Suchergebnisse

The loss of biological diversity is a major environmental problem occurring on a global scale. Human-environment researchers have an important role in shaping policy and programs at a local, national, and international level. This article explores human preference for landscapes relative to ecological quality and assesses the relationship between these preferences and land management behavior. A survey of more than 1,000 urban and rural residents of southeastern Australia examined preferences for 36 black and white photographs of native vegetation. There was more commonality than difference between urban and rural preference for different arrays of native vegetation. Preference for Eucalyptus species was higher than preference for non- Eucalyptus species. Preference ratings indicate minimal differences across landscapes with distinct variation in ecological quality. The study suggests that preference forlandscapes of relatively high ecological quality is associated with behaviorthat is protective of this resource.

In this study, the authors develop a model of the formation of public acceptability judgments. The model suggests that in judging environmental management, people apply their values for the natural environment through psychological processes involving beliefs, aesthetic experience, and trust. A key aim of the study was to explore relationships among these processes. Through a mail survey, 487 Australians judged the acceptability of forest landscape management in Southern Tasmania. Structural equation modeling with these data provided general support for the model, confirming that all of the psychological processes are significant in the formation of acceptability judgments. The most important factor was found to be beliefs about consequences for the natural environment. A new finding to emerge from exploration of the model is that aesthetic experience is informed by values, particularly use/intrinsic values for nature, and in turn influences acceptability judgments mainly by influencing beliefs about consequences for the natural environment.