• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.765-776
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• 2013

This study was conducted to find out availability of a urban forest (Eudeungsan) as a substitute place of Mudeungsan Provincial Park (MPP) in overuse problem and to identify related factors to place substitutability. During June-August of 2012, 232 samples who have ever visited both of the two places (i.e., MPP and Euduengsan) in Gwang-ju city were selected by using convenient sampling and snowball sampling methods. Self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted, and the valid responses from 225 samples (97.0%) were used for data analysis. 24.2% of respondents had "considerably" or "very much" intention to use the substitute place, and 65.5% of respondents showed "a little" or "somewhat" 10.3% of respondents didn't have any intention to visit Eudeungsan as a substitute place of MPP. Generally, socio-demographic and visiting characteristics were not related with intention to visit Eudeungsan as a substitute place of MPP. It was only found that respondents who largely visit 'alone' to Eudeungsan tended to have higher intention to visit the substitute place than those who visit 'in group.' Three factors of reasons to visit Eudeungsan (i.e.,Challenge/self-development: ${\beta}=0.35$; Accessibility/familiarity: ${\beta}=0.27$; Adventure: ${\beta}=-0.19$) influenced intention to visit the substitute place. Relationship between reasons to visit and intention to visit the substitute place was found. No direct relationship was found between perceived similarity of the places and intention to visit substitute place, and similarity of recreation experiences showed perfect mediating effects between the two variables.