Journal of Parks doi: 10.3390/jop1030011

Authors: Wilfred Ochieng Omollo

Urban public parks are vital for recreation, public health, environmental quality, and sustainable urban growth. Yet access to these parks remains uneven across many cities, disproportionately affecting low-income, marginalised, and spatially segregated communities. This study systematically examines socio-spatial disparities in park access and their implications for spatial justice. Using the PRISMA 2020 framework, 108 peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2025 were analysed through thematic narrative synthesis. The results identify key factors shaping accessibility disparities, including socio-economic status, residential location, race and ethnicity, transport infrastructure, urban form, governance, and demographic vulnerability. The most common determinants were socio-economic status (24%), residential location and spatial distribution (20%), race and ethnicity (18%), and urban form and transport systems (17%). Limited park access exacerbates socio-economic inequality, worsens environmental injustice, contributes to health gaps, reinforces spatial segregation, hampers urban sustainability, and marginalises vulnerable populations. The review integrates Spatial Justice Theory, Environmental Justice Theory, and Urban Political Ecology into a comprehensive analytical framework and introduces a conceptual model linking accessibility factors to spatial justice outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of equitable green infrastructure planning, inclusive governance, and improved access in underserved urban areas.

Journal of Parks doi: 10.3390/jop1020010

Authors: Nirangi Wijerathna Nadeesha L. Ukwattage Nuwan De Silva

Urban Park vegetation plays a crucial role in mitigating air pollution by serving as a natural sink for gaseous and particulate pollutants, thereby enhancing the ecological sustainability of cities. Identifying tree species with high tolerance to air pollution is therefore essential for effective urban park planning and management in highly polluted urban environments. This study evaluated the air pollution tolerance of selected tree species commonly found in urban parks of Kandy City, Sri Lanka, using the Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI). Five tree species—Terminalia catappa (Indian almond), Cassia fistula (golden shower tree), Pongamia pinnata (Indian beech), Madhuca longifolia (butter tree), and Tabebuia rosea (pink poui)—were assessed at two urban park locations representing contrasting pollution levels, identified based on ambient SO2, NO2, and PM2.5 concentrations. APTI was calculated using four leaf biochemical parameters: pH, ascorbic acid content, relative water content, and total chlorophyll content. Leaf samples were collected from ten replicates of each species at both sites. Madhuca longifolia exhibited the highest APTI values (17.06 at the HP site and 25.17 at the LP site), followed by Cassia fistula, Terminalia catappa, Tabebuia rosea, and Pongamia pinnata. These findings suggest that the identified species, particularly Madhuca longifolia and Cassia fistula, are well-suited for urban greening and can contribute to mitigating air pollution impacts. However, these findings are constrained by a single cross-sectional sampling term, limited species screening, sequential data collection variances, and fixed mathematical equations. Consequently, future research should implement continuous multi-station monitoring arrays, expand species diversity, establish localized biochemical weightings, and initiate long-term multi-seasonal tracking to resolve temporal dynamics in tropical urban ecosystems.

Journal of Parks doi: 10.3390/jop1020009

Authors: Changwei Zhou Dehong Xue Zhongliang Peng Yilei Chen

The switch in land use of abandoned tailings can precondition their reuse as newly built parks. This study investigated the feasibility of reusing a remediated mercury (Hg) retorting site in Wanshan, Guizhou Province, China, as a functional urban park by assessing residual heavy metal risks and associated vegetation responses. Field investigations were conducted across 31 park sites distributed along an east–west geographical gradient from the former mining area to urban parks, using replicated plots to sample the surface soils and dominant plant species. The concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), and lead (Pb) in soil and plant tissues were quantified using inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry, and vegetation structure and diversity were evaluated using standard community indices. The results showed significant spatial variability in soil and plant metal concentrations, with higher levels generally observed near historically impacted areas of the mine. However, all soil metal concentrations were below the national safety thresholds. Plant tissues exhibit controlled metal accumulation within normal or regulated ranges, reflecting the effective screening of tolerant and hyperaccumulating species. Increasing heavy metal concentrations were associated with reduced vegetation coverage, height, and diversity along the gradient. Overall, the findings indicate that the reclaimed Hg retorting site almost met ecological safety requirements, but more data on deep soils, groundwater, and long-term observations are needed to draw more conclusive conclusions.

Journal of Parks doi: 10.3390/jop1020008

Authors: Duane Ebesu

Investments in urban parks are frequently justified not only in terms of their environmental and recreational amenities but also in terms of their potential to fuel appreciation in neighborhoods and corresponding increases in local fiscal revenues. There is a substantial body of literature indicating that proximity to parks and other forms of urban open spaces can be capitalized into surrounding residential property values; however, there is relatively limited research examining whether these effects plausibly translate into fiscal revenues that could offset the costs of urban park projects. This study seeks to address this question in the context of Chicago’s 606 Trail, a 2.7-mile elevated rail-to-trail conversion completed and opened on 6 June 2015, after a publicly disclosed investment of $95 million in the project at the time of opening. Using property transaction data and a difference-in-differences event-study approach, this study estimates the impact of park completion on surrounding residential property values and converts these amenity capitalization effects into corresponding municipal fiscal revenues. The main contribution of this paper is to demonstrate that amenity capitalization and fiscal self-financing are analytically separate outcomes, even though park completion may be associated with corresponding increases in surrounding residential property values. The study contributes a framework for evaluating substantial urban park investments by drawing on both urban amenity studies and municipal finance studies.

Journal of Parks doi: 10.3390/jop1020007

Authors: Mingwen Yu Zhipeng Li

This study addressed how business administration training influenced perceptions of sustainable development goals (SDGs) within park management, situating the research at the intersection of sustainability education and applied management practice. A controlled experiment was conducted in Chongqing Central Park, where 100 undergraduate students were randomly assigned to either an integrated business administration training program or a conventional park management program for two months, followed by standardized questionnaire surveys and statistical analyses, including analysis of variance and multivariate linear regression. A pretest verified randomization equivalence. The results demonstrated that participants who received integrated training reported higher perceptions of SDGs related to quality education, climate action, and life on land, alongside improvements in entrepreneurial mindset, social and economic value preferences, multitasking awareness, decision-related attributes, and interest in nature education. Regression analyses revealed that SDG perception was primarily strengthened by social value orientation and entrepreneurial mindset factors, whereas certain employee attributes and elements of nature education satisfaction exerted negative or weaker effects, particularly among trained participants. In contrast, the control group showed limited and mostly insignificant relationships, with SDG perception relying largely on baseline attitudes. Overall, the findings indicate that embedding business administration concepts into park management training enhances multidimensional sustainability awareness and provides evidence that socially oriented entrepreneurship and structured management thinking contribute meaningfully to SDG perception formation without overstating causal claims.

Journal of Parks doi: 10.3390/jop1010006

Authors: Andrea Patino Courtney W. Mason

Canada’s commitment to conserving 30% of its lands and oceans by 2030 is an incredibly ambitious objective requiring immense political and strategic effort. Despite initiatives by federal, provincial, territorial, and Indigenous governments, this target remains distant. This paper identifies key threats faced by protected area (PA) experts to achieve conservation objectives. Major obstacles include recreational overuse, resource extraction, habitat fragmentation, and political–economic pressures. To guide land management and maintain ecological integrity, the study illustrates the value of planning strategies, such as linking land cover with ecosystem dynamics. This relationship provides a pragmatic strategy for the administration of PAs while acknowledging the necessity for a more intricate, ecosystem-oriented approach. Using legal and policy analysis as well as semi-structured interviews with key conservation stakeholders throughout British Columbia (BC), this paper contends that applying ecosystem principles can assist managers of PAs to identify planning opportunities to more effectively reconcile conservation and recreational priorities while supporting climate resilience.

Journal of Parks doi: 10.3390/jop1010005

Authors: Dickson Adom Ophilia Prempeh Ralph Nyadu-Addo Michael Ato Essuman Emmanuel Jewel Peprah Mensah Steve Kquofi

Globally, ecomuseums, as examples of integrated museums, have prioritised local community participation as well as the promotion of cultural heritage and territoriality in the field of ecotourism since the 1970s. However, in Ghana, ecomuseums are a less explored extended activity at ecotourism sites. Preliminary research at the Bomfobiri Wildlife Sanctuary in the Ashanti Region of Ghana revealed that there is less patronage of the ecotourism facility due to the absence of extended activities targeted at visitor engagement and experience. This convergent parallel mixed methods study rooted in phenomenology and descriptive survey design investigated the possibility of establishing an ecomuseum at the sanctuary. The study found that the establishment of an ecomuseum facility would promote Kumawu’s cultural heritage. Also, it would enhance visitor engagement, promote local community ownership, increase revenue generation, and lead to the conservation of nature. The study contends that the establishment of an ecomuseum would lead to greater patronage of Ghana’s Protected Areas while creating job avenues, especially for forest-fringe communities. The study proposes an investment into the establishment of locally specific extended activities in the various nature reserves, zoological parks, and gardens, as well as wildlife sanctuaries in the country, to enhance ecotourism development in Ghana.

Journal of Parks doi: 10.3390/jop1010004

Authors: Ojonugwa Emmanuel Ahmed Eraky

This research assesses how land-cover transitions from 2012 to 2022 have impacted the value of ecosystem services in Denton County, Texas. Using remote sensing and spatial analysis, this study quantitatively links land-use change to its ecological and economic consequences. Full-county Landsat data were analyzed in ArcGIS Pro through supervised classification and categorical change detection. To quantify the impact of these changes, an accuracy assessment was performed, and a benefit-transfer method using both global and Texas-specific coefficients was applied to estimate the change in Ecosystem Service Value (ESV). Results revealed a complex dynamic: while the county experienced significant urban expansion, it also saw substantial greening as large areas of bare land transitioned to vegetation. However, this greening was not enough to offset the economic impact of losing high-value ecosystems. The analysis shows a net loss in total ESV over the decade, estimated between USD 24 million and USD 95 million per year, primarily driven by the significant reduction of water bodies. This study provides a replicable framework for policymakers to assess the environmental trade-offs of development and highlights the critical importance of preserving existing high-value ecosystems alongside urban greening initiatives.

Journal of Parks doi: 10.3390/jop1010003

Authors: Jackie Delie Kelly Biedenweg Lee K. Cerveny

(1) Background: Analyses using participatory GIS (PGIS) data have primarily focused on reporting landscape values (e.g., subsistence, spiritual) or activities (e.g., hunting, meditation) and less frequently on identifying patterns of value and activity co-occurrence. This paper explores whether consistent combinations of landscape values and activities associated with meaningful places identified by visitors—referred to as “bundles”—emerge across protected areas. These bundles represent the cognitive-behavioral components of sense of place. (2) Methods: We used exploratory factor analysis on aggregated PGIS data collected between 2011 and 2017 to identify value-activity bundles across three protected areas administered by the Forest Service in the northwestern United States. (3) Results: We found no universal bundles of landscape values and activities across the protected areas, limiting the ability to describe consistent sense of place bundles. Instead, relationships between landscape values and activities varied across areas. Weak associations between them highlight heterogeneity in how individuals perceive and interact with meaningful places, reflecting the subjective and context-dependent nature of the sense of place. (4) Conclusions: These findings suggest that identifying visitor “types” for outreach and planning may be more nuanced than anticipated. To provide diverse opportunities for visitors to protected areas, planners and decision-makers may need to move beyond standard audience segmentation practices and consider the context-dependent nature of sense of place.

Journal of Parks doi: 10.3390/jop1010002

Authors: Samuel Herman Ayivi Nicholas L. Padilla Lucius F. Hallett

Researchers, policy- and decision-makers, and planners have historically focused on the monetary value of parks and green spaces (either as costs or potential sale value). In this article, we argue that researchers, practitioners, and policymakers need to consider and investigate the non-economic values of parks and green spaces to more fully understand the worth of these spaces. We apply the total economic value framework (TEVF) to parks and green spaces in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to assess how use values and non-use values shape how people value local green spaces. This methodology provides a more comprehensive value of park spaces beyond the economic value which, in most cases, undervalues natural spaces. Our research indicates that, in the case of Kalamazoo, Michigan, parks and green spaces are worth more than the monetary value of their property to people. Non-use, existence, and bequest values all load strongly in our analysis, and these results indicate that people in the Kalamazoo area believe the worth of their park spaces extends well beyond the purely economic realm. We further argue that TEVF is an effective tool for park managers to incorporate diverse value systems and perceptions to quantify the importance of these values.

Journal of Parks doi: 10.3390/jop1010001

Authors: Hongxu Wei Richard J. Hauer

Journal of Parks (JOP, ISSN: 3042-5689) is an international journal developed to enhance our knowledge of how people use and perceive parks [...]