“Green space in
cities contributes to the quality of life for city dwellers, e.g., by
increasing the opportunity for recreation. However, perception of urban green
space is influenced by multiple factors. We investigated effects of
biodiversity and environment-related attitudes on visual and auditory
perceptions of urban green space. Field measurements of biodiversity were
conducted in six sites across an urban gradient in Gothenburg, Sweden, and
three categories of biodiversity—high, medium, low—were established. Households
were sent a survey on aesthetic perception of urban green space, sound
perception and the importance of trees and plants for the perception of bird
species. Each respondent focused on the site that was located nearby. The
environment-related attitudes comprised “Nature-oriented” and “Urban-oriented”
persons and were based on participants’ own attitude estimations. It was shown
that participants’ “subjective” aesthetic and sound-related perception of urban
greenery were in line with the “objectively” measured subdivisions of high,
medium and low biodiversity. So also were their estimations of the importance
of trees and plants for perception of bird species in urban greenery, although
differing only between high and medium/low biodiversity conditions. Persons
rating themselves as highly nature-oriented were shown to give higher scores to
urban green space aesthetics and to value greenery-related sounds higher, and
to attach greater importance to trees and plants in their perception of bird species
in urban greenery, than less nature-oriented persons. Highly urban-oriented
persons compared to less urban-oriented persons did the same, but only
regarding urban greenery-related aesthetics and sounds of nature. We conclude
that environment-related attitudes influence perceptions of green space.
Moreover, our findings support the idea that biodiversity per se also
influences perceptions; people value green space significantly more with high
than with low measured biodiversity. Urban planning needs to provide city
inhabitants with green spaces that are species-rich, lush, varied and rich with
natural sounds.”
Gunnarsson, B., Knez, I., Hedblom, M. et al. Urban Ecosyst (2017) 20:
37. doi:10.1007/s11252-016-0581-x
