Research article

DOI: 10.15287/afr.2022.2757

Gender inequalities in Transylvania's largest peri-urban forest usage

Romulus Florian Oprica , Nicu Constantin Tudose, Șerban Octavian Davidescu, Mihai Zup, Mirabela Marin, Adina Nicoleta Comănici, Maria Nicoleta Criț, Diana Pitar

Romulus Florian Oprica
BrandBerry Research Institute. Email: romulus.oprica@brandberry.ro
Nicu Constantin Tudose
National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry (INCDS) “Marin Dracea”
Șerban Octavian Davidescu
National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry (INCDS) “Marin Dracea”
Mihai Zup
Kronstadt Local Public Forest District – RPLPK, Brașov
Mirabela Marin
National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry (INCDS) “Marin Dracea”
Adina Nicoleta Comănici
Kronstadt Local Public Forest District – RPLPK, Brașov
Maria Nicoleta Criț
Kronstadt Local Public Forest District – RPLPK, Brașov
Diana Pitar
National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry (INCDS) “Marin Dracea”

Online First: December 30, 2022
Oprica, R., Tudose, N., Davidescu, Ș., Zup, M., Marin, M., Comănici, A., Criț, M., Pitar, D. 2022. Gender inequalities in Transylvania's largest peri-urban forest usage. Annals of Forest Research DOI:10.15287/afr.2022.2757


Urban green spaces (public gardens, parks, urban and peri-urban forests) offer multiple-use opportunities and spaces for recreational activities and played a key role in supporting mental and physical health of dwellers during covid-19 pandemic, being ones of few places where outdoor and social activities where allowed. This study was conducted in Brașov city (also known as Kronstadt, by its German name), the second largest metropolitan area of Romania and surrounded by a significant area of peri-urban forests in Transylvania. Brașov city own just 5.62 sqm of urban green space/inhabitant, one of the lowest in the country, so the presence of a large peri-urban forest area become very valuable for locals and tourists visiting the area. Due to its importance and because understanding visitors' expectations and perceptions is a key element to support decision-makers and ensure proper management of these forests, the Brașov’s forests administrator (Kronstadt Local Public Forest District – RPLPK) decided to investigate how dwellers generally interact with the peri-urban forests and to identify opportunities for improving the capacity of forests in providing social and recreational services. Data were collected through the administration of CAWI (computer assisted web interview) to 314 respondents at beginning of 2021, at exactly one year distance after the pandemic lockdown was imposed all around the country. Analyzing the participants responses, a surprising fact become evident: the use of peri-urban forest is not gender equal, women being less able than men to access these green natural spaces and, therefore, to uptake the benefits provided by the peri-urban forests.


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