Abstract
Abstract
As more research has been done regarding access to parks with a lens of environmental justice, the results on who has access and what type of access has been mixed, although overall there remains an overall inequity regarding amenities and quality of parks favoring more affluent or privileged people. Research going forward needs to begin to break down the circumstances that create more or less equitable park distributions, by incorporating qualitative research, including procedural justice elements, and a more contextual background. Tallahassee was used for a mixed-methods notable case study because it has been singled out as one of the most economically segregated cities in the United States but is considered to have a good park system. Residents in segregated cities are often stuck in disadvantaged locations due to both market forces and discrimination, and these disadvantaged locations limit opportunities and amenities to change their circumstances. A Geographic information system (GIS) analysis showed that the general distribution of parks in Tallahassee was equitable, favoring lower income block groups. Planning processes were identified through documents and interviews that help explain the development and pressures of this outcome.
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