Contributions of the quantity and quality of neighborhood green space to residential satisfaction in suburban Shanghai

Abstract

The role of neighborhood green spaces in improving residential satisfaction has attracted attention in recent years. However, most existing research focuses on the quantity of neighborhood green spaces, while there is still little systematic understanding of the effect of green space quality, which is represented by plant communities, on residential satisfaction. This study investigates the relationship between neighborhood green spaces and residential satisfaction considering both the quantity and quality of green space. Green space quantity is measured by the ratio of green space, and quality consists of plant community structure and foliar habits. Satisfaction evaluations were gathered from 1050 residents through a questionnaire survey conducted in suburban Shanghai in 2017, with neighborhood green spaces investigated through a manual audit on-site survey. The results show that both the quantity and quality of neighborhood green spaces contribute to residential satisfaction. A higher greening level contributes to higher residential satisfaction. The impact of green space quality is more significant than that of quantity. The impact of the quality of green space on residential satisfaction is complex. A higher ratio of deciduous plants has a positive association on residential satisfaction. More herbs and herb-tree structures also correlate positively with residential satisfaction. The findings provide planning implications for configuring neighborhood green spaces to improve residents’ satisfaction through the design of plant community diversity.