Why do people go to one park and not another? And what actually makes a park valuable to the people using it?

Dr Alexandra Gomes, a Research Fellow at LSE Cities and DSI Affiliate, is co-author on a new paper that draws on her research project – (De)constructing health and wellbeing through data – to propose a localised, human-centred approach to park valuation.

"More than green: Lessons for valuing green spaces for health and wellbeing" highlights that:

• Sense of place can be used as a framework to analyse both the spatial and perceptual value of a park
• Key factors that draw people to parks include both the park's own features and its surrounding environment
• Value differs from use and need
• Perception doesn't always align with observation
• Communities want more agency over their parks
• Tensions and trade-offs reflect the multifaceted, sometimes contradictory nature of community needs.