• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.64-74
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• 2014

Ecological parks enable the sustainable use of natural resources and can be used as a place for site based environmental education. This study presented an opportunity to expand the scope of user perceptions and leisure benefits into urban ecological parks. However, in-depth studies which are aimed at eco-park visitors seeking the leisure benefits of the eco experience programs are lacking. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the urban ecological park user' characteristics which were derived by analyzing the leisure benefits and attitudes for the environment. Also, the attitudes about the environment, and the leisure benefits of visiting urban ecological parks was found to influence visitors' overall satisfaction. To accomplish the purposes of this study, a questionnaire survey with 282 samples was carried out on the urban ecological park(Gildong ecological park, Yeouido tributary ecology park). The results of the analyses are as following: urban ecological park visitors had a positive attitude about the environment, and felt satisfied by the visitors' leisure benefits. The study also examined the relationships between visitors' expectations of the leisure benefits both before visiting and after visiting. The results showed that ecological park visitors had greater expectations regarding the leisure benefits of the ecological program. Leisure benefits have a positive influence on overall satisfaction, and a positive attitude for the environment does not affect satisfaction. This study reaches the conclusion that the ecology experience program utilizing ecological parks is very effective with regard to overall satisfaction in urban areas toward the general environment and ecological parks. One of the major implications of this study is to offer a way to improve user leisure benefits and promote ecological programs by developing ecological parks for the future.