Do Positive Environmental Changes Impact Residents’ Intention of Rural Development? Role of Leisure and Quality of Life

Leisure activities positively impact community development including benefits related to enhancing physical health, improving mental health, developing social skills, encouraging creativity, and enhancing quality of life. However, the relationship between leisure activities’ benefits and residents’ motivation to participate in community building remains little explored. To fill the gap, this study constructed structural equation modeling including positive environment changes, residents’ participation, leisure activities, and improving quality of life. The results found three key implications of positive environmental changes in boosting the intention of community participation, including the following: (1) positive environment changes including making more green space, enhancing the aesthetics of community layout, and building more open spaces significantly boost recreational activity demand; (2) leisure activities and their multifaceted impacts lead to improved quality of life contributing to the residents’ intention of community development; (3) the intention of community development participation is strongly influenced by perceptions of the positive changes in physical landscapes and by the mediating role of leisure activities and benefits of the quality of life. The findings provide insight and perspective for policymakers and planners toward sustainable living environments. Additionally, they emphasize the critical role of diverse, accessible recreational opportunities in enhancing the overall quality of life in dynamic residential contexts.