Perceived values of recreational urban parks with reference to Simferopol in the Republic of Crimea and Raleigh in the USA

This article compares the values of the environment, and the sense of social and political responsibility in public recreational areas in two cities: Simferopol in Crimea in Ukraine, and Raleigh in North Carolina in the USA. The respondents were users of recreational urban park spaces and were assessed through a written survey of both populations. This study found both commonalities in the values and constructions held, as well as important differences that point to the future of environmental protection in the NIS (Newly Independent States). It was designed to assess respondent perceptions of the dynamic environmental conditions that currently exist in the post-Soviet city for future planning and development initiatives.