Understanding Urban Green Space Usage through Systems Thinking: A Case Study in Thamesmead, London.

Area of Science:

• Urban Planning
• Environmental Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Urban green spaces offer significant benefits but face challenges in usage.
• Interventions to improve usage can have unintended negative consequences.
• Existing research often overlooks broader social factors in favor of physical space quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the complex factors influencing urban green space use.
• To apply Systems Thinking to understand user behavior.
• To identify under-explored social and dynamic influences.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative mixed-method approach integrating System Dynamics and rapid ethnography.
• Thematic analysis of resident interviews in Thamesmead, London.
• Comparison of findings with wider stakeholder views.

Main Results:

• Social interactions, stewardship, health, and local amenities significantly impact green space use.
• Time availability, influenced by local conditions and needs, is a critical factor.
• Broader social dynamics and influences are often overlooked in current policy.

Conclusions:

• Urban green space policy should consider social dynamics and local context beyond physical quality.
• Addressing factors like social interactions and time constraints is key to increasing usage.
• Expanding the scope of investigation to include temporal and spatial boundaries is crucial for effective planning.