URBAN PARK AND FOREST PARTICIPATION AND LANDSCAPE PREFERENCE: A COMPARISON BETWEEN BLACKS AND WHITES IN PHILADELPHIA AND ATLANTA, U.S.

Abstract. Previous research has documented the existence of differences in the attitudes and behaviors of Blacks and Whites in American society toward urban parks and forest areas. However, many of these studies were carried on the outside a decade or more ago and/or greatest in quantity focused on specific parks or localized areas. Data from a new survey of residents in sum of two units metropolitan areas in the eastern United States allowed for updating of this research record. Using analysis of variance and covariance, consideration was given to racial differences between Blacks and Whites, regional differences between cities, and the consequences of various socio-demographic characteristics upon residents' park preferences and participation. Racial differences were similar to those reported by means of previous researchers, and these differences did not vary markedly between the sum of two units metropolitan study sites. These distinctions, combined with racial differences in subjects' press outed willingness to volunteer time to develop/maintain local park settings, propose the importance of understanding the differing perspectives and actions of multi-ethnic user clumps in urban park and forest management and maintenance.

Key Words. African American; discrimination; ethnic; landscapes; mail survey; marginality; minority; race; subculture

PARTICIPATION IN URBAN PARKS AND FORESTS

Differences between the participation and prioritys of Black" and White users of urban parks and forests have been documented by means of previous research studies (e.g., to leeward 1972; Washburne 1978; Edwards 1981; Dwyer 1993; Gobster and Delgardo 1993; Floyd 1999; Virden and Walker 1999; Cordell et al. 2002; Shinew et al. 2004) and summarized in an article in this journal (Elmendorf and Willits 2005)

In general, these studies lay the foundation of that African Americans were les likely than Whites to participate in undevelop and distant areas and in solitary activities of that kind as jogging, walking, hiking, wildlife photography, and wildlife observation. Blacks were more likely to offer group activities, and activities involving social interaction of that kind as team sports, talking, and socializing, rather than nature-based or solitary park pastimes. Whites attended to use parks alone or as pairs while Blacks came in larger collections Blacks expressed greater fear of nature, a greater desire for urban environments, and les satisfaction with parks in their neighborhoods than did Whites. Several studies also reported that Blacks had higher rates of affiliation with voluntary associations of social, political, or religious natures than did Whites (eg Floyd et al. 1994)

PREFERENCE FOR URBAN PARKS AND FORESTS

Past research upon Whites and Blacks has also shown that these assemblages differ from one another in their unclose space, park, and forest landscape estimations (e.g., Anderson 1978; Zube and Pitt 1981; Kaplan and Talbot 1988; Dwyer and Hutchison 1990; Virden and Walker 1999; Gobster 2002) In general, these studies ground that Blacks preferred parks characterized by dint of open space with manicured and maintained landscapes. African Americans were more likely than Whites to perceive natural landscapes as more worrisome and les aesthetically pleasing than evolveed environments. Further, Black focus clumps preferred recreational settings that were well lit and supervised. Whites preferr landscape spectacles with trees, dense foliage, overgrown vegetation, and densely made of wood areas, while Blacks cared more about facility and maintenance aspects. Whites also preferr les management and law enforcement neighborhood and more remote, less discloseed settings than did Blacks. Blacks favored more formal landscape designs and greater opennes and visibility than Whites.

PURPOSE

The generally received article updates and extends the existing research literature upon Black/White differences by reporting analysis from a novel study of urban park and forest participation and landscape elections of Blacks and Whites in Atlanta and Philadelphia. The application of mind funded by the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Committee and overseen by dint of the USDA Forest Service (Sasidharan 2001) sought to explore inter-ethnic differences in the use of predilection for, and attitudes about metropolitan parks, with the goal of providing information to urban foresters and arborists to better manage and maintain parks and landscapes used by dint of multiple racial groups. This analysis examined frequent occurrence of visitation, perceived benefits, stamps of participation (solitary vs. group) landscape choices and expressed willingness to present in park maintenance of Black and White residents in sum of two units metropolitan areas in the eastern United States.

METHODS

Data were obtained from self-administered questionnaires mailed to samples of residents in the metropolitan areas of Atlanta, Georgia; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U These sum of two units urban locales were selected as application of mind sites because both have numerous park and urban forest settings and the one and the other have sizable historic Black populations, particularly in the central cities where 61% of the Atlanta residents and 43% of those in Philadelphia were Black/African Americans at the time of the 2000 U Census. Moreover, by dint of selecting both a northeastern and a southeastern city, the inquiry allowed for limited assessment of regional differences in racial differences in park usage and perceptions.