Green thumbs up!

In larger cities, urban green spaces are vital to life, offering everything from fresh air to places for fun and relaxation. But what truly makes them valuable to the people who use them every day? A recent study by the Landscape Ecology Group (Dagmar Haase) explored this question in Zagreb, Croatia, a city celebrated for its abundant greenery. Using an interactive online mapping tool, researchers asked citizens to highlight where and how they experienced both the benefits (like beautiful scenery or cultural connection) and drawbacks (like noise) of their local parks and forests. The findings showed that emotional connections to green spaces are incredibly strong, with large parks and forests being key hubs for activity and positive experiences. Understanding these citizen insights is crucial for urban planners aiming to create more livable and enjoyable cities for everyone. Read the Science of Total Environment Article, if you like to know more about green spaces in cities.

Abstract

Urban green spaces are important providers of ecosystem services in cities, however cultural ecosystem services remain difficult to quantify. Different types of urban green spaces provide various cultural ecosystem services and differ in how they are perceived and utilized by citizens. In this study, we used a Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) survey to collect data on citizens' perceptions and use of cultural ecosystem services and disservices provided by different types of urban green spaces in Zagreb, Croatia. We collected spatial data from 384 re- spondents on the perceived provision of 19 different attributes of cultural ecosystem services and disservices in 20 defined types of urban green spaces. We used descriptive statistics, spatial metrics, multivariate analysis and visualization techniques to explore and explain 5757 spatial points collected with the PPGIS questionnaire. Results confirm the importance of parks and forests but also that the water elements and greenery around residential buildings serve as important urban green space for providing benefits for citizens of Zagreb. Based on results presented, cultural ecosystem services are perceived as more important than disservices but in some places both co-exist. Our study builds on current literature by providing a systematic, city wide assessment of cultural ecosystem services related to different types of urban green spaces, while advancing the availability of methods for their quantification.