Planning for ecological health and human well-­‐being in the Credit River Watershed: Social well-being benefits of urban natural features and areas

The relationship between ecological systems and well-­‐being is nearly intuitive, and it has long been assumed that the outcome of good watershed management is human health and well-­‐being. This study seeks to make this relationship more apparent with a focus on the perceived effects of natural features and areas on social well-­‐being in the Credit River Watershed, southern Ontario. The use of a survey instrument, inductive analysis, statistical tests for differences and association, and exploratory factor analysis determined that a variety of natural areas are considered by respondents to be important contributors to well-­‐being. Streams and river management should be prioritized since visits to these spaces affect the perception of outdoor and social well-­‐being relationships more strongly. Sense of community, an aspect of social well-­‐being, is cultivated through opportunities for gathering and meetings provided by green space. Though streams and rivers, forests and wetlands, open green spaces, home gardens and functional green space contribute to an aspect of social well-­‐being in one way or another, the associations are dependent on the respondent's location and context. Accessibility and distribution of green space, as well as diversity of natural features may be key in the differences between the perceived social well-­‐being and natural environment relationships. Planning for social well-­‐being therefore involves the management of diverse and biodiverse spaces.