Exploring the subjective and objective characteristics affecting the frequency of human-nature interactions in urban green spaces: a case study from Finland
Poturalska, Anita; Ala-Hulkko, Terhi; Artell, Janne; Juutinen, Artti; Kangas, Katja (2026-02-07)
Springer
07.02.2026
Poturalska, A., Ala-Hulkko, T., Artell, J. et al. Exploring the subjective and objective characteristics affecting the frequency of human-nature interactions in urban green spaces: a case study from Finland. Urban Ecosyst 29, 54 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-025-01899-w
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© The Author(s) 2026. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
© The Author(s) 2026. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-202602131775
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-202602131775
Tiivistelmä
Abstract
Green urban and peri-urban spaces are important sites for human-nature interactions, providing countless ecosystem services to support the wellbeing of urban populations. In an era of rapid urbanization, understanding human-nature interactions requires considering both subjective, user-specific perspectives and the objective measures of environmental and infrastructural features of these green spaces. In this case study we explore how different groups of characteristics impact the number of visits and, consequently, human-nature interactions frequency in urban and peri-urban spaces across three Finnish cities: Espoo, Kuopio, and Jyväskylä. We used Public Participatory Geographic Information Systems survey data of which respondents marked the green urban and peri-urban spaces they visit annually. A panel generalized linear modelling approach was used to analyze the roles of four groups of subjective and objective characteristics on the visit frequency, including: the socio-demographic background of survey respondents; the cultural ecosystem services they consume; the perceived accessibility characteristics of the marked locations; and the presence of objectively measured environmental and infrastructure features of these locations. Our findings underline the importance of perceived accessibility and availability of infrastructure for more frequent interactions with nature. Additionally, they emphasize the need of urban residents for access to biodiverse green spaces within closer proximity to their homes. Ensuring the availability of green spaces and preserving their ability to provide ecosystem services is essential for maintaining the well-being of urban populations now and in the future.
Green urban and peri-urban spaces are important sites for human-nature interactions, providing countless ecosystem services to support the wellbeing of urban populations. In an era of rapid urbanization, understanding human-nature interactions requires considering both subjective, user-specific perspectives and the objective measures of environmental and infrastructural features of these green spaces. In this case study we explore how different groups of characteristics impact the number of visits and, consequently, human-nature interactions frequency in urban and peri-urban spaces across three Finnish cities: Espoo, Kuopio, and Jyväskylä. We used Public Participatory Geographic Information Systems survey data of which respondents marked the green urban and peri-urban spaces they visit annually. A panel generalized linear modelling approach was used to analyze the roles of four groups of subjective and objective characteristics on the visit frequency, including: the socio-demographic background of survey respondents; the cultural ecosystem services they consume; the perceived accessibility characteristics of the marked locations; and the presence of objectively measured environmental and infrastructure features of these locations. Our findings underline the importance of perceived accessibility and availability of infrastructure for more frequent interactions with nature. Additionally, they emphasize the need of urban residents for access to biodiverse green spaces within closer proximity to their homes. Ensuring the availability of green spaces and preserving their ability to provide ecosystem services is essential for maintaining the well-being of urban populations now and in the future.
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