The image of ‘forest’ use based on social media data: a comparison with ‘park’

Abstract

In recent years, efforts to re-evaluate the value of forest spaces, such as in terms of the forest-related service industry and forest-style, have been attracting attention. However, as many as half of all urban residents have not entered a forest in a year. As such, it will be beneficial to develop an understanding of people’s perceptions regarding the concept of a forest to investigate how to promote forest spaces and increase awareness of them. Meanwhile, in recent years, studies of green spaces, such as parks and forests, have been conducted with data from social media. These data enable an objective understanding of people’s conceptions concerning forests and their use. To investigate this, we set May 2021, the second year of the coronavirus pandemic, as the study period. During this period, people’s desire for nature and forests increased. This study analyzed social media data to elucidate the characteristics of users’ utilization and perception of forests. The results demonstrated that users visited parks to let their children play and forests mainly for the healing effects associated with forest bathing; it was further observed that users of parks and forests often view flowers and take photographs in such green spaces. It was also made clear that social media users typically refer to forests as conceptual objects without referring to physical experiences. To promote further use of forest spaces, it would be effective to introduce interpreters who would be capable of stimulating the senses and translating experiences into awareness.