The Value of Urban Parklands A User Study

The Value of Urban Parklands: A User Study of the Baldwin Hills Park System Dr. Michele Romolini, Director of Research Viktoria Kuehn, Research Fellow February 5, 2016

Semiannual Report – Season 1 Overview of Presentation • • • Background Park User Survey Game Camera Visitation Study Student Involvement Current Status

BACKGROUND Introduction to Project

Purpose of Study • Research shows that urban parks are critical resources providing users with extensive mental and physical health benefits, and protecting open spaces and natural habitat • Urban parks often are not given as much appreciation or funding at the state and federal levels • The Baldwin Hills urban park system serves diverse residents of Culver City, Los Angeles, Inglewood, local unincorporated counties, and the Larger Los Angeles County, as well as tourists and visitors from other parts of the region • A large-scale study of park users has not been done until now • Coincides with the implementation of “Park to Playa • This study seeks to better understand BH park user behavior to inform stakeholders and future park planning efforts.

Research Approach • A 3 -year study examining park user behavior using two different methods: 1. Park User Survey: delivered on -site to visitors in the Baldwin Hills park system during several field collection periods 2. Game Camera Visitation Study monitoring five locations in the park continuously

Research Timeline Aug 2014: Early 2015: Pilot survey began. Modified methods Collected ~250 and survey design surveys in 7 to incorporate input locations over 2 from researchers, months. Tested BHC staff & Board. survey instruments & field methods. Dec 2014: Presented pilot results to BHC Board and solicited feedback. May 2015: Identified locations for game camera visitation study, began study design. Jun-Sept 2015: Season 1 of full field collection. Collected 363 surveys in 14 locations, using updated methods. Aug 2015: Launched game camera visitation study. Field tested cameras and began data collection. Jan-Apr 2016: Season 2 of full field collection. Jan-Apr 2017: Season 4 of full field collection. Currently in progress! Jun-Sept 2016: Season 3 of full field collection. July 2017: Project ends. Final report and related presentations and products to be submitted to BHC.

PARK USER SURVEY Season 1 Progress

Park User Survey Visitor survey questions focused on the following: 1) Frequency of use, 2) Demographics, 3) Park activities, 4) Park accessibility, and 5) Environmental awareness

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Select Findings – Visitation Rates Weekday and Weekend Visitor Rates of Baldwin Hills Parks 4. 5 4. 21 Visitors Per Minute 4 3. 5 3 2. 5 2 2. 17 1. 61 1. 7 1. 58 1. 5 1. 07 1 Weekday 0. 5 0 0 A: Ruben Ingold, Norman Houston, Pedestrian Entrances B: KHSRA- C: BH Scenic Entrance, Overlook and Japanese Culver City Gardens, Park (dog Eastern park, skate Ridgeline, park, ball Janice's fields) Green Valley Zones D: Ballona Creek Path: Duquesne & National Entrances, Culver City Middle E: Ladera Ball Fields Weekend

Select Findings – Demographics Racial identity of BH Park Users (n=355) White or Black or Caucasian African American Asian Prefer not to answer Other: Native American Hawaiian Indian or and Other Alaska Pacific Native Islander Park User Home Neighborhood (n=296) th er H or O ills rk W in ds ew re Vi ge G ei lla Vi Th e Pa en ts gh ity H er C de ra La C ul v r. H ills a ai st Bl Vi in w ld Ba in w Ba ld ld w in Vi H ills lla ge 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Ba • 54% Female, 44% Male • Age range from 1864, with average of 32 • 23% Hispanic or Latino 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0%

Select Findings - Activities reported in the BH Parks 350 Number of Users 300 250 200 150 100 50 eq e ss of re ca ke ta el p th ne fit se U pi c pl ay u i en pm vi e U r o se nm nt pl en ay ti M in B. . . e g fie dita irdw te ld at M s ch or U o f u or se do nt ac ai co yo n tiv m g bi e m k sp a un e w ity ith orts re , . . in cr. th ea e tio pa n rk ce nt U s er C am e s f. . k. at p e w ith pa in rk th e pa rk rk to pa ki ds gs in g Br U se do g he rin pa rk oc i al g at e tu re ni cs /s w ith in th na y jo En g Jo av e H H U se w al ki ng tra ils , r oa d s, st ai rs or . . . 0 When asked to indicate all of their activities in the park, users reported both active (walking and jogging) and passive (enjoying nature and social activities) in their top uses. This indicates the need to be sensitive to multiple user communities when making improvements and changes to the park.

Select Findings - Accessibility Mode of Transportation How did you get to the park today? If given the choice of transportation options, what would be your preferred way to get to the park? Walk 12% 19% Bike 10% 21% Car/SUV/Truck 73% 54% Bus 4% 2% Train 0% 1% Motorcycle/Scooter 1% 1% Other 1% 1% Related: Only 12% reported their awareness of the County shuttle, but 41% said they would utilize this service. This suggests there may need to be increased signage or other outreach.

Select Findings - Environmental Issues BH Visitors Would Like to Learn About (n=252) 120 Number of Responses 100 80 60 40 20 0 Human Health & the Environment Climate issues Water quantity Plants Wildlife Water quality A large majority (73%) responded “yes” when asked “would you like to better understand the region’s environment from the parks to the ocean? ” Most are interested in learning more about human health and the environment.

GAME CAMERA VISITATION Season 1 Progress

Game Camera Study • Supplement to the user survey – Game cameras are good at capturing rare behaviors and ongoing activity – Monitor both official and “unofficial” entrances • Beginning in May 2015, research team went on a series of site visits in the Baldwin Hills parks to assess the scope of sites, determine logistics of positioning and settings, and finalize location choices • Developed study design and purchased five Browning “Dark Ops” High Definition Trail Cameras, SD cards and batteries • Hired and trained an undergraduate research technician to monitor the cameras and collect data – Conducted field testing – Installed cameras • Began collecting data in October 2015 • Collected 100 s of hours of data from each site

STUDENT INVOLVEMENT Training & Research Experiences

Students in the Field

Students in the Field • In addition to producing research and reports, we believe an important part of this project is training the next generation of professionals • Students are receiving extensive training in social science and environmental studies theories and methodologies, but they are also being exposed to a park system right next to campus that many of them have never been to before • Students provide qualitative observations that contribute to the research process, thus engaging them in the results and giving them a sense of personal responsibility for the project and how it informs park management and improvement

Examples of Student Observations

Student Training • Since August 2014, we have involved a total of 33 LMU undergraduates in the Baldwin Hills Park User Study • In Season 1, we had a team of 14 students – 13 survey research assistants who spent 532 hours in the field – One game camera research technician who spent 34. 5 hours on set-up and data collection

CURRENT STATUS Season 2 Progress

Season 2 Progress • Recruited students and held an orientation during the second week of LMU’s spring semester, in mid-January • Students completed online survey research training • Held a field training on January 30 and sent the first students into the field on January 31 • Students scheduled for 25 4 -hour shifts in February, covering all weekends and every MWF during the week

Future Plans • Students will be scheduled throughout March and possibly April, depending on completion rate • Survey will be closed by the end of April, results analyzed and a report sent by June 1 • Students will be recruited for Season 3 starting in March/April and trained in May

Questions? Michele Romolini, Ph. D. & Viktoria Kuehn LMU Center for Urban Resilience michele. romolini@lmu. edu (310) 338 -7443