Modeling city dwellers’ perceptions on the ecosystem services supplied by urban green spaces in Malaysia: A logistic regression analysis

Abstract

There are limited studies in Malaysia that document the ecosystem services (ESs) of urban green spaces (UGSs). In this paper, we assessed urban Malaysians’ perceptions of ESs provided by UGSs and how their perceptions were influenced by socio-demographic factors. Data on 12 ESs was collected from 645 respondents through an online survey across Malaysia. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regressions were used for data analysis. Respondents had high positive perceptions of ESs, and their perceptions of several ESs would likely increase significantly as they grew older. Respondents with non-tertiary and non-environmental tertiary education reported significantly lower perceptions of a few ESs. Infrequent visits to UGSs and living more than 5 km away from UGSs resulted in significantly lower perceptions of some ESs. Suggestions are made to incorporate ESs-related content in the curriculum, establish pocket parks, and involve resident groups in conservation, which can ensure the sustainability of UGSs and assist the Malaysian government in achieving the goals of the National Landscape Policy, the National Urbanization Policy, and sustainable development goals. The governments of developing countries can use the findings of this research to undertake proactive actions towards conservation and expansion of UGSs for healthier and liveable cities.