Use of Natural Areas among Latinxs Living in South Carolina

Abstract

The Latinx population in the United States (US) is growing. While Latinxs have historically been present in US cities and southwestern states, there is a notable surge in migration to new destination states, including South Carolina (SC). As the Latinx population grows and extends to new geographies, there is a need to examine the evolution of Latinxs’ outdoor recreation patterns. Exploring their changing preferences regarding public spaces can inform park management planning and policy. This study examines outdoor recreation use among SC-based Latinxs, exploring three central questions: 1. What are the outdoor recreation preferences among Latinxs living in SC? 2. What constraints do Latinxs face while engaging in outdoor recreation? 3. What are Latinxs’ primary motivations in visiting natural areas? This study employs a convergent parallel mixed method design. The quantitative phase consists of a cross-sectional sampling approach via online surveys, while the qualitative phase utilizes focus groups. Analyses of survey results include descriptive statistics and ANOVA and Chi-square tests for select variables. Qualitative analyses are based on a priori open coding with thematic development. Quantitative and qualitative data were first examined separately and later compared. Results suggest that walking/hiking is the primary outdoor recreation activity in which Latinxs engage. Focus-group participants also mentioned a variety of land and water-based outdoor recreation activities. The most prevalent motivations for recreation experiences included relaxation, escape, and improved health. The top five factors preventing survey respondents from visiting natural areas were tiredness after work, insufficient time off work, insufficient time and money to visit natural areas, and proximity to natural areas. Focus group participants also reported various constraints hindering their visits to natural areas, including time, cost, safety, inadequate on-site amenities, weather, and Latinx-specific constraints. The findings indicate that natural resource agencies wanting to improve Latinx outdoor recreation experiences should have bilingual front-line staff and provide communicative media, such as website information or on-site signage, in Spanish. Our findings also underscore the importance of Latinx-focused social media groups as useful tools for disseminating information.