Investigation on Open Space Distribution in Mountainous

Counties of Hunan based on Perceptual Characteristics and

the Recreational Behavior of Citizens

H Xiong

1, 2, *

and H Huang

Hunan Agricultural University

Orient Science&Technology College of Hunan Agricultural University

Corresponding author and email: H Xiong, 30124755@qq.com

Abstract. By taking open space of Chenxi County, Luxi County and Yuanling County in

western Hunan as research objects, this paper carries out an investigation and study on the

open space distribution of the three mountainous counties and the field perception of

respondents, the time and behavioral characteristics of them reaching the open space, and the

use group construction with the methods of behavioral observation and questionnaires. The

following conclusions are drawn: 1) Citizens prefer facet or band shapes of open space with

large area, extensive covering scope and beautiful environment; 2) the distance of open space

for everyday casual purpose should be within 20 minutes of walking; 3) The middle -aged are

the main body using various open space. It is suggested establishing open space based on the

landscape pattern of cities and towns in mountainous counties and building the connection

among open space via greenways.

1. Introduction

In Hunan, the mountains and hills cover 66.62% of the totWal area[1], four tributaries (Xiang River,

Zi River, Yuan River, Li River) run through the province, there are 71 counties, only 4 are

inaccessible to river flows, and the mountains are widely distributed in southwestern Hunan. Despite

a number of towns or townships within this region, they are small-sized and distributed near rivers

like dots, due to steep mountains and underdeveloped economy. Recently, the continuous

development of counties has stimulated the growing demand of citizens for open space construction.

However, because the location of open space is selected irrationally in practice, it is difficult to

exercise the essential environmental and ecological function[2], and the utilization rate by citizens

remains at a low level. Targeting at users and their needs is the core of open space construction, the

design, construction and management of parks will be cemented by closely observing the recreational

behavior of users and know their needs[3]. In order to gain a good knowledge of the perceived

characteristics of mountain county residents in aesthetics, psychology, event time, and event type of

open spaces. This thesis focuses on mountain counties in the west of Hunan, attempts to reflect the

specific needs of small town residents for recreational behavior objectively through behavioral

observation [4] and questionnaire survey, so as to provide a basis for the selection of green space

layout in small towns.

Xiong, H. and Huang, H.

Investigation on Open Space Distribution in Mountainous Counties of Hunan based on Perceptual Characteristics and the Recreational Behavior of Citizens.

In Proceedings of the International Workshop on Environmental Management, Science and Engineering (IWEMSE 2018), pages 111-118

ISBN: 978-989-758-344-5

111

2. Research approach

2.1. Subjects

This survey was carried out on existing open spaces of Chenxi County, Luxi County and Yuanling

County, which are mountain counties located in the west of Hunan, where the main stream of Yuan

River flows, the specific locations are shown in Table 1.

Table 1.Open space distribution of Chenxi County, Luxi County and Yuanling County.

County

No.

Open Space

Events

Chenxi

County

Sheng Li Park

Commemoration, balls, fitness walks

Liu Xiao Forest Park

Square dances, assemblies, mountaineering

Yuan River Park

fitness walks

Xiong Shoushan Forest Park

Mountaineering

City East Square

Square dances, assemblies,fitness walks

Luxi

County

Xin Nv Park

Commemoration, fitness walks,Excursions

Yuan River Park

Strolling, recreation activities

Ju Song Square

Fitness walks, assemblies

Xin Nv Square

Fitness walks, assemblies

Qu Wang Island

Excursions

Yuanling

County

Sheng Li Park

Commemoration, balls, fitness walks

Feng Huangshan Forest Park

Strolling, recreation activities

Yuan River Park

Strolling

Dragon Boat Stand

Square dances, assemblies, fitness walks

Zhang Shu Park

Fitness walks

2.2. Survey method

Here, the surveys of characteristics of civic events are divided into questionnaire survey and

observation survey. In order to ensure that the information collected cover all aspects, the

questionnaire survey was not limited to open space users, but combined the random interception

survey and the interview in towns, 900 copies were issued in each town, were basically distributed

among all age groups on average, 880, 720 and 690 copies were returned and the number of

respondents in individual age groups was relatively even; in the survey of civic events, the number of

users were counted within the same five time (6:30-9:00am, 9:00-11:00am, 11:00-14:00pm, 14:00-

18:00pm, 18:00-20:00pm) frames on a daily basis for seven consecutive days in July-October 2014,

in order to observe how these event venues were used.

2.3. Data processing

SPSS and Excel2010 are used to make statistics and sorting of the data collected, and draw graphs.

3. Results and analysis

3.1. Analysis of respondents’ perceived venues

According to the sampling survey of the three counties, the popularity of open space varies

significantly. The layout of Chenxi County is band-shaped, except for Yuan River Scenery Belt, the

other four existing open spaces are distributed along mountains, and the open spaces with dot-shaped

layout have no connection; in contrast, the layout of Luxi County and Yuanling County is cluster-

shaped, the four dot-shaped open spaces of the former are distributed a long rivers to integrate with

the Scenery Belt, the three dot-shaped open spaces of the latter are distributed along rivers, and its

one dot-shaped space is distributed along mountains. ( Figure.1)

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According to the survey results, of the three counties surveyed, the most popular open spaces are

Liuxiao Forest Park, Yuan River Scenery Belt, and Yuan River Scenery Belt (Figure.2), which were

mostly selected by young and middle-aged users; of the factors which can be used to determine

whether the open space is popular or not, citizens focus on environment, trees, rivers, rest sites,

comfort level of road, forests and wilderness, accessible transportation and a complete set of facilities

in a descending order.

Figure 1. Satellite layout and spatial distribution of development spaces for Chenxi County, Luxi

County, Yuanling County (Graphs were drawn with Google earth, the grid size is 500*500m).

Investigation on Open Space Distribution in Mountainous Counties of Hunan based on Perceptual Characteristics and the Recreational

Behavior of Citizens

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Figure 2. Preferences of citizens for existing open space in counties.

3.2. Analysis of respondents’temporal characteristics and behavioral characteristics

3.2.1. Analysis of respondents’ walking time before arriving at the open space.

In the questionnaire setting, the psychological susceptibility of respondents about walking time

before arriving at the open space was counted, according to the survey data, the walking distance that

enables them to arrive at the destination within 20 minutes was considered as convenient, while 20-

30 min was considered as the psychological turning point of marking perceived convenience and

inconvenient ( Figure.3), the citizens of the three counties drew the same conclusion. This is

consistent with the survey conclusion on walking distance before arriving at the favorite open space

( Figure.4).

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Figure 3. Relationship before the time required to arrive at the open space and the perceived

convenience.

Figure 4. Walking time required to arrive at the favorite open space.

3.2.2. Analysis of respondents’ main event behaviors and staying time characteristics.

Based on the responses from respondents, the main events in which the citizens of the three counties

engage are daily leisure, exercises, entertainments, and interpersonal communication in a descending

order (Figure.5). With a view to the staying time in open space, the vast majority of citizens chose to

stay in the venue for 30-60 min, just followed by less than 30 min, and 1-2 hours, and only a few

citizens stay in the venue for more than 2 hours (Figure.6).

Investigation on Open Space Distribution in Mountainous Counties of Hunan based on Perceptual Characteristics and the Recreational

Behavior of Citizens

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Figure 5. Activity Type.

Figure 6. Residence Time.

3.3. Analysis of user groups

In order to understand the event characteristics of county residents in respect of venue utility and

experience, the flow of visitors in the riverfront and main open spaces of the three counties was

counted using the fixed-point statistical method. The survey of Chenxi County was carried out in July

14-20 of 2014, with sunny days in that week, at the temperature of 26-32°C ; the survey of Luxi

County was carried out concurrently with that of Yuanling County in October 20-27 of 2014, in

which October 20 and 21 were cloudy, at the temperature of 20-24°C ; in the afternoon of October 22,

the temperature dropped to 15°C , until the weather was cloudy then drizzling in October 24, at the

temperature of 14-20°C , until the weather turned sunny on October 27 at the temperature of 19-23°C .

During this survey, the citizens in selected points of open space were counted by grouping with

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different places at the same time, the data was taken as the weekly average value and the results are

listed as follows: the time frames selected by citizens are relatively consistent, except for special

holidays, the civic events are carried on in 6:30-9:00am and 18:00-20:00pm, and the utility time

frames in summer are obviously concentrated; the middle-aged users (in 36-55) are the major group

of using various open spaces in the counties; in terms of utility venues, the flow of visitors in

morning or evening in riverfront green spaces of the three counties was more than that in any other

open space, the number of users in Riverfront Belt in Chenxi County was against the favorite venues

as indicated in the questionnaire survey, while that of the other two counties was consistent with the

survey conclusion.

4. Conclusions and discussion

4.1. Conclusions

 According to the statistics on use of open spaces by mountain county citizens in Hunan,

citizens prefer selecting spacious venues with a large area and a wide coverage, and the

beautiful environment of open space is the priority factor for citizens to accept open spaces.

 Most respondents selected the open spaces at which they can arrive within 20 minutes as the

daily leisure venues, and they often stay within 30-60 min.

 In terms of the composition of user groups, band-shaped spaces and linear spaces were

mainly used for strolling, square spaces and planar spaces were mainly used for group dances,

Tai Chi and other exercises and parents with children, in which the middle-aged is the largest

user group for various venues.

4.2. Discussion

 For the county with undeveloped economy, the open venue that is constructed by landscape

structure allows for a better result at a lower cost, if the county is not large-sized, we don’t

have to construct too many small green open spaces in the downtown, but rather construct

open spaces along rivers and at the foot of mountains which are accessible to good resources

and environment, helping protect the landform characteristics of mountains and rivers, and

forming the large spaces with good environment.

 Focus on the construction of road and green belt, construct county greenways in the setting

of mountains and rivers. Subject to geographical factors, the existing open spaces of

mountain counties in Hunan are distributed with obvious regularity. Exactly speaking, the

spatial layout of these open spaces is extended along riverfronts, at the foot of mountains and

in the residual hill patches. In subsequent construction works in towns, we may connect

reasonable greenways in towns to peripheral open spaces.

 The conclusions in data form which are drawn from the questionnaire survey and the

observation record in respect of the three counties were basically consistent, prior to the site

selection for a new open space, we are required to collect the specific needs of citizens

through questionnaire survey. And we should further survey the events in which adolescents

and elderly persons are engaged, in order to explore the green space layout that suits its

utility characteristics.

Acknowledgement

The project supported by Youth Foundation of Orient Science&Technology College of Hunan

Agricultural University (16QNZ14)

References

[1] 2013 Hunan Statistical Book (Beijing:China Statistics Press)

Investigation on Open Space Distribution in Mountainous Counties of Hunan based on Perceptual Characteristics and the Recreational

Behavior of Citizens

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[2] Wang X J and Wang J G 2007 On the Priority of Urban Open Spaces(Chinese Landscape

Architecture)p 53

[3] Yu K J, Sun P and Wang Z F 2001 Introduction to humanity place: urban open space design

(Beijing: China Architecture & Building Press) pp 321-331

[4] Dai F and Zhang J H 2009 The Survey Methods in Planning and Design 4——Action

Observation(Chinese Landscape Architecture) pp 55-59

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