Perceptions and Patterns of Use of Blue Spaces in Selected European Cities: Tartu, Tallinn, Barcelona, Warsaw and Plymouth

Anna Wilczyńska (Corresponding Author), Gloria Niin, Peeter Vassiljev, Izabela Myszka, Simon Bell

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Urban blue infrastructure is an important component of the urban landscape for ecological, economic, social, and cultural reasons. However, there is a clear research gap in relation to preferences and patterns of use in the context of different blue spaces, considering the citywide context and different cultural and geographical settings. Additionally, when compared to green spaces, the location and morphology of urban blue elements are usually geographically predefined, and it is much less possible to ensure their equitable distribution with respect to population. To fill this gap, we decided to explore the effect of distance from residential areas, the role of water, the level of facilities, and the character of blue spaces in attracting visitors of different demographic characteristics in a sample of different European cities. We used a public participatory geographic information system approach (PPGIS) to collect data about residents’ favourite blue spaces in each city and categorize the most popular of these according to whether they were close to or distant from respondents’ homes. We also categorized the types of blue spaces and the level of facilities present. The results show that certain key blue spaces, such as the seaside or beaches, attract more distant visitors and that the pattern of the blue spaces within the city also affects visitation. There are many differences among the studied cities due to the morphology determined by geography. The usage of blue spaces is very site-specific and should be studied in more detail at the city and place levels, focusing on the different roles of everyday and destination places.

Original languageEnglish
Article number7392
JournalSustainability (Switzerland)
Volume15
Issue number9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2023
Externally publishedYes

Keywords*

  • blue spaces
  • patterns of use
  • perception

Field of Science*

  • 1.2 Computer and information sciences
  • 3.3 Health sciences
  • 1.5 Earth and related Environmental sciences

Publication Type*

  • 1.1. Scientific article indexed in Web of Science and/or Scopus database

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