Paper Title
Usage Of Walking Paths For Stress Management In Urban Areas (With Reference To Colombo District, In Sri Lanka)

Abstract
In 20thCentury, increasing of Environmental Stress could be identified as a negative impact of the continuous spread of global urbanization. At present, environmental stress has increased in town of Asian region. One of the impacts of environmental stress is the destroying the sustainable life styles of urban people. Environmental Psychologist who studied about the eco urbanism concepts and town Planners have studied managing the environmental stress when they prepare the environmental Plans. Environmental psychologists such as Frank Lloyd Wright (The Living city Concept) and Le Corbusier (Garden City Concept) emphasized the importance of using parks and Open Space in towns. Walking paths were created to spend time with no urban environmental stress. In this study, the researchers have studied the significance of these walking pathsfor the stress management. The Objectives of current research areto identify why people use Walking path areas andto find out how Walking pathsareashelp stress management among urban People.In this research, data was collected by using questioner method as a quantitative research methods and interview method as a qualitative research method. Three Walking paths which are situated in Sri Jayawardhanapura Kotte, Kiribathgoda and Gampaha were used as the study area. The Sample included 300 participants as 150 Females and150 males. Each Walking path had 50 Females and 50 males.Data analysesweredone using statistical analysis methods. The main findingof the research was 90% people are using these walkingpaths to reduce their employment, living and urban environmental stress daily. In addition, the beauty of these gardenscaused them to spend these leisure times. 10% People are using to jogging on this Walking paths to improve their mental and physical health. People use and spend their leisure time on walking paths as a way of stress management.Attractive eco environmental system re-created traditional environment, cultivated areas, and opportunity to grouping help managing stress among people in urban areas. Key Words- Environmental Stress, Urban Environment, Stress Management, Walking path, New Urbanism