To assess customers satisfaction at waterscape by sojourn time: case of the Beijing Grand Canal Forest Park

National policy of pursuing ecological civilization requires that waterscape design and pollution control programs should afford “sense of gain of benefit”, entailing an integrative method to assess overall performance．A waterscape satisfaction index or WSI is proposed here, as defined by deviation of actual recreation time expenditure (t_R) from expected time expenditure (t_Rexp)．t_Rexp values are obtained by questionnaire survey．Trajectory of volunteer visitors is used to model recreational behavior．The simulated t_R values are further adjusted by site-specific relationship between park sojourn time and perceived water quality．Occupation is found to shape preference to waterscape characteristics．The appreciation time of open water is found to be affected by multiple factors．Sojourn time is found to correlate with perceived water quality．These findings will help to improve ecosystem cultural services at waterscapes in northern China．WSI will assist effectiveness evaluation of water environment management projects．