Perceived importance of and satisfaction with nature observation activities in urban green areas

Abstract One way to spread awareness about the importance of nature in cities, is to attract more outdoor recreationists to observe and learn about nature in green areas. In order to do so, urban planners need to understand what leads to higher satisfaction with urban nature observation. In this study, we analyse the perceived importance of and satisfaction with nature observation activities and their influencing factors. The data is compiled from an on-site questionnaire survey with 802 people in four green areas of Tallinn and Helsinki. Age, gender and nationality influenced how important visitors considered nature observation. Two factors had an effect on the satisfaction with all nature observation activities (watching, listening and learning): age group and the site's natural appearance. Visitors who had read the information boards were more satisfied with learning about the site's nature. Visiting nature trails or boardwalks and visiting the birdwatching tower did not influence visitor satisfaction with nature observation.