Assessing perception and equity of cultural ecosystem services in urban parks using social media data

Scientific assessment of cultural ecosystem services (CESs) levels in urban parks and refined analysis of their spatial equity are essential for residents' social well-being. However, traditional assessment methods often fail to capture non-material benefits of CESs and tend to homogenize evaluation across different functional services. This study introduced an analytical framework combining geolocated social media data to assess five CESs perception levels. We employed the importance-performance analysis (IPA) method to reveal demand-satisfaction patterns of CESs, and a modified two-step floating catchment area (M2SFCA) method was proposed to measure equity by incorporating perceived accessibility. Through a case study of 115 urban parks in the central area of Wuhan, the results revealed: (1) Comprehensive parks offer higher services level for recreational activities, while community parks provide higher services levels for outdoor workouts; (2) Through the IPA, the characteristics of public demand and optimization directions of diverse functions were identified. Recreational activities emerged as the most extensive and important functions; (3) Significant spatial disparities exist in the accessibility of the five CESs, with notable equity contradiction in supply. The supply-demand imbalance of historical and cultural function is particularly serious. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of social media data in assessing different CESs level, and perceived-enhanced accessibility results offer valuable insights into the equity of CESs. The framework provides actionable insights for planners and policymakers to optimize park management, thereby ensuring more equitable public access to various CESs.