16 research outputs found
What drives people into nature?:Economic, spatial, and sociodemographic perspectives on outdoor recreation demand, preferences, and constraints
No full textThis PhD project explores the economic, spatial, and sociodemographic factors that links to outdoor recreation in Denmark – who participates, who doesn’t, and why. Outdoor recreation is increasingly recognized as a key contributor to physical and mental well-being, social cohesion, and environmental awareness. Yet, participation remains unequally distributed across the population.Through a combination of environmental economics and spatial modeling, the thesis investigates how personal background, access to nature, and recreational motivations influence demand, site preferences, and perceived constraints to outdoor recreation. The research draws on extensive nationally representative survey data, including two large-scale PPGIS datasets covering over 13,000 Danes, and applies advanced spatial and quantitative methods, including hedonic pricing and multi-site travel cost models.The results point to clear patterns: transport access, spatial proximity, and landscape characteristics play a defining role in both realized and unrealized nature use. Motivations, preferences, and constraints interact in complex ways across both non-market and market-based recreational settings. Overall, the thesis offers new insights into how people access, value, and use nature, and provides actionable knowledge for outdoor recreation planners and policymakers
Hvad holder danskerne væk fra naturen?
No full textMange danskere får opfyldt deres behov for at være i naturen, men der er også en stor gruppe, som har et uopfyldt behov. Dette Videnblad præsenterer de hyppigst oplevede hindringer og barrierer for at komme ud i naturen
Comparing place meanings of recreational visits to coastal and inland nature
No full textBlue spaces are being increasingly linked to a public health agenda, as the presence of water increases perceived restorativeness. Much research has examined coastal nature experiences and sense of place in coastal areas specifically, but little research has attempted to compare sense of place across different types of natural environments. In this study, we used place meanings to investigate how people perceive, experience, and attach to coastal and inland natural environments, providing new insights into human-nature relations in coastal and inland environments in Denmark. The study uses a mixed methods approach, combining qualitative analysis of free-text responses from a national online PPGIS survey with statistical analysis of background information. Responses from 500 coastal and 500 inland nature visitors were analysed through an inductive coding process, which elicited one hundred different place meanings. These meanings were categorized according to Williams’ (2014) layers of tangible and intangible place meanings. The meaning layer distribution was similar between coastal and inland nature visits, just as the most frequent place meanings were similar across the environments (e.g., Nature, Nice, Forest, Walk). However, significant differences were found among some individual place meanings (e.g., Wild, Vacation, Healing and comfort were more frequent for coastal visits), suggesting special coastal place meanings that should be further explored in future research. The analysis of place meanings was supplemented by an analysis of relevant visit characteristics behind the 500 coastal and 500 inland visits, suggesting great attraction coupled to coastal places (e.g., longer travel distance).Blue spaces are being increasingly linked to a public health agenda, as the presence of water increases perceived restorativeness. Much research has examined coastal nature experiences and sense of place in coastal areas specifically, but little research has attempted to compare sense of place across different types of natural environments. In this study, we used place meanings to investigate how people perceive, experience, and attach to coastal and inland natural environments, providing new insights into human-nature relations in coastal and inland environments in Denmark. The study uses a mixed methods approach, combining qualitative analysis of free-text responses from a national online PPGIS survey with statistical analysis of background information. Responses from 500 coastal and 500 inland nature visitors were analysed through an inductive coding process, which elicited one hundred different place meanings. These meanings were categorized according to Williams’ (2014) layers of tangible and intangible place meanings. The meaning layer distribution was similar between coastal and inland nature visits, just as the most frequent place meanings were similar across the environments (e.g., Nature, Nice, Forest, Walk). However, significant differences were found among some individual place meanings (e.g., Wild, Vacation, Healing and comfort were more frequent for coastal visits), suggesting special coastal place meanings that should be further explored in future research. The analysis of place meanings was supplemented by an analysis of relevant visit characteristics behind the 500 coastal and 500 inland visits, suggesting great attraction coupled to coastal places (e.g., longer travel distance).<br/
Investigating the alignment between stated motivations and revealed preferences for recreational hunting through a hedonic analysis of hunting leases
No full textExisting theory proposes that motivation for recreational hunting is divided into domains of appreciation (nature experience), affiliation (social interaction), and achievement (hunting skills and yield outcome). As motives are known to impact public attitudes toward hunting, potential response biases might emerge when hunters self-report their own motivations. Analyzing data from 2,260 hunting leases in a hedonic model, we explore the alignment between hunters’ stated motivations and revealed preferences as reflected in actual hunting lease costs operationalized into the above three motivational domains. Our findings indicate that lease attributes associated with affiliation, like hunting cabins and larger consortium sizes, elevate lease prices comparatively more than achievement-oriented attributes, such as game feeding and shooting platforms. Additionally, by examining interaction effects, we identify that the minority of hunters, who are driven by achievement, are in alignment with their stated motivations and are willing to pay a premium for achievement-enhancing lease attributes
National kortlægning af danskernes naturbesøg – Geografiske analyser af friluftslivet i Danmark i forhold til arealanvendelse, beskyttelsesudpegninger og ejerforhold
No full text
Perceived constraints for psychological restoration in nearby greenspaces:An exploratory and multi-dimensional approach
No full textStress-related illnesses are a major problem among urban societies. Greenspaces near residential areas are crucial for supporting mental well-being and mitigating urban stressors. While various studies have demonstrated the benefits of greenspaces for stress recovery, the constraints to experiencing these benefits are less explored. This study aims to explore the multidimensional factors constraining psychological restoration in everyday outdoor activities, to inform urban planning and enhance environmental psychology theories. In an online survey 1,134 Swiss residents were presented with an open-ended question about the constraints they experienced during their latest outdoor activity, along with closed-ended questions about their personal traits, the activity performed, and the restorativeness of the experience. Through an inductive coding process followed by a deductive classification, we identified a wide range of constraints and categorized them into structural, interpersonal, and intrapersonal constraints, further distinguishing between supply and demand factors. Structural supply constraints were predominant, particularly overcrowding, traffic, and noise, which negatively correlated with the perceived restorativeness of the environment. Intrapersonal demand constraints, such as thoughts and stress were mentioned frequently, and hindered restoration outcomes. Women and younger adults were more frequently affected by these constraints. Results underscore the subjective and context-dependent nature of restorative experiences in everyday environments, shaped by the interplay of individual, societal, and environmental factors. Our findings highlight the need for inclusive planning and social measures to support vulnerable groups in enhancing the restorative potential of outdoor activities in nearby greenspaces
