Spatiotemporal Patterns of the Use of Urban Green Spaces and External Factors Contributing to Their Use in Central Beijing

Fangzheng Li, Fen Zhang, Xiong Li, Peng Wang, Junhui Liang, Yuting Mei, Wenwen Cheng and Yun Qian
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Fangzheng Li: School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Fen Zhang: School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Xiong Li: School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Peng Wang: Beijing Tsinghua Tongheng Urban Planning & Design Institute, Beijing 100085, China
Junhui Liang: Beijing Tsinghua Tongheng Urban Planning & Design Institute, Beijing 100085, China
Yuting Mei: School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Wenwen Cheng: Department of Landscape Architecture, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77840, USA
Yun Qian: School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-17

Abstract: Urban green spaces encourage outdoor activity and social communication that contribute to the health of local residents. Examining the relationship between the use of urban green spaces and factors influencing their utilization can provide essential references for green space site selection in urban planning. In contrast to previous studies that focused on internal factors, this study highlights the external factors (traffic convenience, population density and commercial facilities) contributing to the use of urban green spaces. We conducted a spatiotemporal analysis of the distribution of visitors in 208 selected green spaces in central Beijing. We examined the relationship between the spatial pattern of visitor distribution within urban green spaces and external factors, using the Gini coefficient, kernel density estimation, and geographical detectors. The results of the study were as follows. The spatial distribution of visitors within central Beijing’s green spaces was concentrated, forming different agglomerations. The three examined external factors are all associated with the use of green spaces. Among them, commercial facilities are the important external factor associated with the use of green spaces. For the selection of sites for urban green spaces, we recommend consideration of external factors in order to balance urban green space utilization.

Keywords: urban green spaces; spatiotemporal patterns; visitor distribution; external contributing factors; geographical detectors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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