On 10 November at 14:15, Peeter Vassiljev will defend his doctoral thesis, “Recreational area preferences in virtual and physical landscapes”, to obtain the degree of Doctor philosophiae in landscape ecology and environmental protection.
Supervisors:
Prof. Ülo Mander, University of Tartu, Estonia
Prof. Mart Külvik, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Estonia
Opponent:
Prof. Veerle Van Eetvelde, Ghent University, Belgium
Summary
Urban green and blue recreational areas contribute to human wellbeing, but their mere existence is not enough – what matters is which landscapes people prefer and how they actually use them. This thesis examined how these two perspectives can be combined to improve the planning, design and management of recreational areas. Preference studies in virtual reality were combined with spatially explicit observations of behaviour in coastal and forest landscapes in Tallinn. In the virtual coastal landscape, preference for different design solutions was particularly associated with comfort, opportunities for relaxation and suitability for spending time with family and friends. Safety, accessibility and contact with nature and water were also important. In the virtual forest, visually open pine forests were perceived as more restorative than dense mixed forests, while clear-felled areas reduced perceived restorativeness. Even more important was the variation experienced while moving through the landscape: the experience of a recreational route depends not only on what the landscape is like, but also on how it changes and provides variety along the way. Behaviour observations showed that the actual use of recreational areas varies considerably across both space and time. The distribution, activities and diversity of visitors were associated with accessibility, paths and facilities, the number of people living nearby, season and weather. Understanding recreational use therefore requires more than simply knowing the total number of visitors. The thesis shows that preference studies in virtual reality and behaviour observations complement each other. The former allow potential design solutions to be compared under controlled conditions, while the latter show how people actually use recreational areas. Combining the two can help identify existing problems, test possible solutions before implementation and subsequently evaluate their effects in practice. This provides a way to connect the planning of recreational areas more closely with people’s experience and behaviour.