Parks provide essential services to urban dwellers.
Shujuan Li, PhD, is a Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Arizona. Her work integrates GIS, spatial modeling, and geodesign to understand how people use, perceive, and value parks and urban greenspaces—and how design features and microclimate influence restorative experience and equitable access.
Drawing on on‑site surveys and large mobility datasets, Li’s recent studies illuminate how access and quality affect who visits urban nature and how they benefit from it—reinforcing the value of thoughtfully designed spaces like Sacred Places to support respite, connection, and community health.
Shujuan has published more than 25 academic papers. Below is a brief sampling of her research that most directly relates to Nature Sacred’s work:
Articles
- The Value and Access of Urban Greenspace: A Comparison Study of User Perceptions of the Naval Cemetery Landscape, New York, IJERPH (2025)
- Association between relative surface temperature and urban park visits during excessive heat, Environmental Research Communications (2025)
- Using Big Data to Assess Park System Performance during the COVID‑19 Pandemic, Sustainability (2023)
