COS 45-3 - Socio-Environmental Drivers of Human-Nature Interaction in Urban Green Spaces : A case of New York City

Abstract: One way that people interact with nature is by participating in community science activities. Although many studies have examined spatial patterns of community science usage, few have combined social and environmental variables in these analyses. The study aimed to identify social and environmental variables that impact the human-nature interactions made through participating in community science activities in urban green spaces.

Using iNaturalist, we investigated the relationship between socio-environmental variables and interaction patterns in urban parks (n=359) in Queens, New York City (USA). We gathered data on 5 social variables - income, residents with high blood pressure (%) and asthma (%), distance to public transit, and racial diversity - and 6 environmental variables - area, water surface (%), impervious surface (%), canopy cover (%), temperature, noise, and park types (Nature, Buildings, Lot, Community, Playground, Roadside, Waterfront, and Flagship Parks). To assess human-nature interactions, we collected all research-grade observations (n=26471) within 100 ft of urban parks. We created four metrics of interaction based on the collected recordings - number of iNaturalist users (Observers), number of observations (Observations), calculated interaction (multiplication of Observers and Observations - Interaction), and taxa richness derived from research-grade observations from each park (Biodiversity).

Generalized Linear Model analysis identified the social and environmental variables associated with human-nature interactions. Due to the large size of the Flagship Parks (20.78% of the total park area, n=4), human-nature interactions were analyzed for small/medium sized parks (average area=11.46 acre, n=355) which excluded the Flagship Parks (average area=599.51 acre), and a separate analysis with Flagship Parks included.

Among small/medium parks, park type and park area were significant to all four measures of interaction. Additionally, temperature negatively impacted Observer and Biodiversity, while canopy cover showed a significant positive relationship to Observation and Interaction. In the analysis that included the Flagship Parks, only status as a Flagship Park had significant relationships to all interaction measures except Biodiversity. More Observers were found in Natural Parks. Park size had a positive relationship to all interaction measures. Lastly, the number of Observers and Biodiversity was negatively related to temperature. Surprisingly, none of the social variables we examined were related to human-nature interactions.

We present an interdisciplinary, holistic approach to a specific type of human-nature interaction that has become newly available with technological advances. This study may help inform planners and designers, residents, and municipalities in creating interactive and socio-environmentally beneficial urban green spaces in rapidly urbanizing times.