AI Transforms Park Reviews into Valuable Scientific Data
Every online review of a park holds more than just opinions—it contains data that can help enhance public green spaces. Researchers at the University of Florida’s Fort Lauderdale center leveraged machine learning to analyze over 30,000 reviews from Google Maps and TripAdvisor. These reviews covered parks, gardens, and greenways across Broward County, revealing the nonmaterial benefits nature provides.
Identifying Cultural Ecosystem Services Through AI
The study identified 11 types of cultural ecosystem services, benefits people gain from nature beyond the physical, such as beauty, recreation, relaxation, and inspiration. By applying AI, the team was able to pinpoint which parks offer the richest combinations of these services.
The findings, published in the journal Ecosystem Services, highlight that parks with more trees, diverse plants, wildlife, spacious areas, and water features typically deliver the highest value. Importantly, AI revealed that cultural benefits often overlap—a jogging trail might also serve as a spot for birdwatching, family gatherings, and quiet reflection.
Practical Insights for Park Design and Urban Planning
“By applying AI to countless online reviews, we can now measure these cultural values and understand how park design and planning can be optimized for public wellbeing,” explained Haojie Cao, the study’s lead author and a doctoral student at UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center.
This AI-driven approach can be applied globally, turning everyday online feedback into actionable insights for creating healthier, happier communities. It represents a practical use of machine learning algorithms, similar to those used in healthcare and business, now focused on decoding how people value nature in urban environments.
Key Features That Enhance Well-Being
In Broward County, where nearly two million people share limited green space, the study found certain features consistently improve visitors’ experiences:
- Shade and trees
- Walking paths
- Water access
- Diverse plant and wildlife presence
These elements contribute significantly to enhancing physical, emotional, and social benefits derived from urban parks.
Social Media and AI as Tools for Urban Ecology
Associate Professor Jiangxiao Qiu, senior author of the study, pointed out that social media data powered by AI offers a valuable method to identify where urban residents benefit most from parks. This approach can also help monitor progress in park management and planning.
“In some ways, the results could be considered citizen science data since the observations are right from the source,” Qiu noted, emphasizing the direct connection between public feedback and scientific analysis.
Bundled Cultural Benefits: Opportunities for Park Management
The research highlights that aesthetics, entertainment, and physical and experiential offerings are the most frequently reported cultural ecosystem services from urban greenspaces. Recognizing their overlap provides opportunities to design parks that enhance user experience and add value for the community.
AI and Big Data as Roadmaps for Sustainable Urban Greenspaces
Ultimately, this research offers a flexible framework powered by AI and big data for studying and mapping the intangible cultural values of urban nature. Qiu emphasized that as cities continue to grow, sustainable green space planning can benefit from these insights to allocate resources effectively and improve social well-being.
For those interested in further exploring AI applications in environmental and urban research, comprehensive resources and courses are available at Complete AI Training.
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