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Factors Influencing Perceptions and Use of Urban Nature: Surveys of Park Visitors in Delhi

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  • Somajita Paul

    (Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Royal Enclave, Jakkur Post, Srirampura, Bangalore 560064, India
    Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, India)

  • Harini Nagendra

    (School of Development, Azim Premji University, PES Institute of Technology Campus, Pixel Park, B Block, Electronics City, Hosur Road, Bangalore 560100, India)

Abstract

Urban green spaces provide important recreational, social and psychological benefits to stressed city residents. This paper aims to understand the importance of parks for visitors. We focus on Delhi, the world’s second most populous city, drawing on 123 interviews with park visitors in four prominent city parks. Almost all respondents expressed the need for more green spaces. Visitors valued parks primarily for environmental and psychological/health benefits. They had limited awareness of biodiversity, with one out of three visitors unable to identify tree species and one out of four visitors unable to identify animal species frequenting the park. Most of the daily visitors lived within 0.5 km of these parks, but a small fraction of visitors traveled over 10 km to visit these major parks, despite having smaller neighbourhood parks in their vicinity. This study demonstrates the importance of large, well-maintained, publicly accessible parks in a crowded city. The results can help to better plan and design urban green spaces, responding to the needs and preferences of urban communities. This research contributes to the severely limited information on people’s perceptions of and requirements from urban nature in cities of the Global South.

Suggested Citation

  • Somajita Paul & Harini Nagendra, 2017. "Factors Influencing Perceptions and Use of Urban Nature: Surveys of Park Visitors in Delhi," Land, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-23, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:6:y:2017:i:2:p:27-:d:95939
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    Cited by:

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    3. Peishen Wu & Mei Liu, 2022. "A Framework for the Spatial Inequality in Urban Public Facility for Urban Planning, Design and Management," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-20, August.
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    5. Kumelachew Yeshitela, 2020. "Attitude and Perception of Residents towards the Benefits, Challenges and Quality of Neighborhood Parks in a Sub-Saharan Africa City," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-17, November.
    6. Maciej Wasilewski & Barbara Szulczewska & Renata Giedych, 2019. "Visitors’ Perception of Urban Nature Reserves in Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-16, July.
    7. Noemi Rota & Claudia Canedoli & Oscar Luigi Azzimonti & Emilio Padoa-Schioppa, 2023. "How Do People Experience the Alps? Attitudes and Perceptions in Two Protected Areas in Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-19, February.
    8. Qiang Sheng & Dongyang Wan & Boya Yu, 2021. "Effect of Space Configurational Attributes on Social Interactions in Urban Parks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-15, July.
    9. Anand & Prodyut Bhattacharya, 2023. "Urbanites’ perceptions of green spaces and their roles in effective management: a survey-based study from Delhi, India," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 13(1), pages 31-42, March.
    10. Monika Kopecká & Harini Nagendra & Andrew Millington, 2018. "Urban Land Systems: An Ecosystems Perspective," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-4, January.
    11. Pritam Ahirrao & Smita Khan, 2021. "Assessing Public Open Spaces: A Case of City Nagpur, India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-24, April.
    12. Gregg C. Brill & Pippin M. L. Anderson & Patrick O’Farrell, 2022. "Relational Values of Cultural Ecosystem Services in an Urban Conservation Area: The Case of Table Mountain National Park, South Africa," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-28, April.
    13. Somajita Paul & Ferenc Jordán & Harini Nagendra, 2017. "Communication Networks and Performance of Four New Delhi City Parks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-16, August.
    14. Vera Ferreira & Ana Paula Barreira & Luís Loures & Dulce Antunes & Thomas Panagopoulos, 2020. "Stakeholders’ Engagement on Nature-Based Solutions: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-27, January.

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