Spatial scale influences how people value and perceive green open space

Ives, Christopher D.; Gordon, Ascelin; Oke, Cathy; Raymond, Christopher M.; Hehir, Ailish; Bekessy, Sarah A.

Abstract

It is important for landscape planners and managers to understand how urban residents value and interact with green open spaces. However, the effect of spatial scale on values and perceptions of green open spaces has to date received little attention. This study explored the influence of spatial scale using Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) methods in the Lower Hunter region of Australia. By asking respondents to assign markers denoting various values and preferences to green spaces displayed on maps of their suburb and municipality, the influence of scale could be assessed experimentally. A greater abundance and diversity of value markers were consistently assigned at the suburb scale, yet this pattern was more pronounced for some values (e.g. physical activity) than others (e.g. nature, cultural significance). The strength of this relationship was related to socio-demographic variables such as education and income. These results have implications for understanding human-environment relationships and the use of PPGIS techniques to inform environmental planning.

Citation

Ives, C. D., Gordon, A., Oke, C., Raymond, C. M., Hehir, A., & Bekessy, S. A. (2018). Spatial scale influences how people value and perceive green open space. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 61(12), 2133-2150. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2017.1388219

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 13, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Nov 8, 2017
• Publication Date: 2018
• Deposit Date: Oct 3, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 9, 2018
• Journal: Journal of Environmental Planning and Management
• Print ISSN: 0964-0568
• Electronic ISSN: 1360-0559
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 61
• Issue: 12
• Pages: 2133-2150
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2017.1388219
• Keywords: Green open space; landscape values; human-nature relationships; Public Participation GIS; Spatial Scale
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/893274
• Publisher URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09640568.2017.1388219
• Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Environmental Planning and Management on 8 November 2017, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/09640568.2017.1388219