Spending time outside is beneficial to individuals in many ways. Since landscapes may be manipulated through policy mechanisms, planners and other land stewards may desire to know how they can manipulate landscapes to encourage greater park use. Our study used a questionnaire to measure multiple dimensions of park usage by suburban and urban residents – including time spent outside and activities they engaged in while in parks. We then performed a factor analysis to see how these park-related activities were related to landscape and demographic factors. Park visitation was demonstrated to the density and length of roadways, how much vegetation cover an area had, and demographic variables including pet ownership. Knowing that these are related can guide planners and land stewards in management of parks based on their landscape and the features of the population they serve.
