Social Demand for Urban Wilderness in Purgatory

Significance StatementIn a rapidly urbanizing world, urban wilderness areas offer unique opportunities to connect with raw nature. After examining social demand for urban wilderness in one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, we found that high levels of naturalness positively influence visitors’ use and perception of natural areas. Age and youth experiences with nature were the most significant, positive correlates with perception of wildlife. Regardless of race/ethnicity, income, and education, visitors recognized the importance of wildlife in urban wilderness. Overall, this study found that social demand for urban wilderness is a multi-dimensional balance between natural amenities and cultural conveniences. This knowledge is useful to city planners to properly plan and protect the natural areas within urban environments.