Urban Green Spaces: A Study of Place Attachment and Environmental Attitudes in India

Abstract

Urban green spaces are critical to urban sustainability yet receive little scientific or political attention. This study explored the effect of place attachment on environmental attitudes among urban green space users in India. Data were collected via an on-site survey administered in March 2006. Among the English-speaking subsample (n = 219; adjusted response rate 87.6%), respondents had moderate levels of place identity and place dependence and exhibited a tendency toward pro-environmental attitudes. Additionally, stronger place identity was significantly associated with greater agreement regarding the balance between humans and nature as well as with weaker support for the domination of humans over nature. No significant relationships between place identity and ecological limits or place dependence and environmental attitudes emerged. Results suggest emotional connections with places contribute toward pro-environmental attitudes. Enhancing such connections is therefore likely to lead to increased environmental care and concern.