Exploring community perceptions and engagement of nature-based solutions: The case of Ningbo, a Chinese coastal sponge city

•Public perceptions and understanding of NBS infrastructure (i.e. bioretention measure) and the environmental learning process in the case of Ningbo – a Sponge City in E China.•The effectiveness of strip bioretention in terms of stormwater quality improvement and landscape aesthetic movement.•Identify the past development, current status and challenges of public participation in the NBS measure.•Investigate how the public perceives and participates in the SCP practice i.e. Bioretention facilities in the urban environment and the influences on communities.•Discuss and recommend the future pathway of better delivery of NBS implementation and improvement of sustainable stormwater management practices in other Chinese cities through this case study.