Dr Nicola Dempsey

BA PhD

School of Architecture and Landscape

Senior Lecturer in Landscape Management and Planning

A profile photo of Nicola Dempsey
Profile picture of A profile photo of Nicola Dempsey
N.Dempsey@sheffield.ac.uk
12.11, Arts Tower

Full contact details

Dr Nicola Dempsey
School of Architecture and Landscape
12.11
Arts Tower
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TN
Profile

My research is focused around the concept of place-keeping, the long-term management of our green and open spaces. My research involves exploring innovative approaches to designing and managing open space while securing its long-term future by getting the right people, funding and policies in place. The place-keeping research group, which I lead, is developing a body of empirical evidence testing aspects of place-keeping in practice.

 

Research interests

My work examines how relevant policies, strategies and political rhetoric are implemented in practice and experienced on the ground by urban green and open spaces users. This is conceptualised as place-keeping: the long-term management of our green and open spaces, a multidimensional concept which comprises partnership, governance, policy, funding, design & maintenance, evaluation and communication.   Recently, my research has been examining how ‘Friends of Parks’ Groups operate, how acceptable Miyawaki Forests are in urban areas, and exploring how enhancing biodiversity can improve the health & wellbeing of city residents.

Publications

Books

  • Dempsey N & Dobson J (2020) Preface.

Journal articles

  • Qi H, Dempsey N & Cameron R (2026) . Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 116, 129238-129238.
  • Sunding A & Dempsey N (2025) . Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 114, 129170-129170.
  • Qi H, Dempsey N & Cameron R (2024) . Arboricultural Journal, 46(4), 292-304.
  • Numsuk W & Dempsey N (2024) . Sustainability, 16(16).
  • Farris S, Zhang L, Dempsey N, McEwan K, Hoyle H & Cameron R (2024) . Cities & Health.
  • Zhang L, Dempsey N & Cameron R (2024) . Landscape and Urban Planning, 248.
  • Dempsey N & Nam J (2024) . Landscape and Ecological Engineering, 20(3), 311-322.
  • Farris S, Dempsey N, McEwan K, Hoyle H & Cameron R (2024) . PLOS ONE, 19(2).
  • Dempsey N (2024) . Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 67(12), 2791-2809.
  • Zhang L, Dempsey N & Cameron R (2023) . Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 79.
  • Dempsey N & Dobson J (2021) . Town Planning Review, 92(2), 171-179.
  • Dobson J & Dempsey N (2021) . Landscape Research, 46(3), 390-402.
  • Dempsey N, Velarde CLM, Samuel M, Bakshi Y & Baradi M (2020) . Town Planning Review, 91(6), 643-666.
  • Nam J & Dempsey N (2020) . Journal of Environmental Management, 264.
  • Dobson J & Dempsey N (2019) . Sustainability, 11(18), 5029-5029.
  • Bozkurt M, Woolley HE & Dempsey N (2019) . Landscape Research, 44(6), 671-687.
  • Nam J & Dempsey N (2019) . Sustainability, 11(16).
  • Nam J & Dempsey N (2019) . Sustainability, 11(2).
  • Wild TC, Dempsey N & Broadhead AT (2019) . Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 40, 254-263.
  • Nam J & Dempsey N (2018) . Sustainability, 10(8).
  • Dempsey N, Jayaraj SR & Redmond E (2017) . Landscape Research, 43(3), 275-288.
  • Dempsey N (2017) . International Journal of Housing Policy, 17(1), 157-159.
  • Dempsey N, Burton M & Selin J (2016) . International Journal of Public Sector Management, 29(5), 441-456.
  • Dempsey N, Burton M & Duncan R (2016) . Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, 15, 155-164.

Book chapters

  • Dempsey N & Slothower P (2025) , Case Studies in Architecture and Landscape Expanding the Legacy of Peter Blundell Jones (pp. 186-196).
  • Liu Z, Dempsey N & Lange E (2023) , The Urban Book Series (pp. 301-314). Springer International Publishing
  • Scott A, Bader E & Dempsey N (2023) , ICE Manual of Blue-Green Infrastructure (pp. 287-303). ICE PublishingLondon
  • Dempsey N (2022) , The Politics of Street Trees (pp. 262-274). Routledge
  • Lindholst AC, Bretzer YN, Dempsey N, Leiren MD & Hansen MB (2021) , Palgrave Studies in Sub-National Governance (pp. 157-170). Springer International Publishing
  • Randrup TB, Lindholst AC & Dempsey N (2020) , Urban Open Space Governance and Management (pp. 150-167). Routledge
  • Jansson M, Vogel N, Fors H, Dempsey N, Buijs A & Randrup TB (2020) , Urban Open Space Governance and Management (pp. 11-29). Routledge
  • Dobson J & Dempsey N (2020) , Cities and Nature (pp. 1-7). Springer International Publishing
  • Dempsey N (2020) , Cities and Nature (pp. 167-187). Springer International Publishing
  • Dempsey N & Dobson J (2020) , Cities and Nature (pp. 189-196). Springer International Publishing
  • Dobson J & Dempsey N (2020) , Cities and Nature (pp. 143-165). Springer International Publishing
  • Dempsey N, Burton M & Selin J (2020) , Marketization in Local Government (pp. 101-116). Springer International Publishing
  • Dempsey N, Martínez Velarde CL & Burton M (2020) , Marketization in Local Government (pp. 225-240). Springer International Publishing
  • Lindholst AC, Dempsey N, Randrup TB & Solfjeld I (2020) , Marketization in Local Government (pp. 293-311). Springer International Publishing
  • Lindholst AC, Hansen MB, Bretzer YN, Dempsey N & Leiren MD (2020) , Marketization in Local Government (pp. 79-98). Springer International Publishing
  • Lindholst AC, Hansen MB, Bretzer YN, Dempsey N & Leiren MD (2020) , Marketization in Local Government (pp. 61-78). Springer International Publishing
  • Lindholst AC, Hansen MB, Bretzer YN, Dempsey N & Leiren MD (2020) , Marketization in Local Government (pp. 197-221). Springer International Publishing
  • Dempsey N (2018) FUNDING FLEXIBLE SPACE, STAGING URBAN LANDSCAPES: THE ACTIVATION AND CURATION OF FLEXIBLE PUBLIC SPACES (pp. 54-57).
Research group

The Place-keeping research group focuses on how relevant policies, strategies and political rhetoric are implemented in and experienced by urban green and open spaces users. This is focused around the long-term management of our green and open spaces, exploring innovative approaches to designing and managing open space while securing its long-term future by getting the right people, funding and policies in place. 

Grants

INNATURE: Enhancing Biodiversity and Social Inclusion by Transforming Europe’s Living Environments
2025-2029
Funder: HORIZON Europe Programme: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services & vNew European Bauhaus

Friends in Green Places
2025-2026
Funder: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

With Dr Yuhan Meng and the National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces, we conducted two UK surveys to explore how Friends of Parks groups engage with
communities in their green spaces.

Teaching interests

My aim is to help students develop an understanding of the multiple scales (e.g. site/ neighbourhood/ city/ region/ beyond), physical contexts (e.g. urban/ rural/ peri-urban) and non-physical contexts (e.g. social/ economic/ political) that are at play in the landscape. In this way, I believe students can develop the skills to engage in critical thinking and decision-making which reflect a holistic approach to understanding the landscape.

My other main teaching interest is in research methodology: how we understand, measure and evaluate the landscape and our perceptions and behaviour therein. Conducting research need not be a daunting process: I want to make research methods accessible and enjoyable. I do this by engaging students in live, real and innovative landscape planning research projects to help demystify the research process. The underlying aim here is to sustain and promote the teaching-research-practice relationship, with the hope that students will continue to engage in research-based practice in their professional lives.

Teaching activities
  • ALA461 Advanced Landscape Management: Managing for Change
  • ALA220 Landscape Planning for a Changing World
  • ALA446 Landscape Research as Creative Practice
  • ALA469 Final Project
  • ALA403 MA Dissertation
Professional activities and memberships
  • Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
  • Chair of the Landscape Geography Working Group, Royal Geographical Society Board Member, Green Estate
  • Secretary, Sheffield Green Space Forum
  • Trustee, National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces

Links

Place-keeping research group  Research groups