Development of parks and gardens as elements of a green rehabilitation system

The creation of a comfortable and accessible urban environment tailored to low-mobility population groups, alongside the development of parks and gardens as elements of green rehabilitation, is highly relevant today. This research employs a comprehensive approach, including a field survey using the example of the Zatyumenskiy Ecopark (Tyumen), an assessment of the accessibility of forest-park areas based on main criteria using a five-point scale, and a sociological survey of 125 respondents representing key user groups among the low-mobility population groups. The field survey results revealed a mixed picture: the average accessibility score was 3.8, highlighting both strengths (transport accessibility and lighting) and critical deficiencies (a lack of inclusive and service infrastructure). The sociological survey data confirmed the existence of persistent barriers that limit the duration and comfort of stay for low-mobility groups within the ecopark. The theoretical and methodological basis of the study is a synthesis of Attention Restoration Theory, Stress Recovery Theory, and the principles of ecotherapy. Based on the identified contradiction between the territory’s high natural rehabilitation potential and its low level of infrastructural adaptation, this study formulates principles and design proposals for the landscape transformation of the ecopark.These include the formation of a continuous, barrier-free path network, the creation of a sensory rehabilitation route, the development of adapted recreation zones and therapeutic sites, and the introduction of an inclusive navigation system and service infrastructure. The findings can be applied to the design, adaptation, and development of similar recreational areas.

1. Прядко И. П. Создание безбарьерного архитектурно-планировочного пространства для маломобильных групп населения и проблема подготовки специалистов в сфере строительства и архитектуры. Вестник БГТУ им. В. Г. Шухова. 2019;4(6):49–57. https://doi.org/10.34031/article_5d01f9a83dd636.45387278

2. Черенкова Д. А., Лапина Н. Е. Принципы формирования безбарьерной среды для людей с невидимыми инвалидностями. Архитектура и дизайн: история, теория, инновации. 2024;(8)389–392. URL: https://elibrary.ru/ndqsbo

3. Маилян В. Д., Зильберова И. Ю., Бойко А. С. Организационные аспекты создания доступной городской среды для маломобильных групп населения. Инженерный вестник Дона. 2022;(2):264–271. URL: http://ivdon.ru/ru/magazine/archive/n2y2022/7451

4. Wong S., Rush J., Bailey F., Just A. C. Accessible Green Spaces? Spatial Disparities in Residential Green Space among People with Disabilities in the United States. Annals of the American Association of Geographers. 2023;113(2):527–548. https://doi.org/10.1080/24694452.2022.2106177

5. Hung S. H., Pálsdóttir A. M., Ode Sang Å., Shahrad A., Liao H. H., Hsu Y. Y., Chang C. Y. How restorative landscapes can benefit psychological and physiological responses: a pilot study of human-nature relationships in Sweden and Taiwan. Landscape Research. 2023;48(8)1073–1090. https://doi.org/10.1080/01426397.2023.2213634

6. Rubaszek J., Gubański J., Podolska A. Do we need public green spaces accessibility standards for the sustainable development of urban settlements?The evidence fromWrocław, Poland. InternationalJournalofEnvironmental Research and Public Health. 2023;20(4):3067. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043067

7. Seeland K., Nicolè S. Public green space and disabled users. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 2006;5(1):29–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2006.03.001

8. Selanon P., Chuangchai W. The importance of urban green spaces in enhancing holistic health and sustainable well-being for people with disabilities: a narrative review. Buildings. 2023;13(8):2100. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13082100

9. Wojnowska-Heciak M., Suchocka M., Błaszczyk M., Muszyńska M. Urban parks as perceived by city residents with mobility difficulties: a qualitative study with in-depth interviews. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022;19(4):2018. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042018 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/cmeaqn

10. Zhang R., Huang L., Wang H. Accessibility improvement and renewal of urban park green space for the elderly and the disabled. Forests. 2023;14(9):1801. https://doi.org/10.3390/f14091801 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/zmskuq

11. Przewoźna P., Inglot A., Mielewczyk M., Maczka K., Matczak P. Accessibility to urban green spaces: a critical review of who recommendations in the light of tree-covered areas assessment. Ecological Indicators. 2024;166:112548. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2024.112548

12. Papanicolaou M., Katafygiotou M., Dimopoulos T. Reframing urban accessibility through universal design: a critical review with case insights from Kaimakli linear park. Land. 2025;14(10):2017. https://doi.org/10.3390/ land14102017 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/yhaxds

13. Gupta A., Yadav M., Nayak B. K. A systematic literature review on inclusive public open spaces: accessibility standards and universal design principles. Urban Science. 2025;9(6):181. https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci9060181

14. Lepoglavec K., Papeš O., Lovrić V., Raspudić A., Nevečerel H. Accessibility of urban forests and parks for people with disabilities in wheelchairs, considering the surface and longitudinal slope of the trails. Sustainability. 2023;15(10):7741. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107741 URL: https://www.elibrary.ru/dvjclp

15. Kaplan S. The restorative benefits of nature: toward an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology. 1995:15(3):169–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/0272-4944(95)90001-2

16. Ulrich R. S. View through a window may influence recovery from surgery. Science. 1984:224(4647):420-1. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.6143402

17. Clinebell H. Ecotherapy: Healing ourselves, healing the earth. Minneapolis: Fortress Press; 1996. 293 p. URL: https://archive.org/details/ecotherapyhealin0000clin

18. Buzzell L., Chalquist C. (eds.) Ecotherapy: Healing with Nature in Mind. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books; 2009. 322 p. URL: https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781578051618/page/n7/mode/2up