The questionnaire data was analysed using the statistics package, SPSS version 11. The data was coded and transformed into a number of different types of variable namely nominal (binary), nominal (categorical), ordinal and scale. A selection of four different non-parametric statistical tests was used to test for the existence of statistically significant associations or correlations […]
Category: Wild Urban Woodlands
The postal questionnaire and interviews
The questionnaires were posted to randomly selected residents of the 12 HCA’s (nine from within Birchwood and three “control” HCA’s from outside). A total of 1181 were sent out and 336 were returned (response rate 28%). Out of these, 266 were from respondents in Birchwood, and 70 from the control sample outside. It was originally […]
Selection of sampling HCA’s
The urban landscape character assessment yielded a total of 33 HCA’s. In order to obtain the widest possible range of vegetation and housing densities within the HCA’s to be sampled, three conditions of each of these variables were selected, namely high, medium and low. Putting these conditions together in all possible combinations gave rise to […]
Methodology
Overview of research design Birchwood was selected as a case study because, in Britain at least, it is the largest and most radical example of the ecological woodland approach. The principal research instruments were a postal questionnaire, and a series of semi-structured interviews with a sub-sample of the questionnaire respondents. The sampling strategy was to […]
Research issues
The study sought to address these issues of aesthetic appreciation for the woodland, perception of personal safety, and the perceived suitability of Birchwood as a place to bring up children, as well as exploring these issues in more detail by examining the cultural meanings that the woodland held for Birchwood’s inhabitants. In this context “cultural […]
Literature review
One of the difficulties in evaluating a more naturalistic approach to urban tree plantings in the UK is that such an approach was rarely used as part of planned or designed urban landscapes before Birchwood. Tartaglia- Kershaw (1980) carried out a study of the Gleadless area of Sheffield, in the UK, a housing area planned […]
The urban woodlands at Birchwood
Birchwood was constructed on the site of the former Royal Ordnance Factory at Risley, built to supply armaments during the Second World War. Constructed on a largely “green field” site, the factory employed 30,000 people and was operational for just seven years. After the war the 740- hectare site lay disused and derelict for twenty-five […]
Living in the Urban Wildwoods: A Case Study of Birchwood, Warrington New Town, UK
Anna Jorgensen, James Hitchmough, Nigel Dunnett Department of Landscape, Sheffield University Introduction Relevance and context of the study This research investigated urban dwellers’ experience of living in a woodland setting on a post-industrial site using Birchwood (part of Warrington New Town, UK) as a case study. It is relevant to any agency concerned with landscape […]
Lessons for providers
The research has flagged up a number of useful areas for consideration by providers of nature and outdoor recreation: How do the findings of this research affect the implementation of strategic environmental assessments, part of a recent EU directive due to be implemented soon? The importance of different kinds of green space and of easy […]
Who is visiting and what do they do?
Many people visit all type of sites, regardless of age or sex. However, there are disproportionately low numbers of people from black and ethnic minorities and people with disabilities. While many people visit on their own, couples and families make up the majority of visitors, the latter especially at the country parks and other sites […]