A geospatial approach to landscape gaze using social media to evaluate how people value landscapes in an urban context

Urban park management generally prioritises green spaces and activities within park boundaries, rather than landscape interactions. Understanding how people experience and connect with broader landscapes is essential for improving societal environmental, economic and wellbeing outcomes. A geospatial and discourse analysis of three urban parks was conducted in Plymouth, UK. The predominant landscape gaze at each park revealed strong social ties to blue spaces–namely the coast and sea–indicating an interconnectedness between parks and coastal spaces beyond park boundaries. Textual analysis emphasised the beauty of nature, the expanse of the ocean, and the health and wellbeing benefits of blue and green spaces. These findings suggest that where there is a geographical intersection, experiences cannot be separated. Consideration should therefore be given to the ways that blue and green space combine to shape the landscape gaze and the significance both within, and beyond, the boundaries of urban parks.