Inhabitants' and Experts' Assessments of Environmental Quality for Urban Sustainability

Abstract

In the context of sustainable urban development, we discuss the assessment of residential environmental quality and the importance of considering inhabitants' perceptions of natural resources in urban areas. Two series of studies, conducted in Guildford (United Kingdom) and in Rome (Italy), addressed the correspondence, or contrast, between inhabitants' and experts' assessment of urban quality concerning two crucial natural resources: air quality and biodiversity. The Guildford study emphasized the accuracy of the assessment of urban air quality by experts and the public. The Rome study focused on the evaluative criteria employed by scientists and the public in assessing the quality of urban green spaces. The results from both studies shed more, albeit complex, light on the simple conventional wisdom about public versus expert understanding and assessment of environmental quality. Study implications are discussed for the support of programs, methods, and tools for urban development, particularly with regard to effective communication and better structuring of residents' participation in urban environmental decision making.

Semantic Assessments of Experienced Biodiversity from Photographs and On-Site Observations – A Comparison

“…Kaplan regards this as an important facet of their expertise: they perceive differently because they are experts. In a study by Bonnes and colleagues (Bonnes, Uzzell, Carrus, & Kelay, 2007) it was also concluded that laymen (residents in the quarters being estimated) and experts in plant ecology rated satisfaction with the quality of urban green spaces in the quarters differently. The authors interpreted the results that usability of the urban green spaces was more important to the residents than the amount of biodiversity in the area.…”

Controversial Issues Relevant to Sustainable Urbanism: A Review of Global Urban Tendencies

“…Therefore, if the urban form is manipulated as a physical form exclusively, it will no longer be capable of keeping up with social and political changes (Bonnes et al, 2007;Soneryd, 2004). A city's form alters due to changes in, for example, political systems and demographic structures.…”

Looking for the role of nature experiences in planning and decision making: a perspective from the Helsinki Metropolitan Area

“…In a study on the stream Rekolanoja in the city of Vantaa, for instance, some residents wanted the surrounding environment to be more natural, while other preferred a managed park (YliPelkonen et al 2006). Also, in a survey in Rome, residents appreciated the abundance of natural areas in their neighborhoods, but increasing biodiversity did not necessarily improve their perceived levels of satisfaction (Bonnes et al 2007). In most cases, however, large natural areas can be preserved only on the basis of ecological arguments, and natural areas that hold unique significance for people's everyday lives are not equally valued.…”

“…Quality criteria for a positive nature experience can arise from very different interpretative frames and also be internally contradictory (e.g., Bonnes et al 2007; see also Van Herzele, 2004). In a study on the stream Rekolanoja in the city of Vantaa, for instance, some residents wanted the surrounding environment to be more natural, while other preferred a managed park (YliPelkonen et al 2006).…”