Who visited urban forests and trails more or less during the COVID-19 pandemic and why? A case study in Salt Lake City, UT, USA
While the COVID-19 pandemic caused a decrease in travel and social activities, there was an exception—travel to parks and trails. Urban residents needed refuge to relax, exercise, and socialize. Nevertheless, trips to parks and trails vary by socio-demographic characteristics, disadvantageous to those having health issues or low-income. Without appropriate community design and planning interventions, such conditions may worsen existing environmental injustice and health issues. This study explores the demographic profile of those who used urban parks and trails more or less during the COVID-19 pandemic in Salt Lake City, UT, USA. Data comes from an online and intercept survey with 4,325 responses and focus groups with 52 participants. Quantitative analyses show that park and trail use during the pandemic decreased among older adults, females, homeowners, and low- income households. Also, people living in a denser, more walkable, and more park/trail accessible neighborhood likely increased their visitations.Our qualitative analysis further examines how residents feel about their use of parks and trails during the pandemic and how they would improve them in the future. Respondents in disadvantaged neighborhoods felt safe visiting parks, highlighting the value of urban nature as a resilience infrastructure and community asset during a crisis. This study presents transformative ideas to engage communities and promote stewardship, which are relevant to cities looking into the New Normal. Keywords: green space; equity; health; SARS-CoV-2; urban forest; urban planning ID: 3614623
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| Format: | Article biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
FAO ;
2022
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| Online Access: | https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cc1777en http://www.fao.org/3/cc1777en/cc1777en.pdf |
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| Summary: | While the COVID-19 pandemic caused a decrease in travel and social activities, there was an exception—travel to parks and trails. Urban residents needed refuge to relax, exercise, and socialize. Nevertheless, trips to parks and trails vary by socio-demographic characteristics, disadvantageous to those having health issues or low-income. Without appropriate community design and planning interventions, such conditions may worsen existing environmental injustice and health issues. This study explores the demographic profile of those who used urban parks and trails more or less during the COVID-19 pandemic in Salt Lake City, UT, USA. Data comes from an online and intercept survey with 4,325 responses and focus groups with 52 participants. Quantitative analyses show that park and trail use during the pandemic decreased among older adults, females, homeowners, and low- income households. Also, people living in a denser, more walkable, and more park/trail accessible neighborhood likely increased their visitations.Our qualitative analysis further examines how residents feel about their use of parks and trails during the pandemic and how they would improve them in the future. Respondents in disadvantaged neighborhoods felt safe visiting parks, highlighting the value of urban nature as a resilience infrastructure and community asset during a crisis. This study presents transformative ideas to engage communities and promote stewardship, which are relevant to cities looking into the New Normal.
Keywords: green space; equity; health; SARS-CoV-2; urban forest; urban planning
ID: 3614623 |
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