Keywords
visitation
health
protected areas
ecosystem services
How to Cite
Abstract
In the global environmental crisis, the importance of natural environments for society has been increasingly studied and incorporated into urban, environmental, leisure, and health public policies. The growing urbanization of the world population highlights the role played by green areas in the protection of diverse ecosystem services. Mostly, with emphasis on the benefits to health and well-being, both for the adult population and for children and adolescents. In this sense, this work aims to investigate the motivations and benefits perceived by visitors of urban parks in Brazil, related to ten dimensions of well-being, and child development. From a survey carried out with 816 visitors of parks located in the cities of Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, and Juiz de Fora, a similar sociodemographic profile was identified. The motivations to visit and the perceived benefits of visiting urban parks were high for all dimensions of well-being, with emphasis on the emotional dimension, followed by physical, environmental, spiritual, and social well-being. Significant differences were identified between cities. Three out of four visitors agree or strongly agree that urban parks bring benefits to children's development, mainly physical, respiratory, social, cognitive development, and anxiety reduction. The results, therefore, highlight the importance of urban parks in Brazil, promoting the well-being of society and benefits to child development. This reinforces the need for investment in public policies aiming at the creation and implementation of accessible and suitable green areas to allow everyday enjoyment to all citizens, particularly in the urban context.
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Copyright (c) 2021 André Almeida Cunha, Camila Gonçalves Oliveira Rodrigues, Altair Sancho-Pivoto, Francesc Romagosa Casals