Air Pollution and Outdoor Recreation on Urban Trails: A Case Study of the Elizabeth River Trail, Norfolk

Atmosphere

Eddie L. Hill¹  Xihe Zhu¹  Chris A. B. Zajchowski¹  James E. McCann² 

[1] Department of Human Movement Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23508, USA;Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, Portsmouth, VA 23704, USA;

关键词: air quality;    particulate matter;    urban trails;    motivation;    perceived health;    outdoor recreation;   

DOI  :  10.3390/atmos12101304

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Poor air quality represents a significant health risk for individuals engaging in recreation activities outdoors in urban parks and trails. This study investigated temporal variability in particulate matter (PM) exposure along an urban waterfront trail. We also used recreation choice frameworks to examine the effects of visitors’ perceptions of air quality (AQ) and health benefits on trail use. Average air quality during the collection period was “good” (PM₁₀) to “moderate” (PM_2.5). We found that PM density was significantly higher (p < 0.001), though still in the “moderate” range, at 7–9 a.m., 11 a.m.–1 p.m., and 3–5 p.m., and on weekends. Visitors’ self-reported perceptions of health outcomes, but not air quality, significantly predicted trail use. Results suggest that these experiential factors may affect recreational choices depending on other factors, such as salience. Further research is merited to determine how experiential factors can be integrated with other theories of motivation to understand recreational decision-making.

【 授权许可】

Unknown