IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i22p16056-d1282415.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Using Big Data to Assess Park System Performance during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Shujuan Li

    (School of Landscape Architecture and Planning, The University of Arizona, 1040 N. Olive Road, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA)

  • Bo Yang

    (School of Landscape Architecture and Planning, The University of Arizona, 1040 N. Olive Road, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA)

  • Haiquan Li

    (Department of Biosystems Engineering, College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences & College of Engineering, Statistics GIDP, Cancer Center, The University of Arizona, 1177 E 4th ST, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA)

Abstract

Parks provide essential services to urban dwellers, but the global COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted park usage. Despite this, little is known about the adaptation of visiting behaviors by the public and how visitation patterns vary across different types of parks. In this study, we utilized SafeGraph cellular human movement data to compare park visits in Tucson, Arizona (USA) before and during the pandemic (2019 vs. 2020). We reviewed park management measures in response to the pandemic alongside park visit data. Furthermore, we conducted a GIS analysis to compare the changes in park visits across different park types throughout various days and months. Results indicate that (1) fluctuations in park visits are strongly correlated with COVID-19-related measures; (2) different types of parks experience vastly different processes of visit decline and recovery; (3) river and linear parks maintain their appeal, likely due to the perception of reduced virus transmission risk associated with their primary activities, such as walking and bicycling; and (4) the contrast between weekend and weekday visit patterns reflects the extent of the pandemic impact. These findings offer valuable guidance for park management and park usage, attendance prediction, and design adaptations for future pandemics. We conclude that SafeGraph big data are effective for evaluating park system performance on a broader scale.

Suggested Citation

  • Shujuan Li & Bo Yang & Haiquan Li, 2023. "Using Big Data to Assess Park System Performance during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-17, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:22:p:16056-:d:1282415
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/22/16056/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/22/16056/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Venter, Zander & Barton, David & gundersen, vegard & Figari, Helene & Nowell, Megan, 2020. "Urban nature in a time of crisis: recreational use of green space increases during the COVID-19 outbreak in Oslo, Norway," SocArXiv kbdum, Center for Open Science.
    2. James McGinlay & Jens Holtvoeth & Alfie Begley & Juliana Dörstel & Anne Kockelmann & Michael Lammertz & Chrysovalantis Malesios & Nikoleta Jones, 2023. "Perceived Social Impacts of Protected Areas, Their Influence on Local Public Support and Their Distribution across Social Groups: Evidence from the Eifel National Park, Germany, during the COVID-19 Pa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-19, July.
    3. Hyungun Sung & Woo-Ram Kim & Jiyeon Oh & Samsu Lee & Peter Sang-Hoon Lee, 2022. "Are All Urban Parks Robust to the COVID-19 Pandemic? Focusing on Type, Functionality, and Accessibility," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-15, May.
    4. Yizhen Ding & Dongying Li & Huiyan Sang, 2022. "Park Characteristics and Changes in Park Visitation before, during, and after COVID-19 Shelter-in-Place Order," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-16, March.
    5. Zoe M Volenec & Joel O Abraham & Alexander D Becker & Andy P Dobson, 2021. "Public parks and the pandemic: How park usage has been affected by COVID-19 policies," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(5), pages 1-18, May.
    6. Brenda B. Lin & Susan Thompson & Richard Mitchell & Thomas Astell-Burt & Evelyne De Leeuw & Bin Jalaludin & Xiaoqi Feng, 2023. "Policymaker and Practitioner Perceptions of Parks for Health and Wellbeing: Scoping a Holistic Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-16, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Carolina Mayen Huerta & Ariane Utomo, 2022. "Barriers Affecting Women’s Access to Urban Green Spaces during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-18, April.
    2. Emad B. Dawwas & Karen Dyson, 2021. "COVID-19 Changed Human-Nature Interactions across Green Space Types: Evidence of Change in Multiple Types of Activities from the West Bank, Palestine," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-21, December.
    3. Yifeng Liu & Yuan Lai, 2024. "Analyzing jogging activity patterns and adaptation to public health regulation," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 51(3), pages 670-688, March.
    4. Xiangyou Shen & Megan MacDonald & Samuel W. Logan & Colby Parkinson & Lydia Gorrell & Bridget E. Hatfield, 2022. "Leisure Engagement during COVID-19 and Its Association with Mental Health and Wellbeing in U.S. Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-22, January.
    5. Emilia Janeczko & Jan Banaś & Małgorzata Woźnicka & Krzysztof Janeczko & Katarzyna Utnik-Banaś & Stanisław Zięba & Jitka Fialova, 2024. "How Did COVID-19 Pandemic Stress Affect Poles’ Views on the Role of the Forest?," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-14, May.
    6. Mohammad Shahidul Hasan Swapan & Shamima Aktar & Jeremy Maher, 2024. "Revisiting Spatial Justice and Urban Parks in the Post-COVID-19 Era: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-20, May.
    7. Bruno Marques & Jacqueline McIntosh & Chitrakala Muthuveerappan & Krzysztof Herman, 2022. "The Importance of Outdoor Spaces during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Aotearoa—New Zealand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-17, June.
    8. Hui, Ling Chui & Jim, C.Y., 2022. "Urban-greenery demands are affected by perceptions of ecosystem services and disservices, and socio-demographic and environmental-cultural factors," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    9. Luyang Chen & Lingbo Liu & Hao Wu & Zhenghong Peng & Zhihao Sun, 2022. "Change of Residents’ Attitudes and Behaviors toward Urban Green Space Pre- and Post- COVID-19 Pandemic," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-16, July.
    10. Xin Wang & Jingjing Lai & Yanlong Guo, 2024. "Study on Tourism Responsiveness and Habitat Environment-Influencing Factors of Traditional Villages in Huizhou Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-15, April.
    11. Mingxin Liu & Chenxi Chen & Jiaqi Yan, 2023. "Identifying Park Spatial Characteristics That Encourage Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity among Park Visitors," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-22, March.
    12. LU, Yi & Zhao, Jianting & Wu, Xueying & Lo, Siu Ming, 2020. "Escaping to nature in pandemic: a natural experiment of COVID-19 in Asian cities," SocArXiv rq8sn, Center for Open Science.
    13. Alexandra Jane Crossley & Alessio Russo, 2022. "Has the Pandemic Altered Public Perception of How Local Green Spaces Affect Quality of Life in the United Kingdom?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-14, June.
    14. Amer Habibullah & Nawaf Alhajaj & Ahmad Fallatah, 2022. "One-Kilometer Walking Limit during COVID-19: Evaluating Accessibility to Residential Public Open Spaces in a Major Saudi City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-16, October.
    15. James McGinlay & Jens Holtvoeth & Alfie Begley & Juliana Dörstel & Anne Kockelmann & Michael Lammertz & Chrysovalantis Malesios & Nikoleta Jones, 2023. "Perceived Social Impacts of Protected Areas, Their Influence on Local Public Support and Their Distribution across Social Groups: Evidence from the Eifel National Park, Germany, during the COVID-19 Pa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-19, July.
    16. Noszczyk, Tomasz & Gorzelany, Julia & Kukulska-Kozieł, Anita & Hernik, Józef, 2022. "The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the importance of urban green spaces to the public," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    17. Hyungun Sung & Woo-Ram Kim & Jiyeon Oh & Samsu Lee & Peter Sang-Hoon Lee, 2022. "Are All Urban Parks Robust to the COVID-19 Pandemic? Focusing on Type, Functionality, and Accessibility," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-15, May.
    18. Mare Lõhmus & Cecilia U. D. Stenfors & Tomas Lind & André Lauber & Antonios Georgelis, 2021. "Mental Health, Greenness, and Nature Related Behaviors in the Adult Population of Stockholm County during COVID-19-Related Restrictions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-21, March.
    19. Brzoska, P. & Grunewald, K. & Bastian, O., 2021. "A multi-criteria analytical method to assess ecosystem services at urban site level, exemplified by two German city districts," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    20. Argyro Anna Kanelli & Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos & Nikolaos M. Fyllas & George P. Chrousos & Olga-Ioanna Kalantzi, 2021. "Engaging the Senses: The Association of Urban Green Space with General Health and Well-Being in Urban Residents," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-15, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:22:p:16056-:d:1282415. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.