Urban green parks: space for environmental awareness and social well-being

Abstract

The Urban Green Parks are spaces destined to the protection of the natural environment and psychosocial well-being for the population of big cities. Given these functions, this qualitative study investigated the types of social uses and the environmental perception of visitors of an Urban Green Park (UGP), in the city of Manaus-AM. Thirty adults participated in the study, from the application of semistructured interviews shortly after the visit to the park. The results indicate that people move to this area looking for contact with nature, well-being and leisure. The study shows that the environmental perceptions of the visitors about the UGP show aspects related to their attractiveness, feelings of pleasure and appreciation of nature besides raising thoughts related to the conservation of nature. It was verified that the environmental perception of the visitors strongly incorporates environmental aspects that lead to well-being and these socio-environmental aspects support the importance of the UGP. Therefore, spaces are configured as tools to raise awareness of people for the protection of nature and social spaces of socialization.