Areas with natural potential in Brazil: an essay about the activities and the uses

Abstract

A fast increasing process of urbanisation has led to the deterioration of the relationship between man and nature. The population has become increasingly more distant from natural areas, as these spaces are being lost due to the expansion of cities. The aim of this paper is to investigate trends in the use of natural spaces, their characteristics, and the activities that usually take place in them, based on the preferences of young people living in a southern Brazilian city. The Greenmapper online platform was used for data collection. It analyses the link between users and green areas at four levels: neighbourhood, city (region), country, and world. The results indicate that users choose to utilise urban green spaces for their well-being and the emotional bonds they create, regardless of their infrastructure, since walking and sightseeing are the main activities performed. The study’s results provide an understanding of the needs and the distribution of natural areas for the sustainable cities of the future, so as to improve their preservation and appreciation.

Keywords:
Participatory mapping; Environmental policy; Sustainability