ecological sustainability and strengthen community resilience against urbanization-induced stressors.
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