The Relationship between Non-Natural Sounds and Visitors? Nature Appreciation Needs in an Urban Park

W.G.D.S Wehigaldeniya, U.D.I Maduwanthi

Abstract: Currently, most of visitors attracted to visit urban park because of the natural surrounding and the environmental benefits. Most times the majority visitors visit the park to fulfill their nature appreciation needs and they have heard many natural sounds and non-natural sounds in an urban park. According to that, the main purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between non-natural sounds and perfect visitor?s nature appreciation needs in the urban park. Build up a hypothesis to achieve the above objective. It was, there is a relationship between non-natural sounds and visitors? nature appreciation needs. There was an independent variable name as non-natural sounds (Human Sounds, Machine Sounds, Instrumental Sounds) and there were five dependent variables (feel close to nature, observe the beauty of nature, obtain a feeling of harmony with nature, find quiet places and enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of nature) name as nature appreciation needs. Potential for Conflict Index (PCI2) as a stranded method to use the define independent variable and can be extended to include Kaiser Mayer Olkin (KMO) by define the dependent variables. Cluster sampling was used to select sample and questionnaires were used for data collection in ?Diyatha Uyana? urban park. Questionnaires were distributed throughout the 150 visitors? in an urban park. The data was analysis of using cross tabulation and chi-square analysis. According to value of gamma could get the findings of this study showed that the independent variable has a strong relationship with visitors? nature appreciation needs.

Keywords: Non-natural sounds, Nature appreciation needs, Urban park, Environmental Benefits