318 Elmendorf et al.: Black and White Participation and Preferences URBAN PARK AND FOREST PARTICIPATION AND LANDSCAPE PREFERENCE: A COMPARISON BETWEEN BLACKS AND WHITES IN PHILADELPHIA AND ATLANTA, U.S. By William F. Elmendorf1 , Fern K. Willits2 Godbey4 , Vinod Sasidharan3 , and Geoffrey Abstract. Previous research has documented the existence of differences in the attitudes and behaviors of Blacks and Whites in American society toward urban parks and forest areas. However, many of these studies were carried out a decade or more ago and/or most focused on specific parks or localized areas. Data from a recent survey of residents in two metropolitan areas in the eastern United States allowed for updating of this research record. Using analysis of variance and covariance, consideration was given to racial differences between Blacks and Whites, regional differences between cities, and the effects of various socio-demographic characteristics on residents’ park preferences and participation. Racial differences were similar to those reported by previous researchers, and these differences did not vary markedly between the two metropolitan study sites. These distinctions, combined with racial differences in subjects’ expressed willingness to volun- teer time to develop/maintain local park settings, suggest the importance of understanding the differing perspectives and actions of multi-ethnic user groups in urban park and forest management and maintenance. Key Words. African American; discrimination; ethnic; landscapes; mail survey; marginality; minority; race; subculture. PARTICIPATION IN URBAN PARKS AND FORESTS Differences between the participation and preferences of Black* and White users of urban parks and forests have been documented by previous research studies (e.g., Lee 1972; Washburne 1978; Edwards 1981; Dwyer 1993; Gobster and Delgardo 1993; Floyd 1999; Virden and Walker 1999; Cordell et al. 2002; Shinew et al. 2004) and summarized in an article in this journal (Elmendorf and Willits 2005). In general, these studies found that African Americans were less likely than Whites to participate in undeveloped and remote areas and in solitary activities such as jogging, walking, hiking, wildlife photography, and wildlife observa- *The term “Black” or “African American” is defined by the 2000 U.S. Census as “people having origins in any of the Black race groups of Africa.” Throughout this article, the terms “Black” and “African American” are used interchangeably. ©2005 International Society of Arboriculture tion. Blacks were more likely to prefer group activities, and activities involving social interaction such as team sports, talking, and socializing, rather than nature-based or solitary park pastimes. Whites tended to use parks alone or as couples, while Blacks came in larger groups. Blacks ex- pressed greater fear of nature, a greater desire for urban environments, and less satisfaction with parks in their neighborhoods than did Whites. Several studies also reported that Blacks had higher rates of affiliation with voluntary associations of social, political, or religious natures than did Whites (e.g., Floyd et al. 1994). PREFERENCES FOR URBAN PARKS AND FORESTS Past research on Whites and Blacks has also shown that these groups differ from one another in their open space, park, and forest landscape preferences (e.g., Anderson 1978; Zube and Pitt 1981; Kaplan and Talbot 1988; Dwyer and Hutchison 1990; Virden and Walker 1999; Gobster 2002). In general, these studies found that Blacks preferred parks characterized by open space with manicured and maintained landscapes. African Americans were more likely than Whites to perceive natural landscapes as more worri- some and less aesthetically pleasing than developed environ- ments. Further, Black focus groups preferred recreational settings that were well lit and supervised. Whites preferred landscape scenes with trees, dense foliage, overgrown vegetation, and densely wooden areas, while Blacks cared more about facility and maintenance aspects. Whites also preferred less management and law enforcement presence and more remote, less developed settings than did Blacks. Blacks favored more formal landscape designs and greater openness and visibility than Whites. PURPOSE The current article updates and extends the existing research literature on Black/White differences by reporting analysis from a new study of urban park and forest partici- pation and landscape preferences of Blacks and Whites in Atlanta and Philadelphia. The study, funded by the National
November 2005
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