Becoming with Nature: Urban Natures and Relationality after COVID-19, a Study of Chengdu, China.

Sammanfattning

This study explores the perceptions and experiences of urban nature among residents of Chengdu, China, through a diachronic analysis using the pre-and post-COVID-19 pandemic as an event marker to discuss changing relationalities to nature among some Chengdu residents. It examines how lived experiences of green areas connect to Chengdu’s green area infrastructure named the "Park City. A policy analysis and a GIS-based spatial analysis are presented to show how the policy has resulted in green space distribution within and around the city. This is, combined with semi-structured interviews of 18 Chengdu residents aged 18 to 30. Before the pandemic, most respondents engaged with urban nature habitually, perceiving it as an invisible backdrop to their daily lives. The lockdowns during the pandemic disrupted this habitual relationship, making interviewees consciously aware of their sensory dependence on the natural environment for their well-being. The pandemic also prompted participants to reflect on humans and nature in a deeper way, and deepened their appreciation for urban nature. As restrictions were gradually lifted, most respondents shifted their leisure activities toward urban green areas. City parks emerged as vital spaces for psychological healing, and social interaction. Interviewed Chengdu residents expressed support for the "Park City" development, stating that this policy has improved the quality and functionality of the city's parks. However, they also had concerns over park maintenance and excessive commercialisation. The study highlights the importance of qualitative studies on the experience of green spaces, and the formulation of effective greening policies requires continuous attention to actual lived experiences.