Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on university students' use of campus green space and recommendations for post-epidemic green space management

Abstract

The impact of COVID-19 on university students' utilization of campus’ green spaces and its need in the post-epidemic era was studied in this research. Data were collected from Chinese and Japanese university students using an online questionnaire. The findings show that COVID-19 induced campus lockdown affected students' motivation to go to school, reduced the time spent on campus, and reduced school frequency. The lockdown encouraged students to explore the green spaces despite their inability to enter the campus. Arguably, COVID-19 has significantly influenced usage pattern of campus’ green spaces. In the post-pandemic era, students generally prefer integrated campus green spaces with wider areas. According to the one-way ANOVA, larger green spaces that can accommodate a lot of people are considered controversial by students coming from various countries and grades. This is because these may attract crowds, increasing the risk of infection. These findings have practical implications for administrators and designers of campus green spaces. Furthermore, the findings of this study could be used to improve campus green spaces in the post-pandemic era, resulting in a more appropriate campus environment for students.