FEAR OF COVID-19, LANDSCAPE SPATIAL CONFIGURATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SATISFACTION IN URBAN PARKS

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the mobility, accessibility dynamics and user behaviours in urban parks. A prevalent concern among park users is the heightened fear associated with the potential transmission of COVID-19, leading to apprehensions about personal health and perceived infection risks. However, at present, there is limited understanding of how park users perceive this public health crisis, along with the safety and satisfaction in urban parks after the spread of the pandemic. This study investigates the mediating role of fear of COVID-19 on the relationship between landscape spatial configuration and environmental satisfaction in urban parks. The study, which was conducted in Lanzhou, China, involved 450 urban park users (231 females, 219 males) aged between 18 and 75 years. Analytical findings reveal that urban park landscape spatial configuration affects fear of COVID-19 and environmental satisfaction. Furthermore, such fear negatively predicts environmental satisfaction. Importantly, the study establishes the mediating role of fear of COVID-19 in shaping the link between urban park landscape spatial configuration and environmental satisfaction. The implications of the results are discussed in conjunction with the relevant literature, thereby providing valuable insights for urban park planners and policymakers. Based on the study findings, an adaptive design of urban parks in the event of pandemics or health crises can be conceptualised to avoid the loss of users and contribute to resilience planning in urban design and public health.