Greenways provide multiple benefits for trail users’ individual experiences based on users’ background environment and their perceptions of characteristics such as the trail width, vegetation, water, and facilities. Although greenway trail characteristics are important factors that affect users’ preferences, only a few studies have examined individuals’ experiences of greenways based on their perceptions and preferences. The purpose of this study is to examine how greenway trails can be designed to improve users’ experiences in relation to their perceptions and preferences by considering trail characteristics. We examine the relationship between greenway trail characteristics and likability using t-tests as well as correlation and multiple regression analyses. In the current study, virtual tour surveys of greenway users were conducted, with two urban greenway trails as the study sites: Town Lake Trail in Austin, Texas, and Buffalo Bayou Trail in Houston, Texas. Perceptions of all eight greenway trail characteristics, except for background buildings, were significantly different between the trails, and a significant difference in likability was found for five characteristics (the presence of water, trail facilities, trail width, adjacent automobile traffic, and built structures on the trail). In addition, the results of the correlation and multiple regression analyses revealed that the presence of water, amount of vegetation, automobile traffic, and built structures were correlated with likability. These findings suggest that designing appropriate types of greenway trails can help increase users’ likeability ratings of urban greenways. This study contributes to the enhancement of trail environments by providing strategies for practitioners to effectively design and manage greenways.

Objective: To examine personal, social, and perceived environmental factors related to leisure-time walking behavior among Korean adults using the framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Background: Sedentary lifestyle and physical inactivity contribute to rising obesity rates and chronic diseases among Korean adults. Understanding correlates of walking is necessary to develop effective interventions to promote regular walking. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2008 among 424 Korean adults. Participants completed a questionnaire on perceived neighborhood environment, the TPB constructs, and leisure-time walking behavior. Results: Those who participated in leisure-time walking had more positive perceptions of aesthetics and expressed greater perceived behavioral control (PBC) and intention of walking than nonwalkers. Also, walking correlated with intention and PBC, and perceived crime safety. Intentions were moderately to strongly associated with attitude, PBC, and subjective norm. Integrating TPB constructs and the perceived environment variable (crime safety) resulted in a moderate fit of the data [χ²= 2.372, df = 5; p = 0.796; NFI = 0.99; RMSEA = 0.00] with approximately 45.6% variance of intention and 19.4% of the response variance of walking explained. The model showed that perceived safety from crime was not directly related to leisure-time walking, but indirectly predicted walking through the TPB model. Conclusions: Perceived safety was identified as an important environmental variable among Korean adults, and the TPB offered a good prediction of walking behavior. Identifying individual, social, and neighborhood environmental correlates of walking can help develop policies to promote public health for a more active and healthier community.

With the increasing interest in integrative sustainable development, there has been a strong need for a landscape sustainability assessment tool independent from the existing green building rating system. This study aimed to establish an assessment model to objectively evaluate landscape sustainability using an analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Through an extensive literature review and expert survey, an initial list of assessment items was derived and used to set up an AHP model. An AHP survey with landscape architects and architects/engineers was then conducted to determine the importance of the assessment factors. In addition, the model was applied to three projects that were previously certified by a green building rating system in Korea. The AHP results showed that “site context” ranked as the most important factor of landscape sustainability followed by “soil and vegetation,” “maintenance,” “water,” “health and wellbeing,” and “materials.” Among the 20 assessment factors, “monitoring plan” was evaluated as the most important index, followed by “protection of cultural heritage” and “long-term management plan.” Landscape architects evaluated “soil and vegetation” as the most important in the assessment, while the engineers/architects group rated “site context” as the most important. When tested by applying them to the previously certified projects, the developed factors provided more objective and detailed information on landscape sustainability.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed people’s lives and increased their vulnerability to physical and mental health hazards. While Korea has avoided nationwide lockdown measures since the COVID-19 outbreak, the prolonged restrictions and social isolation measures have resulted in detrimental psychological effects, such as increased anxiety, boredom, and loneliness. The present study investigated dog attachment and changes in dog walking during the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of dog attachment and dog walking on the loneliness of Korean dog owners. An online, cross-sectional survey was conducted in the fall of 2021 in which 249 dog owners responded to questionnaires that asked questions about dog attachment, their perception of dog walking, and their feelings of loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most dog owners responded that they spent more time with their dogs and developed a stronger bond with them during the pandemic. Additionally, respondents stated that they walked their dogs more often than they did before COVID-19 and that their dogs aided in reducing loneliness. We found that dog walking directly affected attachment and indirectly influenced the loneliness of dog owners. Further research is required to determine how dog walking impacts positive psychological effects and promote dog walking.