Cultural Practices GeneratedbyStructural Biodiversity of Two Urban Forests in Johor Bahru,Malaysia

• Main Authors: Amalina Mohd Fauzi, Azmiah Abd Ghafar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia 2020-05-01
• Series: International Journal of Built Environment and Sustainability
• Subjects: cultural practices; structural biodiversity; inhabitant needs; urban green space; urban forest
• Online Access: https://ijbes.utm.my/index.php/ijbes/article/view/402

The use of urban green space is a determinant for urban inhabitant’s well-being. However, increasing urbanisation lessened the opportunity for urban inhabitants to engage with green space. This situation requires landscape planners to design an urban green space with maximum benefits that fulfil inhabitants’needs for theirwell-being. Structural biodiversity is an essential element in generating the benefits and values interpreted through the activities at the urban green space. This paper aims to identify the cultural practices that influenced by structural biodiversity oftwo urban forestsin Johor Bahru, Malaysia.Multiple Response Analysis wasused to analyse the data from on-site questionnaire surveys completedby 253 visitors of both urban forests. The result showsthat a high-densityurban forest offers an opportunityfor visitors to get attachedto natureand attract visitors to involve in sedentary and moderateactivities.In contrast, amoderate density urban forest offersa less natural value that attracts visitors to take part in moderate and vigorous activitieswith lessengagement with nature.This study would contribute to a better understanding of thestructural biodiversity thatinfluenced visitors’ cultural practices, where the present conditionof the two urban forests has illustrated the current benefits that visitors obtained from the ecosystem.