Description
As urban areas increasingly integrate nature-based solutions to address ecological challenges, urban park design must balance ecological sustainability with emotional well-being. Existing literature has well established the connection between nature and well-being (Song, C., et al., 2016), with some examining elements like water (White, M., et al., 2010), vegetation (Harris, V., et al., 2018), and the holistic, physical, and picturesque characteristics of the environment and their effects (Park, B., et al., 2011; Wang, X. X., et al., 2016). This study introduces and examines two distinct categories of urban green spaces:Artificial Parks (AP) and Wilderness Parks (WP). These categories were conceptualized to explore contrasting design approaches—APs represent curated, highly managed environments with plants shaped as objects or areas, while WPs emphasize functional ecological systems and immersive experiences. This categorization was specifically developed for the purpose of this study to highlight an important design difference.
Grounded in Attention Restoration Theory (ART) (Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S., 1989) and Stress Reduction Theory (SRT) (Ulrich, R., et al., 1991), the research follows a two-phase approach. In the first phase, a between-subjects intercept survey investigated participant responses in a Wilderness Park to identify the emotional services it provides and their defining characteristics. In the second phase, referencing the experience sampling method from Schertz et al. (2023), a within-subject study was conducted in Wilderness Parks, and data were analyzed using linear mixed models to assess emotional constructs such as restoration, transcendent engagement, and cultural connection.
Findings suggest that Wilderness Parks foster greater emotional well-being, supporting restorative processes, transcendent experiences, and deeper cultural connections. They also lead to strong place attachment and improved public satisfaction with land stewardship. These results underscore the potential of Wilderness Parks as integrated solutions for urban ecological and social challenges. By embracing holistic natural settings, urban park design can simultaneously enhance ecological resilience and human well-being, advocating for the prioritization of Wilderness Parks in future urban planning.
| Period | 28 Mar 2025 |
|---|---|
| Event title | CELA (Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture) 2025 Annual Conference |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Portland, United States, OregonShow on map |