TY - JOUR

T1 - Nature-based recreation for the elderly in urban areas

T2 - assessing opportunities and demand as planning support

AU - Wen, Chen

AU - Albert, Christian

AU - von Haaren, Christina

N1 - Funding Information: We thank the China Scholarship Council for providing fundings and Leibniz University Hannover for supporting the research. CW, lecturer of landscape architecture at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China. His fields of activity include Landscape planning, nature-based solutions, and environmental justice. CA, professor of Environmental Analysis and Planning in Metropolitan Regions and director of the Planning Metropolitan Landscapes (PLACES) lab at Ruhr University Bochum's Institute of Geography. His research aims at advancing theories and methods of landscape and environmental planning to co-generate strategies and knowledge for attaining the goals of sustainable spatial development. CVH, professor of landscape planning and nature conservation at the Institute of Environmental Planning, Leibniz University Hanover Germany. Her fields of activity include Landscape planning, nature conservation and agriculture, and impact mitigation regulation. Funding Information: This work was supported by China Scholarship Council (grant number: 201406010335) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 2020kfyXJJS105).

PY - 2022/7/5

Y1 - 2022/7/5

N2 - Background: With elderly people comprising a growing share of the population, landscape planners need to consider their specific requirements to enhance the opportunities for them to engage in nature-based recreation (NBR). However, few studies have spatially assessed the recreation potential, demand, and opportunities for elderly people in cities. Thus, this paper aimed to spatially model and investigate the NBR opportunities for and demand of elderly people in urban areas. A spatial framework based on the ESTIMAP recreation model was developed, considering special factors to better reflect elderly people’s preferences regarding NBR at the city scale. In particular, NBR opportunities were assessed considering landscape aesthetics, various types of facilities, and proximity. The street network was used to understand elderly people’s walking behaviours regarding green spaces and related facilities. Results: A case study in Hannover, Germany, demonstrated the applicability of the proposed method. The results illustrate the spatial heterogeneity of recreation options for the elderly. Only parts of Hannover’s green spaces offer high recreation opportunities for elderly people. Many of the existing green spaces lack diverse landscape components and sufficient supply of facilities, resulting in a compromise to aesthetics and recreational opportunities. Conclusions: The proposed method contributes to research on spatial planning and environmental justice by incorporating vulnerable groups’ preferences and needs in spatially assessing NBR. The planning implications highlight pocket gardens and greenways connecting communities and parks as development opportunities in the city.

AB - Background: With elderly people comprising a growing share of the population, landscape planners need to consider their specific requirements to enhance the opportunities for them to engage in nature-based recreation (NBR). However, few studies have spatially assessed the recreation potential, demand, and opportunities for elderly people in cities. Thus, this paper aimed to spatially model and investigate the NBR opportunities for and demand of elderly people in urban areas. A spatial framework based on the ESTIMAP recreation model was developed, considering special factors to better reflect elderly people’s preferences regarding NBR at the city scale. In particular, NBR opportunities were assessed considering landscape aesthetics, various types of facilities, and proximity. The street network was used to understand elderly people’s walking behaviours regarding green spaces and related facilities. Results: A case study in Hannover, Germany, demonstrated the applicability of the proposed method. The results illustrate the spatial heterogeneity of recreation options for the elderly. Only parts of Hannover’s green spaces offer high recreation opportunities for elderly people. Many of the existing green spaces lack diverse landscape components and sufficient supply of facilities, resulting in a compromise to aesthetics and recreational opportunities. Conclusions: The proposed method contributes to research on spatial planning and environmental justice by incorporating vulnerable groups’ preferences and needs in spatially assessing NBR. The planning implications highlight pocket gardens and greenways connecting communities and parks as development opportunities in the city.

KW - Sustainability

KW - Nature-based recreation

KW - Population aging

KW - Landscape architecture

KW - GIS mapping

KW - Urban design

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85133455791&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1186/s13717-022-00390-0

DO - 10.1186/s13717-022-00390-0

M3 - Article

VL - 11

JO - ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES

JF - ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES

SN - 2192-1709

IS - 1

M1 - 44

ER -