How Does the Experience of Forest Recreation Spaces in Different Seasons Affect the Physical and Mental Recovery of Users?

Rui Chen, Yu Gao, Ruixin Zhang, Zhi Zhang, Weikang Zhang, Huan Meng and Tong Zhang ()
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Rui Chen: Landscape Planning Laboratory, Shenyang Agricultural University, No. 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110161, China
Yu Gao: Landscape Planning Laboratory, Shenyang Agricultural University, No. 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110161, China
Ruixin Zhang: Landscape Planning Laboratory, Shenyang Agricultural University, No. 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110161, China
Zhi Zhang: Landscape Planning Laboratory, Shenyang Agricultural University, No. 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110161, China
Weikang Zhang: Landscape Planning Laboratory, Shenyang Agricultural University, No. 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110161, China
Huan Meng: Landscape Planning Laboratory, Shenyang Agricultural University, No. 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110161, China
Tong Zhang: Landscape Planning Laboratory, Shenyang Agricultural University, No. 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang 110161, China

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 3, 1-24

Abstract: Background: In recent years, increasing attention has been given to the recovery effect of the forest environment on physical and mental health. Therefore, providing users with a high-quality forest landscape space is a very important research topic for forest landscape designers and forest resource managers. Main purpose: From the perspective of different seasons, this study explores the differences in landscape perceptions and physical and mental recovery of users when they experience different forest recreation spaces and the interactions between them. Methods: First, this study used virtual reality video experience and questionnaires for participants. Then, the paired-samples t test, one-way ANOVA and the independent-samples t test were used for statistical analysis. Finally, we also used structural equation models to analyze the relationship between landscape perception and recovery. Main results: (1) The restoration effect and perception of forest recreation spaces on people are influenced by space types and seasonal factors. (2) People’s restoration from forest environments is a gradual process from spatial cognition to emotional response. (3) The perception of the natural attributes and form of the recreation space plays a key role in the restorative effect of the environment to people, while the natural form is more important in spring than autumn. Based on the above conclusions, we suggest that the characteristic factors of the landscape environment and their different restoration effects for users in different dimensions should be considered when planning forest recreation space.

Keywords: environmental health; forest therapy; physical and mental recovery; seasonal characteristics; landscape perception evaluation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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