Exploring the values for nature, nature connectedness, pro-environmental behaviour, and well-being: A case study on urban park visitors in Istanbul

Urban greenspaces play an important role not only for biodiversity conservation, but also for the well-being of urban residents. Recent empirical studies focused therefore on the interplay between nature connectedness, individual well-being and pro-environmental behavior. Yet, most studies so far have used student samples from high-income countries, where conservation and environmental policies are relatively well-established. The present study aims to test the impacts of plural values for nature (intrinsic, instrumental, relational), nature connectedness, ecological knowledge, eco-anxiety, environmental concern, on pro-environmental behavior (PEB) and subjective well-being in a relatively understudied middle-income developing country context with participants from a policy relevant urban greenspace field setting. To do this, face-to-face surveys with 112 participants were conducted in two popular urban greenspaces of Istanbul, Emirgan Grove and Hacıosman Atatürk Urban Forest. Findings suggest that relational values constitute an empirically distinct category of values highly significant for urban park visitors, and mediated by nature connectedness, they can predict PEB and subjective well-being significantly. Moreover, ecosystem-based ecological knowledge (recognition of local plant and animal species) was found to be a positive correlate of PEB, while environmental concern emerged as a potential predictor of subjective well-being. Overall, the study suggests relational values and connectedness to nature as two important leverage points for enhancing sustainable behavior and human well-being in urban contexts that could be targeted by biodiversity policy, education and urban design for reinforcing cycles of increased care and responsibility for nature and improved life satisfaction.