Park Setting Research Articles

Bioclimatic comfort and the thermal perceptions and preferences of beach tourists

The largest market segment of global tourism is coastal tourism, which is strongly dependent on the destination's thermal climate. To date, outdoor bioclimatic comfort assessments have focused exclusively on local residents in open urban areas, making it unclear whether outdoor comfort is perceived differently in non-urban environments or by non-residents (i.e. tourists) with different weather expectations and activity patterns. This study provides needed insight into the perception of outdoor microclimatic conditions in a coastal environment while simultaneously identifying important psychological factors that differentiate tourists from everyday users of urban spaces. Concurrent micrometeorological measurements were taken on several Caribbean beaches in the islands of Barbados, Saint Lucia and Tobago, while a questionnaire survey was used to examine the thermal comfort of subjects (n = 472). Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) conditions of 32 to 39°C were recorded, which were perceived as being "slightly warm" or "warm" by respondents. Most beach users (48 to 77%) would not change the thermal conditions, with some (4 to 15%) preferring even warmer conditions. Even at UTCI of 39°C, 62% of respondents voted for no change to current thermal conditions, with an additional 10% stating that they would like to feel even warmer. These results indicate that beach users' thermal preferences are up to 18°C warmer than the preferred thermal conditions identified in existing outdoor bioclimatic studies from urban park settings. This indicates that beach users hold fundamentally different comfort perceptions and preferences compared to people using urban spaces. Statistically significant differences (p ≤ .05) were also recorded for demographic groups (gender, age) and place of origin (climatic region).

Using Ecological Momentary Assessment to Understand Where and With Whom Adults’ Physical and Sedentary Activity Occur

This study used Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), a real-time self-report strategy, to describe the physical and social contexts of adults' physical activity and sedentary activity during their everyday lives and to determine whether these patterns and relationships differ for men and women. Data from 114 adults were collected through mobile phones across 4days. Eight electronic EMA surveys were randomly prompted each day asking about current activities (e.g., physical or sedentary activity), physical and social contexts, and perceived outdoor environmental features (e.g., greenness/vegetation, safety, and traffic). All participants also wore accelerometers during this period to objectively measure moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary activity. Home was the most common physical context for EMA-reported physical and sedentary activity. Most of these activities occurred when participants were alone. When alone, the most commonly EMA-reported physical activity and sedentary activity was walking and reading/using computer, respectively. When in outdoor home locations (e.g., yard and driveway) women demonstrated higher levels of MVPA, whereas men demonstrated higher levels of MVPA when in outdoor park settings (ps < .05). Men but not women demonstrated higher levels of MVPA in settings with a greater degree of perceived greenness and vegetation (p < .05). The current study shows how EMA via mobile phones and accelerometers can be combined to offer an innovative approach to assess the contexts of adults' daily physical and sedentary activity. Future studies could consider utilizing this method in more representative samples to gather context-specific information to inform the development of physical activity interventions.

Summertime scorcher: assessing and promoting sunscreen protection in an amusement park setting

Intense, intermittent exposure, the kind of exposure associated with attending an amusement park for example, is correlated with the development of basal cell carcinoma and melanoma. The goals of this study were to assess the use of the station by visitors and to identify opportunities to increase the utilization of the sunscreen station. The study was a descriptive observational study of attendees at an amusement park in Pennsylvania. The study included a paper survey and observation of the station for frequency of use. The station was very infrequently used; observation showed that 0.9% (8/879) of attendees in proximity used the station. There were numerous suggestions from attendees about increased utilization by improved station signage and locations as well as station advertising. Surveys were collected from 283 attendees and 59% (n=165) had used sunscreen on the day of the study and 29% (n=81) reported typical sunscreen use as 'Never' or 'Rarely' used. Once visitors were made aware of the station, 76% (201/263) reported that they would utilize it. This study showed that sunscreen use at an amusement park can be improved, especially among men and young adults. Therefore, men and younger visitors need to be purposefully encouraged in advertising and marketing the sunscreen stations.

Uneven Access and Underuse of Ecological Amenities in Urban Parks of the R&amp;#237;o Piedras Watershed

Santiago, L. E., J. C. Verdejo Ortiz, R. Santiago-Bartolomei, E. J. Melendez-Ackerman, and D. C. Garcia-Montiel. 2014. Uneven access and underuse of ecological amenities in urban parks of the Río Piedras watershed. Ecology and Society 19(1): 26. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-06180-190126

Preliminary Set Theory-Type Analysis of Proteins Associated With Parkinson’s Disease

In an attempt to create a model of Parkinson’s disease (PD) eighty-three proteins were extracted from the Swiss- Prot protein database that had some casual mention of PD. These were split up into various subsets of proteins of which three are focused on here: PARK, made up of proteins that had some indication that polymorphisms in the protein might increase a person’s susceptibility to develop PD; MITOCHOND, proteins which had some association with the mitochondria; and MT-C1D, proteins that were implicated in mitochondrial complex 1 deficiency. The PARK subset had 21 out of 83 proteins (21/83); MITOCHOND 33 out of 83 proteins (33/83); and MT-C1D 17 out of 83 proteins (17/83). The results could be used to build up a basic model of PD creating phenotypes based on sets of proteins. The main phenotypes established here are; non-mitochondrial PD (50/83) and mitochondrial PD (33/83). Further division is possible dependant on whether proteins have polymorphisms which increase susceptibility to develop PD. MT-C1D seems to be independent of the PARK set. This is a very simplistic attempt at trying to model Parkinson’s disease at the proteomic level and will need further work to build up the more complex and realistic PD proteomic disease model.

Integration of Thermal Membrane Distillation Networks with Processing Facilities

Thermal membrane distillation (TMD) is an emerging technology which is gaining an increasing level of interest in the area of high-purity separation especially in water treatment. It is driven primarily by heat which creates a vapor-pressure difference across a porous hydrophobic membrane. The integration of TMD with industrial processes offers several advantages. Excess low-level heat from the process can be used to drive TMD. This transfer of heat also reduces the cooling utility load for the process. Therefore, dual heat-reduction benefits accrue as a result of this heat integration. Additionally, process wastewater and utility water may be treated using TMD then recycle or reused in the process or sold to external users. This paper introduces a process integration framework from the thermal coupling of TMD networks and industrial processes. First, a three-parameter model is developed to quantify the water flux through the membranes as a function of heat and temperature. The model is validated using experimental data for direct-contact membrane distillation (DCMD). Next, the trans-shipment model for heat integration is extended to account for the coupling of the process and the TMD network and the need to optimize the extent of heating for the TMD feed. A discretization approach is used to linearize the thermal-coupling constraints. The mathematical-programming formulation is solved to identify the optimal heat integration strategies within the process and with the TMD network. The program also determines the optimal temperature to which the TMD feed should be heated and the system design and specification. A case study is solved to show the integration between a gas-to-methanol process and an adjacent desalination process. Three scenarios are considered: a standalone TMD network, TMD with thermal and water coupling with a process in an eco-industrial park setting, and TMD as part of the processing facility.

Psychological science, conservation, and environmental sustainability

Because environmental degradation has the potential to negatively affect mental and social well‐being, environmental sustainability is highly relevant to psychologists, who have a tradition of interventions designed to change behavior. Although many psychologists are already using psychological knowledge and tools to protect environmental resources, their efforts are neither widely known nor extensively utilized in applied conservation settings. Here, we describe some barriers to effective conservation interventions adopted by psychologists and conservation professionals alike, and provide suggestions to both disciplines for more productive engagement. We also present an illustrative example of psychological science applied to promote environmental conservation in a zoological park setting. Our aim is to raise awareness of the possibilities for such collaboration and to urge conservation professionals and psychologists to work together in order to proactively address pressing environmental challenges.

A decision support system for sustainable energy supply combining multi-objective and multi-attribute analysis: An Australian case study

A framework for an energy supply decision support system (DSS) for sustainable plant design and production is presented in this paper, utilising an innovative use of multi-objective and multi-attribute decision-making (MODM, MADM) modelling together with impact assessment (IA) of the emission outputs. The mathematical model has been applied within an eco-industrial park (EIP) setting and includes three steps. First, an assessment of the total EIP emissions' inventory and impacts is conducted; the second step, focusing on the sustainability benefits of combined heating and power (CHP) plants and photovoltaic technologies, developed a multi-objective mathematical model including both economic and environmental objectives in a Pareto-frontier optimisation analysis. Four different scenarios involving combinations of CHP plants (internal combustion engine, gas turbine, micro-turbines and fuel cells) and two types of PV plant (monocrystalline and polycrystalline) were evaluated. The third step utilises a MADM methodology – the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) – for selecting the best alternative among the Pareto-frontier efficient solutions. This model has been applied to a case study of an EIP located in Perth (Kwinana Industrial Area—KIA), Western Australia.

An evaluation of the outdoor table tennis initiative pilot programme in London: ‘ping pong in the fresh air how does that work?’

This article examines the findings from an evaluation of the English Table Tennis Association outdoor table tennis pilot initiative in London. Ethnographic participant observation fieldwork was conducted, alongside semi-structured interviews with project and local partner staff to explore the impact and effectiveness of the scheme. The project aspiration was to develop a new entry route into the sport of table tennis, using an innovative new format of the game in park facilities. The project challenged established principles of sports development to encourage self-organised participation, raise the profile of the sport and attract new participants to this form of physical activity in a park setting. Results from the pilot programme evaluation illustrated that participants had engaged in multiple forms of self-organised play, usage of the tables were high and that there were minimal barriers to participation. Future challenges include how to link this initiative with wider national governing body sports development plans, harnessing the profile raising potential of the scheme and the development of opportunities and participants that were created through the scheme.

Your Wait Time From This Point Will Be . . .

Amusement park developers have begun designing queue systems to make the wait for service less cumbersome for guests. Maister introduced a theoretical framework with eight guidelines for improving customer satisfaction and minimizing the perception of wait duration. These guide- lines were designed to be generalizable to a wide range of settings but do not fully take into account the unique characteristics of theme park queues. The following proposed guidelines offer a taxonomy for reducing the negative impact of subjective perception of time and provide a specific framework for designing these queued environments in an amusement park setting.

Differences in Youth and Adult Physical Activity in Park Settings by Sex and Race/Ethnicity

We examined differences by sex and race/ethnicity in the observed moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) of youth and adults in diverse areas of 4 parks in Kansas City, Missouri, in 2009. Male youth were more active on playgrounds and pools or splashpads than female youth. White youth were less active than nonwhite youth in open spaces and on paved trails. Male adults were more active in open spaces than female adults, and white adults were more active on paved trails than nonwhite adults. Understanding variations in MVPA between user groups can inform park design efforts to foster increased activity among all visitors.

Adult physical activity within park activity areas: Differences by gender and race/ethnicity

Introduction: Given their ubiquity and free access across communities, parks have significant potential for combating population-level concerns related to physical inactivity and obesity. Growing research suggests the design of parks is important, but few studies have explored users’ physical activity (PA) levels within specific park activity areas or especially how this may vary by socio-demographic characteristics. The purpose of this study was to examine differences across gender and race/ethnicity in the PA of adults observed in different park settings.

Human Behaviour and Activities in Relation to Shah Alam Urban Park during Nighttime

Public parks play a vital role in the social life of urban communities. The purpose of this paper is to show the social behaviour and activities of a community during nighttime in outdoor spaces exclusively in public urban park in Shah Alam. However, literature reviews regarding nighttime social behaviour and activities of urban community are limited. Improved understanding of relation between community activity and urban park setting could be used to influence the development of public park design, to create nighttime urban outdoor environments more conducive for community leisure activity.

Demographic variations in observed energy expenditure across park activity areas

ObjectiveParks are important physical activity (PA) settings, but few studies have examined PA differences between park areas according to multiple user demographic characteristics. This study explored variations in adult/senior and child/teen PA intensity across park settings by gender, age, and race/ethnicity. MethodsIn July–August 2009, the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) was used in four parks in Kansas City, Missouri to record park users' PA behavior within specific park areas. A total of 8855 observations were recorded. ANCOVAs compared mean energy expenditure (EE) for various demographic groups across the five most-used park target areas for adults/seniors and children/teens. ResultsAmong adults/seniors, all sub-samples exhibited higher EE on paved trails (0.086–0.093kcal/kg/min) and tennis courts (0.086–0.089kcal/kg/min), than in open spaces, playgrounds, or picnic shelters. Among children/teens, the child, White, and all child/teen sub-samples showed greater EE on playgrounds (0.088–0.089kcal/kg/min) than in picnic shelters. ConclusionPark planning and design efforts should consider environmental and programming initiatives to increase intergenerational PA levels within park areas such as playgrounds, open spaces, and picnic shelters.

The spiritual dimension of campers' park experience: management implications

A more thorough understanding of the spiritual dimension of park experience could improve park management. The little research on this topic is primarily qualitative, focused on wilderness experiences. Secondary analysis of data from the Ontario Parks Camper Survey, with a sample of 11,834 campers at 44 provincial parks, found that 53% of the campers indicated that introspection/spirituality added to their satisfaction with the park experience. More natural park settings, nature-oriented activities and being at the park alone were associated with introspection/spirituality. In regards to park management practices it was found that, in general, there was a positive relationship between the degree to which introspection/spirituality added to park experience and the overall importance given to park services and facilities. This finding suggests an overall high level of service quality, rather than specific management practices, might be the most effective management strategy for facilitating spiritual benefits through park management.

Mapping outdoor recreationists' perceived social values for ecosystem services at Hinchinbrook Island National Park, Australia

Coastal ecosystems are increasingly faced with human impacts. To better understand these changing conditions, biophysical and economic values of nature have been used to prioritize spatial planning efforts and ecosystem-based management of human activities. Less is known, however, about how to characterize and represent non-material values in decision-making. We collected on-site and mailback survey data (n = 209), and analyzed these data using the Social Values for Ecosystem Services (SolVES) GIS application to incorporate measures of social value and natural resource conditions on Hinchinbrook Island National Park, Australia. Our objectives in this paper are to: 1) determine the spatial distribution and point density of social values for ecosystem services; 2) examine the relationship between social values and natural resource conditions; and 3) compare social value allocations between two subgroups of outdoor recreationists. Results suggest that high priority areas exist on Hinchinbrook's land and seascapes according to the multiple values assigned to places by outdoor recreationists engaged in consumptive (e.g., fishing) and non-consumptive (e.g., hiking) activities. We examine statistically significant spatial clustering across two subgroups of the survey population for three value types that reflect Recreation, Biological Diversity, and Aesthetic qualities. The relationship between the relative importance of social values for ecosystem services and spatially-defined ecological data is explored to guide management decision-making in the context of an island national park setting.

THEMEQUAL—Adapting the SERVQUAL Scale to Theme Park Services: A Case of Hong Kong Disneyland

ABSTRACT Faced with keen competition in the theme park operating environment, operators have realized the necessity of maintaining a high standard of service quality in order to survive. Because of the scarcity of literature on theme park service quality, the present study adapts the SERVQUAL model and modifies it as the THEMEQUAL model to measure the gap between perceived service quality and expected service quality from visitors under the theme park setting. The Hong Kong Disneyland is selected due to its importance to the Hong Kong tourism industry. The impact of the dimensions of the model on visitor satisfaction is also examined. Results expressed visitor satisfaction in terms of physical environment, but signified dissatisfaction on employee performance. Among the six dimensions of the model, “responsiveness and access,” “assurance,” and “empathy” are the critical predictors of visitor satisfaction. Discussions on the findings are presented and managerial implications are explained in detail.

Fear Perceptions in Public Parks

This research examined the effect of concealment (environmental cues), presence or absence of people recreating (social cues), and gender on individuals’ fear of crime in a community park setting. Using a 7-point single-item indicator, 732 participants from two samples (540 park visitors and 192 college students) rated their estimates of fear of crime to 24 photographic representations of a community park. All three, two-factor interaction effects were significant in the park visitor sample, but in the student sample, only the Presence of People Recreating × Gender effect was significant. These results suggest that social and environmental cues may jointly affect fear experiences and that the presence of other people recreating in a park environment and the gender of an individual may influence fear of crime when recreating alone in a park setting. Implications include design and management techniques that promote safe park environments.

Further research on separating anthropogenic from natural sounds in a park setting

This paper is a continuation of work presented last year on this subject. Last year's work involved separating nearly all anthropogenic sound from natural sound except for jet aircraft. This year a method to detect jet aircraft has been developed, so that now one is able to separate all anthropogenic sound from natural sound. Testing of the detection of non-aircraft anthropogenic sound has been continued with a wide body of data. For the detection of anthropogenic sound (other than jet aircraft) we rely on the assumption that nearly all of this sound involves the use of motors and, hence, except for aircraft, creates fundamental tones that are well below 1000 Hz, where as natural sounds (e.g., insects, birds, frogs) nearly always will create tones with fundamental frequencies above 1000 Hz. This paper present the results of the testing for aircraft noise detection and the additional testing of the detection of non-aircraft anthropogenic sound.

More Than a Pretty Space: Stormwater Treatment Wetlands with Multiple Benefits at Freedom Park, Naples FL

Freedom Park is a 20 ha (50 ac) stormwater runoff quality improvement project in the Gordon River watershed in Naples FL. Constructed ponds and wetlands and restored wetland habitats are integrated into a passive park setting of trails, boardwalks, educational facilities, and natural landscaping. Operated by the Collier County Growth Management Division and the Parks and Recreation Department, the system uses wetlands to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus in water pumped from ditches draining the watershed. Water pumped from the Gordon River supplements the system during dry, low flow seasons and helps reduce river phosphorus and nitrogen loads. Restored natural forested wetlands enhance site biodiversity and enrich the visitor experience. A versatile educational facility supports multiple civic functions that complement and reinforce the steady increase in visitor use since the park opened. Freedom Park demonstrates with excellence how a regional stormwater facility can be designed as a beautiful yet functional community asset.