IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v14y2025i6p1175-d1667295.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Well-Being and Influencing Factors in Urban Ecological Recreation Spaces: A Human–Nature Interaction Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Jiaxiao Feng

    (College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
    Wuhan Branch of China Tourism Academy, Wuhan 430079, China
    Hubei Tourism Research Institute, Wuhan 430079, China)

  • Chen Cao

    (College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
    Wuhan Branch of China Tourism Academy, Wuhan 430079, China
    Hubei Tourism Research Institute, Wuhan 430079, China)

  • Huafang Qiao

    (College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
    Wuhan Branch of China Tourism Academy, Wuhan 430079, China
    Hubei Tourism Research Institute, Wuhan 430079, China)

  • Shuangyu Xie

    (College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
    Wuhan Branch of China Tourism Academy, Wuhan 430079, China
    Hubei Tourism Research Institute, Wuhan 430079, China)

Abstract

Urban ecological recreational space (UERS), as essential provider of ecosystem services, play a crucial role in enhancing human well-being. Nevertheless, limited research has investigated how various types of human–nature interaction influence well-being. This study takes the Hankou waterfront as the research area, using a questionnaire survey of 318 recreationists. A five-dimension well-being scale and interaction type classification were developed. Mean analysis, one-way ANOVA, and stepwise multiple regression were conducted to assess well-being and influencing factors. Results show that mental health had the highest score, while survival security scored the lowest. NDVI positively influenced all well-being dimensions, while fitness facilities and higher education levels showed negative effects. Recreationists engaged in outdoor work-oriented activities experienced higher levels of physical, mental, and self-actualization well-being than sightseeing- or socially oriented users. These findings expand the theoretical understanding of UERS by incorporating human–nature interaction patterns and offer practical guidance for sustainable urban planning.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiaxiao Feng & Chen Cao & Huafang Qiao & Shuangyu Xie, 2025. "Well-Being and Influencing Factors in Urban Ecological Recreation Spaces: A Human–Nature Interaction Perspective," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-26, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:6:p:1175-:d:1667295
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/6/1175/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/6/1175/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jun-Hyun Kim & Chanam Lee & Wonmin Sohn, 2016. "Urban Natural Environments, Obesity, and Health-Related Quality of Life among Hispanic Children Living in Inner-City Neighborhoods," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, January.
    2. Ben Ma & Tiantian Zhou & Shuo Lei & Yali Wen & Theint Theint Htun, 2019. "Effects of urban green spaces on residents’ well-being," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 21(6), pages 2793-2809, December.
    3. Gabriele Manoli & Simone Fatichi & Markus Schläpfer & Kailiang Yu & Thomas W. Crowther & Naika Meili & Paolo Burlando & Gabriel G. Katul & Elie Bou-Zeid, 2019. "Magnitude of urban heat islands largely explained by climate and population," Nature, Nature, vol. 573(7772), pages 55-60, September.
    4. Jiayi Liu & Zhikai Peng & Xiaoxi Cai & You Peng & Jiang Li & Tao Feng, 2021. "Students’ Intention of Visiting Urban Green Spaces after the COVID-19 Lockdown in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-17, August.
    5. Matilda Annerstedt Van den Bosch & Per-Olof Östergren & Patrik Grahn & Erik Skärbäck & Peter Währborg, 2015. "Moving to Serene Nature May Prevent Poor Mental Health—Results from a Swedish Longitudinal Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-16, July.
    6. Yunan Lin & Hongpeng Fu & Qikang Zhong & Zitu Zuo & Sihong Chen & Ziqiang He & Hao Zhang, 2024. "The Influencing Mechanism of the Communities’ Built Environment on Residents’ Subjective Well-Being: A Case Study of Beijing," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-21, June.
    7. Viniece Jennings & Omoshalewa Bamkole, 2019. "The Relationship between Social Cohesion and Urban Green Space: An Avenue for Health Promotion," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-14, February.
    8. Mojca Nastran & Marina Pintar & Špela Železnikar & Rozalija Cvejić, 2022. "Stakeholders’ Perceptions on the Role of Urban Green Infrastructure in Providing Ecosystem Services for Human Well-Being," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-14, February.
    9. Michelle C. Kondo & Jaime M. Fluehr & Thomas McKeon & Charles C. Branas, 2018. "Urban Green Space and Its Impact on Human Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-28, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. David B. Olawade & Melissa McLaughlin & Yinka Julianah Adeniji & Gabriel Osasumwen Egbon & Arghavan Rahimi & Stergios Boussios, 2025. "Urban Microclimates and Their Relationship with Social Isolation: A Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(6), pages 1-32, June.
    2. Argyro Anna Kanelli & Margarita Kokkinaki & Marios-Dimitrios Sinvare & Chrisovalantis Malesios & Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos & Olga-Ioanna Kalantzi, 2023. "Keep Calm and Go Out: Urban Nature Exposure, Mental Health, and Perceived Value during the COVID-19 Lockdown," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-20, May.
    3. Argyro Anna Kanelli & Maria Lydia Vardaka & Chrisovaladis Malesios & Zainab Jamidu Katima & Olga-Ioanna Kalantzi, 2024. "Can Campus Green Spaces Be Restorative? A Case Study from Tanzania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-21, January.
    4. Nandini Halder & Manoj Kumar & Akshay Deepak & Shailendra K. Mandal & Amjad Azmeer & Basit A. Mir & Anissa Nurdiawati & Sami G. Al-Ghamdi, 2025. "The Role of Urban Greenery in Enhancing Thermal Comfort: Systematic Review Insights," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-30, March.
    5. Adriano Bressane & Mirela Beatriz Silva & Ana Paula Garcia Goulart & Líliam César de Castro Medeiros, 2024. "Understanding How Green Space Naturalness Impacts Public Well-Being: Prospects for Designing Healthier Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(5), pages 1-11, May.
    6. Zhiwen Duan & Longbao Huang & Zhicai Zhu & Shaoqiu Long & Yilun Liu, 2025. "Transformation and Inequity of Urban Green Space in Guangzhou: Drivers and Policy Implications Under Rapid Urbanization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-23, March.
    7. Tian Dong & Churan Feng & Bangguo Yue & Zhengdong Zhang, 2024. "An Evaluation Model of Urban Green Space Based on Residents’ Physical Activity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-26, May.
    8. S.M. Labib & Faysal Kabir Shuvo & Matthew H. E. M. Browning & Alessandro Rigolon, 2020. "Noncommunicable Diseases, Park Prescriptions, and Urban Green Space Use Patterns in a Global South Context: The Case of Dhaka, Bangladesh," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-23, May.
    9. Mengyao Wang & Yu Yan & Mingxuan Li & Long Zhou, 2024. "Differences in Emotional Preferences toward Urban Green Spaces among Various Cultural Groups in Macau and Their Influencing Factors," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-22, March.
    10. Charlotte Wendelboe-Nelson & Sarah Kelly & Marion Kennedy & John W. Cherrie, 2019. "A Scoping Review Mapping Research on Green Space and Associated Mental Health Benefits," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-49, June.
    11. Ziyi Li & Xiaolu Wu & Jing Wu & Huihui Liu, 2025. "The Influence of Urban Landscape Ecology on Emotional Well-Being: A Case Study of Downtown Beijing," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-27, March.
    12. Paudel, Uttam & Pant, Krishna Prasad, 2023. "Understanding vitality of public space: A review with an example of capital city Kathmandu in Nepal," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    13. Yonatal Tefera & Veronica Soebarto & Courtney Bishop & John Kandulu & Carmel Williams, 2023. "A Scoping Review of Urban Planning Decision Support Tools and Processes That Account for the Health, Environment, and Economic Benefits of Trees and Greenspace," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(1), pages 1-28, December.
    14. Jean C. Bikomeye & Sima Namin & Chima Anyanwu & Caitlin S. Rublee & Jamie Ferschinger & Ken Leinbach & Patricia Lindquist & August Hoppe & Lawrence Hoffman & Justin Hegarty & Dwayne Sperber & Kirsten , 2021. "Resilience and Equity in a Time of Crises: Investing in Public Urban Greenspace Is Now More Essential Than Ever in the US and Beyond," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-39, August.
    15. Xinyang Li & Marek Kozlowski & Sumarni Binti Ismail & Sarah Abdulkareem Salih, 2024. "Spatial Distribution Characteristics of Leisure Urban Spaces and the Correlation with Population Activity Intensity: A Case Study of Nanjing, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-21, August.
    16. Celina Koh & Michelle C. Kondo & Heather Rollins & Usama Bilal, 2022. "Socioeconomic Disparities in Hypertension by Levels of Green Space Availability: A Cross-Sectional Study in Philadelphia, PA," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-13, February.
    17. Veerkamp, C.J. & Loreti, M. & Benavidez, R. & Jackson, B & Schipper, A.M., 2023. "Comparing three spatial modeling tools for assessing urban ecosystem services," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    18. Angie Campbell & Victoria Chanse & Mirjam Schindler, 2024. "Developing a Conceptual Framework for Characterizing and Measuring Social Resilience in Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-32, May.
    19. Siruo Qu & Hongyi Li & Jing Wu & Bing Zhao, 2025. "Environmental and Health Benefits: A Bibliometric and Knowledge Mapping Analysis of Research Progress," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-29, March.
    20. Orazio Valerio Giannico & Rodolfo Sardone & Lucia Bisceglia & Francesco Addabbo & Francesco Pirotti & Sante Minerba & Antonia Mincuzzi, 2024. "The mortality impacts of greening Italy," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:6:p:1175-:d:1667295. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.