How nature and landscape quality connect: An exploratory study of their relationship with urban green spaces

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between individuals' connection to nature through the use of urban green spaces and the perceived landscape quality of their neighbourhoods. A total of 829 participants from Latin America completed an online survey. Spearman's rank correlation was used to examine associations, while Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified key variables linked to nature connection and neighbourhood landscape quality. Additionally, differences in perceptions and socio-demographic factors were analysed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. Results show that neighbourhoods perceived as having more greenery, better maintenance, increased safety, and greater visual appeal are associated with stronger connections to nature and more positive attitudes towards it. The study concludes that improving urban green spaces can strengthen individuals' relationship with nature.