Predicting local residents' use of nearby outdoor recreation areas through quality perceptions and recreational expectations

Abstract

Outdoor recreation, and in particular nearby recreation, is of growing importance in urban areas. However, previous research into nearby recreation areas has been subject to several limitations, including being restricted to target area surveys and inadequate explanation of the use of these areas. The present study predicts the degree of use of a nearby outdoor recreation area on the fringe of Zurich by relating use to both the quality of the area, as perceived by the local residents' (<i>n</i> = 325), and to their general recreational expectations. The perceived quality of the recreation area predicted mainly weekend use. Frequent visitors reported higher expectations than non-visitors regarding their recreational environment in general, and in particular regarding qualities of stimulation avoidance. It is concluded that maintenance of landscape quality and natural features, as well as providing low-stimulus environments represents the first priority for the management of nearby outdoor recreational areas.