Has the Pandemic Altered Public Perception of How Local Green Spaces Affect Quality of Life in the United Kingdom?

Public perception vs ecological quality status: Examining the ecological restoration of the Congost River's Environment

This study examines the public's perceptions of the ecological restoration of the Congost River over the past thirty years, focusing on the period between 2010 and 2022. We conducted a survey of 112 river users across five key zones identified through a pilot study for their high pedestrian density, aiming to analyse how different sociodemographic groups perceive the river's ecological state. A structured questionnaire was distributed along both sides of the river to engage a diverse range of individuals typically utilizing the river environment. The collected data were analysed using regression models and Mann-Whitney U tests to assess differences between groups, with Bonferroni adjustments applied to control for multiple comparisons. The results reveal a broad increase in appreciation for the river since 2010, alongside measurable ecological improvements supported by scientific data. Despite these positive changes, a majority of surveyed users remain sceptical about the river's recovery, with less pronounced scepticism among older respondents, those with higher education, and environmental volunteers. These groups' perceptions align more closely with empirical evidence, highlighting the influence of sociodemographic factors on environmental awareness. Individuals living closer to natural settings and frequent river visitors were found to be more attuned to changes in the river's environment, particularly in aesthetic and sensory aspects. The study underscores the persistence of a perceptual gap between scientific assessments of ecological health and public sentiment, emphasizing the complex relationship between community perceptions and objective environmental indicators. These insights underline the complex relationship between community perceptions and objective environmental indicators, reflecting a broader trend in environmental awareness and the importance of factual communication in ecological issues.

Understanding the pathways between the use of urban green spaces and self-rated health: A case study in Mexico City

In recent decades, extensive research has demonstrated the positive impact of urban green spaces (UGS) on public health through several pathways. However, in the context of Latin America, particularly Mexico City, there remains a notable scarcity of evidence linking UGS use to health outcomes and an insufficient understanding of the pathways or factors underlying these associations. Therefore, this study employs Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to investigate the intricate pathways between UGS use and residents' perceived health in Mexico City, a densely populated urban center. The SEM integrates three key mediators: sentiments towards UGS, UGS quality, and time spent within these spaces. Survey data was collected through an online survey distributed via social media in May 2020 (n = 1,707). The findings indicate a minor yet significant direct link between UGS use and self-reported health (0.0427, p < 0.1). Conversely, the indirect pathways through sentiments towards UGS, UGS quality, and time spent in UGS were highly significant (0.1950, p < 0.01), underscoring their substantial role as mediators in the UGS use-health association. While a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms linking perceived health to UGS use in Mexico City requires further research, this study proposes that fostering positive sentiments towards UGS, enhancing UGS quality, and encouraging extended visits to green areas could potentially amplify the perceived health benefits associated with UGS use among residents. These insights offer valuable inputs for policymaking, emphasizing the importance of integrating public perspectives to optimize nature-based solutions and broaden their positive impact within Mexico City.

Exploring the role of nature-based typologies and stewardship schemes in enhancing urban green spaces: Citizen perceptions of landscape design scenarios and ecosystem services

This research investigates the UK citizens' perceptions of the ecosystem services (ES) created using a range of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in urban green spaces (UGS). The longevity of the ES derived from UGS is dependent on the effective on-going maintenance of urban landscapes, therefore this paper also gathers data on direct UGS participation specifically through the lens of civic stewardship to assess the impact of such schemes upon ES. NBS typologies were created and used, in the mixed methods study, to gauge perceptions of and preferences for alternative urban landscape design. The UGS survey collected data from 345 respondents on ES and the NBS typologies. Twelve semi-structured interviews provide qualitative data on NBS typology preferences, perceptions, and understanding of ES as well as motivations behind civic engagement in UGS in the UK. Stewardship programmes were found to increase community resilience by providing additional ES. The results showed a preference for integrating complex, multifunctional UGS into the fabric of urban centres to ensure accessibility and to maximise engagement. More complex NBS typologies were perceived to provide additional ES when compared with traditional monoculture mown grass and shrub amenity planting. Mixed native planting and Tiny Forest NBS typologies were perceived as providing more provisioning, cultural, regulating, and supporting ES. Considering both UK citizens' perceptions of the ES gained from alternative NBS and stewardship schemes in UGS represents a holistic approach that can improve the design and management of NBS in cities. This study is the first to explore both concepts in the UK and suggests a holistic UGS approach to address urban challenges, including those related to Climate Change.

Exploring the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on people's relationships with gardens

Gardens are places where science and art combine to create environments that often offer restorative and therapeutic experience to those who encounter them. During the Covid-19 pandemic, in the UK and elsewhere there has been a surge of interest in gardening. Public appreciation of gardens and other green spaces has grown and inequality of access to gardens and outdoor spaces has been extensively documented. Gardens are prevalent and of cultural significance in the UK, where their salutary properties have been documented for centuries. Yet people's relationships with gardens during the pandemic have been relatively underexplored in academia and were already under-researched prior to the pandemic's inception. This qualitative study investigates the relationships between people and gardens during the Covid-19 pandemic. Specifically, through thematic analysis based on in-depth interviews with 12 participants, it explores the effects that the pandemic had on people's relationships with gardens during an approximately 9-month period after the first national lockdown began in the UK. It places emphasis on health and wellbeing and garden design, using the concepts of agency and affordances as lenses through which to explore people's relationships with gardens. The results of this paper support others which have found people to be more supportive of nature-friendly garden design and to feel more connected with nature since the pandemic began.

Exploring the Driving Factors that Influence the Design, Function, and Use of Urban Wetlands in the United Kingdom

This paper aimed to investigate the driving factors for the creation of urban wetlands and their functions and uses. A mixed methods approach was used, comprising an online survey for the general public and structured interviews with four urban wetland 'experts'. Quantitative data was obtained from the survey, and cross tabulation was used to analyse relationships between variables. Thematic analysis was used for the qualitative data from the interviews. It was found that one of the urban wetlands was created for flood control and to create an amenity space, whilst the driving factors for the other three urban wetlands were associated with biodiversity and habitat creation, which was also perceived as the most important function of an urban wetland from the survey participants. Three themes emerged from the thematic analysis: 'wildlife conservation interest'; 'landscape character development'; and 'urban wetland as an amenity space'. The survey found that participants perceived climate resiliency as an important function of wetlands, despite this not being a driving factor for the four wetlands in the interviews. Survey participants would be willing to invest time in visiting a non-local wetland landscape to encounter nature and contribute to their quality of life and wellbeing. The results of this research may be useful to inform the planning, design and management of urban wetlands as they evolve towards being a multi-use spaces. More education and awareness are needed about the benefits of these landscapes to wildlife, the environment and local communities.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13157-022-01610-1.