Cultural Differences in Attitudes towards Urban Parks and Green Spaces

Abstract

Understanding how different cultural and ethnic groups value and use urban parks is crucial in developing appropriate design and management strategies for urban greenspaces. However, little is known about how Turkish people respond to and use urban parks in their daily life. This study explores public attitudes towards urban parks in the Turkish cultural context through a questionnaire survey (n = 300) carried out in two popular urban parks of Isparta, Turkey. The results revealed some universal similarities to, as well as some distinct differences from, other cultures in attitudes towards urban parks. People in Turkey use urban parks generally for passive recreational activities such as picnicking, resting and relaxing, in contrast to Western countries where urban parks are generally used for walking, dog walking, sports activities and exercise. In contrast to a common concern about personal safety in urban parks, this study determined a positive perception of safety among Turkish people. Appreciation of natural features, experienced benefits, the need for recreational facilities and concerns for general cleanliness and maintenance were found as universally similar attitudes in urban parks.

Key Words:

• Urban parks
• green spaces
• cultural differences
• public attitudes
• Turkey

Acknowledgements

The author wish to thank Gökşen Taskınel and Funda Çetin for their assistance during the fieldwork and also to the numerous anonymous individuals who participated in the survey. Financial support has been received from the Süleyman Demirel University.