Potential factors affect the use of urban green spaces in Danang city



The possible health advantages of green space, and particularly the usage of green space, are attracting more and more scientists and policymakers' interest. Knowledge of how, why, and which factors influence the usage of green space is becoming increasingly demanded for the purposes of local planning as well as the policy to encourage residents to visit green space. The results of a study of 215 Danang residents randomly chosen served as the basis for the current investigation. Respondents were questioned about their proximity to different types of green space, consisting of the seas, beaches, natural and artificial lakes, rivers, and springs; parks and other green areas; natural and plantation forests; other natural open areas (Son Tra Peninsula, Ba Na Hill, hot springs); how frequently they used each of these areas; and their primary motivations for doing so. In order to determine the relationship between potential predictors and the frequency of visits to green space, multiple logistic regression analysis was used. The findings reveal that 76.5 % of respondents visit green spaces at least once a week and that 14.2 % of respondents visit green spaces daily. Most of the respondents reside far from green space, and only 18.8 % of them live within 300 meters of green space. For 75.8 % of the respondents, visiting a green place is most important since it allows them to take in the weather, relax, and gather with friends and family. The majority of Danang citizens do not consider distance to a green space to be a barrier for coming to beaches, lakes, rivers, and parks, but it is when coming to forests and other open natural areas. Age, gender, and marital status also influence the frequency of visits. Careful consideration of green space availability and social-demographic factors when building more green space as well as developing an effective plan to enhance the usage of green space in Danang is crucial.

Keywords : factors, affect, urban green space, use of green space, Danang city.

1. Introduction

Danang has achieved continual development steps in several fields in tandem with the expansion of the national economy. Industrialization and urbanization have occurred simultaneously and are spreading across Danang city; the living standard of society is likewise rising day by day, as are people's amusement needs as well as those of the population. Along with economic development, the risk of environmental degradation, particularly in urban green spaces, is increasing, inversely proportional to urban architectural space development. Given this reality, managers and urban planners are deeply concerned about the issue of sustainable development.

Urban green space is outlined as all publicly owned and accessible open space with a high percentage of vegetation cover, such as parks, forests, natural areas, and other green space located within the city boundary region (Schipperijn et al ., 2013). According to numerous studies (Bedimo-Rung et al ., 2005; Europe, 2016; Twohig-Bennett and Jones, 2018; Aerts et al. , 2021), urban green space can significantly improve public health by promoting physical, psychological, social, economic, and environmental advantages.

Green space is one of the values that should be prioritized in the general development of the Danang metropolitan region. The fact, however, demonstrates that there are very few trees in residential areas and that the surrounding environment is unbalanced and unsuitable. Residential, commercial, and industrial areas will continue to form and grow in line with the urbanization trend, resulting in the development of infrastructure and transportation. Therefore, in order to satisfy the current trend toward harmony in the relationship between people, society, and nature, the significance of planning for and utilising green space needs to be seriously acknowledged and analyzed. Consequently, it has emerged as a crucial indicator of a city's development, quality of life, and capacity for sustainable development (Zhu & Xu, 2021).

However, there hasn't been much research on what could motivate someone to explore various kinds of green space in Vietnam, particularly in the well-known city of Danang. This study was conducted to improve different types of green space and tactics that would encourage locals to use these spaces, as well as to give fundamental knowledge and a scientific basis for municipal spatial planning decisions. Understanding the factors impacting the use of various types of green space in Danang city, such as the oceans, beaches, parks, lakes, green cover, forests, and other open natural places (peninsulas, hot springs, etc.), was the main goal of the study.

2. Research methodology

2.1. Method of collecting and analyzing relevant secondary data

Data and documents were evaluated and synthesized based on a review of the available reliable sources in order to produce an in-depth and comprehensive document on the research topic.

2.2. Data collection method: Survey using questionnaire

Data was collected by the survey with a questionnaire. The questionnaire included a brief introductory letter describing the aim and topics of the survey and was given to each respondent. The participation in the study is entirely voluntary.

The method of constructing the questionnaire is based on the reference published by Ballinger and Davey (1998), with specific steps as follows:

— Outline questions

— Choose the question form

— Edit the wording of the question

— Choice of answer form

— Arrange the order of questions

— Preliminary survey (trial) with questionnaire

— Edit the questionnnaire

— Select survey form

— Create formal survey and start the process of data collection

The questionnaire is divided into two main sections: The first section of the questionnaire (question 1–4) focuses on social and demographic data; the second section (question 5–16) to gather all the data required for the study, such as the location of different types of green space, how often people visit them, how good they are, and why people come to these places.

The final questionnaire was used to collect data from the people after being updated and corrected. After the in-person short interview, participants were required to complete a questionnaire.

There were 215 people that received questionnaires in all. The response rate was 81.9 %, hence the total number of respondents was 176. The respondents represent a variety of social groups, including workers, students, and leaders, and their ages range from 16 to 69. Additionally, the respondents are from the Thanh Khe, Hai Chau, and Son Tra districts of Danang. Representatives of the city's environmental, development, planning, and sustainable development agencies made up about 10 % of the responses.

2.3. Method of statistical analysis

Multivariate regression analysis was used to examine the association between various covariates (distance, gender, age, marriage status, education, type of housing and residental population, etc.) and the frequency of visits. All the analysis was complete by SPSS software (version 22) (IBM Corp.)

3. Results

3.1. Distance of residence to different types of green space in Danang city and frequency of use

The distance of residence to different types of green space in Danang city and the frequency of visits are shown in Table 1 below.

Table 1

Distance between residence and different types of green space and frequency of visits to these areas

Factor	Seas, beaches, natural and artificial lakes, rivers and springs	Parks and other green areas	Natural and plantation forests	Other natural opened areas (Son Tra Peninsula, Ba Na Hill, hot springs, etc.)
Distance from place of residence <300m 300m — 1km 1–5km > 5km	6.8 % 23,3 % 39,2 % 30,7 %	9.1 % 17.0 % 43.2 % 30.7 %	2.3 % 4.0 % 23.2 % 70.6 %	0.6 % 2.8 % 8.5 % 88.1 %
Frequency of visits Daily Several times a week Weekly Monthly Rarely or Never	4.5 % 11.4 % 13.6 % 39.8 % 30.7 %	6.3 % 11.4 % 12.5 % 38.6 % 31.2 %	1.1 % 3.4 % 6.8 % 13.6 % 75.0 %	2.3 % 4.0 % 3.4 % 20.5 % 69.9 %

As can be seen from Table 1 , a great percentage of respondents (30.7–43.2 %) answered that the distance from their residential place to the sea, beaches, natural and artificial lakes, rivers and springs; parks and other green areas is quite far (from 1–5km) or far (>5km); roughly 70–90 % of the respondents reside far ( > 5km) from forests and other open natural regions. Only 0.6–9.1 % said that these spots (all types of green space) are within 300 meters of their home.

All kinds of green spaces in the study receive very few daily visits, which accounts for a very low rate of 1.1–6.3 %, with the lowest percentage being the daily visits to natural and plantation forests of respondents, which accounted for only 1.1 %. The percentage of respondents who said they frequently come to parks, beaches, and lakes each month is nearly 40 %, which is almost equal to those who visit parks and green spaces monthly. For these types of green space, about 11.4–13.6 % responded that they visit one or more times a week, and the rates are even much lower in the case of forests and other natural open areas (3.4–6.8 %). While about 70–75 % of people in the survey rarely or never visit forests and other natural open areas, this happens less to the sea, beaches, lakes, rivers, and springs; parks and other green areas (about 31 % for each group).

3.2. Social-demographic characteristics of respondents

Data organization for social — demographic factors in the study sample is presented in Table 2 below:

Table 2

Social - demographic characteristics of respondents in the study

Factor	Percentage
Gender Male Female	44 % 56 %
Age 16–24 25–44 45–64	55.4 % 26.0 % 18.6 %
Education period (school and vocational education institution) <10 years 10–12 years >= 13 years	4.0 % 18.2 % 77.8 %
Marriage status Married De facto relationship Single	31.8 % 2.3 % 65.9 %
Type of housing Apartment House Others	2.3 % 77.8 % 19.9 %
Population of residental area ≥ 60000 people 30000 — <60000 people 15000 — <30000 people 5000 — < 15000 people <5000 people	54.0 % 11.4 % 15.3 % 11.9 % 7.4 %

The majority of respondents (55.4 %) are between the ages of 16 and 24; 56 % are female and 44 % are male; 77.8 % have completed at least 13 years of education; more than 65 % are single; 80 % of all housing is ordinary; and 54 % of respondents live in large urban areas with a population of more than 60,000 people.

3.3. The relationship between various factors and the frequency of visits to green space

Results from logistic regression analysis on the relationship between various factors and the frequency of visits to different kinds of green space is presented in Table 3 below.

Table 3

Results from logistic regression analysis on the relationship between various factors and the frequency of visits to green space

Dependent variable	Independent variable	p — value
Frequency of visits to green spaces and parks	Age Gender Education level Marriage status Accommodation type Size of the resident population Distance from accommodation to parks and green areas	<0.0001 <0.0001 0.366 0,853 0.211 0.100 0.608
Frequency of visits to the sea, beaches, rivers, springs and natural or artificial lakes	Age Gender Education level Marriage status Accommodation type Size of the resident population Distance from accommodation to sea, beach, lakes	0.209 0.022 0.394 0.016 0.729 0.507 0.452
Frequency of visits to natural or plantation forests	Age Gender Education level Marriage status Accommodation type Size of the resident population Distance from accommodation to forests	0.114 0.546 0.108 0.807 0.171 0.157 0.040
Frequeny of visits to other open natural forests	Age Gender Education level Marriage status Accommodation type Size of the resident population Distance from accommodation to other open natural spaces	0.567 0.033 0.598 0.264 0.629 0.002 <0 . 0001

The frequency of visiting parks is related to the following factors: age (p<0.0001) and gender (p<0.0001). At different ages, the frequency of visiting parks is also different. As with this research results, people aged 45–69 years old come here more often than those at a young age. Additionally, women visit green spaces more than men.

Gender and marital status are related to how frequently people visit green spaces at the sea, beaches, rivers, springs, and lake (p=0.022 and p=0.016 respectively). The frequency of visits to green areas varies depending on marital status, single people make up the majority of these visitors.

The frequency of visits to natural or plantation forests and other open natural areas (such as Son Tra Peninsula, Ba Na Hill, hot springs, etc.) depends greatly on the distance from their homes to that area (p<0.001). The greater the distance from their home to these types of spaces (greater than 5km), the less frequently they visit.

3.4. The quality of different types of green space in Danang city

Table 4

Survey results on assessing the quality of different types of green spaces in Danang city

Quality of green spaces in Danang city	%
Beaches, seas, natural and artificial lakes and parks Good Not good Normal	44.2 % 17.1 % 69.2 %
Natural or plantation forests Good Not good Normal	27.0 % 18.6 % 55.4 %
Other open natural regions Good Not good Normal	77.1 % 4.0 % 18.9 %

Results from Table 4 show that a vast percentage of respondents (55.4–69.2 %) assessed that the quality of the sea, beaches, lakes, parks, and forests in Danang city is normal. A smaller percentage of the respondents identified that these spots are in good condition (44.2 % for the sea, beaches, lakes, parks, and 27.0 % for forests). However, 77.1 % of respondents thought that the quality of other open natural regions, such as: Son Tra Peninsula, Ba Na Hill, hot springs, etc., was good. There were about 17.1–18.6 % of the respondents who said that the sea, beaches, lakes, parks, and forests are in “not good” condition. The frequency of visits to these types of green space also does not depend on their quality. Almost all types of green spaces are good and at a normal level, but they are not visited by people due to the long distance from their homes to the spots.

3.5. Reasons for Danang residents to visit green spaces

Results of the reasons to visit green spaces in Danang city by survey respondents are showed in Figure 1 below:

Fig. 1. Reasons for Danang residents to visit green space

Results from the survey showed that most people visit these types of green spaces for the reasons of enjoying the weather and fresh air, to relax, relieve stress, or do something with family and friends (21–30 %) (Figure 1) . A small number of people come here to work, observe animals and plants, or for some other reason (4–11 %). About 11 % of respondents visit green spaces for physical exercise. Never visiting a green space is very rare; it occupies only 1 % of the respondents.

4. Discussion

Distance is not a barrier to the use of green spaces such as areas with green cover, parks, the sea, beaches, rivers, springs, and lakes. This result is consistent with earlier findings from a Danish study (Schipperijn et al. , 2010) or with the statement that the use of urban green spaces can be affected by the distance to the spots (Pinto et al. , 2021). Similarly, in Zhongshan, the strongest predictor of park access was estimated travel time, compared to the proximity variable in Brisbane (Wang et al. , 2015). The finding is also in agreement with the study of Malek et al. (2015) in terms of park visitors, which suggested that distance is not a significant factor. While respondents viewed distance as a barrier to their use of well-known and adored sorts of green space, distance is likely not to be a limiting factor when it comes to the less popular and despised sorts of green areas. However, the sample size of the research was quite small due to time constraints. The research findings will be better and more properly reflected by a larger sample size.

In the present study, respondents were asked to estimate the distance to their nearest green space. Very few people have access to green spaces within 300 meters of their residence. Comparing the findings of two UK studies, Barbosa et al. (2007) discovered that 64 % of residents in Sheffield reside more than 300 meters from the nearest green space, and Comber et al. (2008) discovered that 89.7 % of Leicester residents did not have access to at least 2 hectares of green space within 300 meters. On the contrary, in some other countries, for example, Denmark appears to have relatively decent access to open space (Schipperrijn et al., 2010). 66.9 % of the Danish respondents live within 300 meters of green space. The difference in results between the present study and others may be due to differences in social characteristics and sample size.Results of the study also show that characteristics including gender, age, education, marital status, and ethnic background all have a big impact on people's use of green space. This is consistent with the statement of Shan (2014) that different sociodemographic groups have different requirements and expectations for urban green spaces, and as a result, diverse reasons for attending are expressed by them. In Danish society, various social groups use green space in various ways (Schipperijn et al. , 2010).

According to a study in Coimbra (Portugal), accessibility to urban green spaces is a key aspect considered by users (Pinto et al. , 2021). However, users also look for urban green spaces that fulfill their cultural ecosystem service demands, with multifunctional spaces providing high physical and emotional well-being levels. The study found that age group and average monthly income are strongly and inversely related to sports facilities in some parks. Additionally, the availability and accessibility of resources for physical activity participation differ by neighborhood socioeconomic status. Therefore, socioeconomic factors can influence the availability and accessibility of resources and facilities in urban green spaces, which in turn can affect their use by different groups of people (Pinto et al. , 2021).

The findings of this study suggest that when creating spatial plans to preserve and develop various types of urban natural and man-made green spaces or when suggesting strategies to encourage people to visit and protect green spaces, consideration should be given to not only the distance from residences to green spaces but also other social — demographic characteristics such as age, gender, and marital status. Additionally, it is crucial to take into account a range of pertinent factors, such as gender, age, education, and marital status.

The study by Liu et al. (2015) analyzed the impact of various socio-demographic factors on park visitation in Beijing, including age, gender, education level, income, and residential location. The results showed that age, income, and residential location were the most significant factors influencing park visitation.

The main reasons individuals go to various kinds of green places in Danang city are to relax, reduce stress, enjoy the weather, exercise, or spend time with friends and family. These results are quite similar to those of Liu et al. (2015), showing that physical exercise, relaxation, and socializing were the most commonly reported reasons for visiting urban parks in Beijing. However, in this study, higher-level needs such as aesthetics, comfort, and enjoyment (interaction with nature, enjoying fresh air and cooler temperatures, reading, visiting cultural sites) also made up a significant portion of residents' motivation. These factors could be considered for future studies in this area.

5. Conclusion and suggested implication

For city dwellers, the distance to green space is a deterrent to using them or not, depending on the kind of green space. There are also other criteria, including gender, age, and marital status, that are significantly correlated with green space utilization. In order to increase the utilization of green space by the majority of city residents, an improved plan to provide additional green space nearby is necessary. The management of Danang city's green space system should be fully aware of the aforementioned objective and in accordance with accepted international standards. We provide some advice for better management that is more appropriate for the topic based on the research on the subject, as follows:

— For newly constructed residential neighborhoods where there is a great distance between green spaces, while also being unlikely to become a restricting issue, city planners should continue to think about extending the types of green spaces.

— In order to have better fundamental data for the planning, creation, and administration of green spaces, research on the use of green spaces must be scaled up and conducted on a larger number of samples.

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