The role of communication tools in urban green space protection: A social innovation perspective from Karaj, Iran

Urbanization and population growth present significant challenges to environmental sustainability, necessitating the effective management and protection of urban green spaces. Communication tools and social innovation play a vital role in protecting urban green spaces and ensuring long-term environmental sustainability. This study analyzed the effectiveness of various communication methods in promoting urban green space protection in Karaj, Iran. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 135 participants with expertise in green space management. The results showed that about 69.63% of respondents viewed the current status of urban green space protection as neutral to very unfavorable. The results revealed that social media was the most effective communication tool for enhancing awareness and engagement, followed closely by social network. Other methods, such as campaign activities and traditional media, also contributed positively, although to a lesser extent. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the relationships between these communication tools and their effectiveness, confirming that social media and social network significantly influenced urban green space protection. These results highlight the importance of improving communication strategies and encourage further research to explore their implications in different urban contexts.