Influence of green space on place attachment in urban areas: perspective from a rapidly growing medium-size town of India

Swatilekha Sen () and Sanat Kumar Guchhait
Additional contact information
Swatilekha Sen: The University of Burdwan
Sanat Kumar Guchhait: The University of Burdwan

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, 2025, vol. 27, issue 1, No 88, 2495-2521

Abstract: Abstract Several research studies have highlighted the benefits of urban green space to urbanites, however, understanding of human-nature interaction through psychological and cognitive attachment of city dwellers to their surrounding green spaces is a new verge of study under place attachment research. In present study, an empirical assessment of resident’s place attachment towards green spaces is conducted in a rapidly growing medium-size town of India. For this, a modified place attachment model consisting eight dimensions namely, green space quality, connectedness to nature, place identity, sense of place, place dependence, well-beingness, social relation and kith–kin relation is taken for statistical analysis to ascertain level of place attachment in relation to attributes. Data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire survey and personal interview in three neighbourhoods viz. built-up eco space or nearby natural area, busy built-up and urban–rural peripheral areas under Bardhaman Planning Area, India. A mixed-method research technique has been applied for comprehensive study. Narratives are used as qualitative technique while quantitative data are subjected to Exploratory Factor Analysis to examine the underlying place attachments. Confirmatory Factor Analysis has been performed to confer the outcomes of place attachment. Narrative analysis shows the deeper urge for green space in the busy built-up and eloquent expression of mental satisfaction for the eco-space area. Factor loadings of green space quality, connectedness to nature, well-beingness and social relation are markedly high for built-up eco space than the busy built-up areas. Similarly, CFA shows clear distinction of respondents between busy built-up and built-up eco space. Thus, green space in a city can create a different image from conventional city space. Hence, acknowledging human’s urban future, influence of green spaces towards creation of place attachment is by far a necessary synthesis in present day sustainability research.

Keywords: Urbanites; Human-nature interaction; Benefits of nature; Sense of connectedness; Neighbourhood differences (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10668-023-03976-6 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:endesu:v:27:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s10668-023-03976-6

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/economics/journal/10668

DOI: 10.1007/s10668-023-03976-6

Access Statistics for this article

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development is currently edited by Luc Hens

More articles in Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().