The good, the bad and the ugly: science, aesthetics and environmental assessment

Johnson, Andrew

doi:10.1007/bf00158868

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 7 publications

(6 reference statements)

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“…Michael 1997), they might have been more sceptical towards an egalitarian position. • The finding that species that strongly contribute to the functioning of an ecosystem are given higher importance than visually attractive species contradicts Johnson's (1995) conclusion drawn from a number of studies that the public tends to be most concerned with aesthetically attractive, endangered species, while scientists might pay more attention to the contribution of the species to the functioning of ecosystems and diversity. Our finding might be partly explained by the over-representation of highly educated respondents (who are likely to be more familiar with ecological theories than average citizens) in our sample.…”

Section: Nature Values Of the Swiss Populationcontrasting

confidence: 46%

“…Our finding might be partly explained by the over-representation of highly educated respondents (who are likely to be more familiar with ecological theories than average citizens) in our sample. However, the findings may also reflect a value change since Johnson's (1995) study, with values related to scientific concepts becoming more important to the public. In recent qualitative (Fischer and Young 2007) and quantitative (Fischer and van der Wal 2007) studies from Scotland, the (albeit somewhat outdated) scientific notion of ''balance of nature'' was attached very high importance by the public.…”

Section: Nature Values Of the Swiss Populationmentioning

confidence: 71%

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How do biodiversity and conservation values relate to landscape preferences? A case study from the Swiss Alps

Soliva

Hunziker

2009

Biodivers Conserv

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The importance of the values underlying different concepts of biodiversity conservation and landscape planning is increasingly recognised, and yet these value judgements of the public and of experts are still poorly understood. Although landscape and conservation management are closely interrelated and measures in one field are likely to have effects on the other, the relationship between biodiversity and conservation values on the one hand, and landscape preferences on the other hand, has been hardly explored so far. This study represents a first attempt to empirically examine this relationship from an integrated perspective, considering philosophical, ecological and economic aspects and using items focused on biodiversity. We used a quantitative survey of the general Swiss population with visualisations of potential landscape developments in the Swiss Alps and items related to biodiversity-and conservation-values. Our research shows that respondents who prefer reforested landscapes tend to be more concerned about the conservation of species, landscapes, and natural processes than people preferring cultural landscapes. Respondents who prefer cultural landscapes are more oriented towards utilitarian values and are overrepresented in mountain areas as compared to the lowlands, thus in areas that are more likely to become the target of conservation measures. Our findings have practical implications for conservation in Switzerland and other mountainous areas, particularly in times of agricultural decline and land abandonment and their associated changes in landscape and biodiversity.

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Section: Nature Values Of the Swiss Populationcontrasting

confidence: 46%

Section: Nature Values Of the Swiss Populationmentioning

confidence: 71%

How do biodiversity and conservation values relate to landscape preferences? A case study from the Swiss Alps

Soliva

Hunziker

2009

Biodivers Conserv

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“…Beauty is a highly ambivalent and complex concept, as we can see from both lawns and meadows often being linked with beauty. This shows that we must be wary of using the term "beauty" as an argument for conservation issues [64], because the beauty bias can conflict with scientific ecological considerations [65,66]. Following the idea of Bogner's 2MEV model (i.e., the two factor model of environmental values) [56,57], the results of the "first impression analysis" could be clustered into the aspects of "preservation" and "utilisation" or, as we named them, "focus nature" and "anthropocentric focus".…”

Section: Evaluation Of the First Intuitive Impressions Of The Presentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Urban Nature: Perception and Acceptance of Alternative Green Space Management and the Change of Awareness after Provision of Environmental Information. A Chance for Biodiversity Protection

2017

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Measurable ecological data, e.g., species diversity, provide inadequate information for achieving the comprehensive protection of biodiversity, because human acceptance attitudes can be important factors in undermining nature protection schemes. We have analysed an ecologically driven urban management system presented to urban habitants. A photograph-based survey answered by 424 participants was used to evaluate their impressions of natural meadows. The positive effect of provided information tables was demonstrated by pre-and post-test designs. Attitudes towards urban nature protection showed a statistical preference for green-area management systems optimising insect protection compared with more regularly mowed meadows and lawns. Thus, the perceptions of people should be considered in processes of biodiversity protection. Our results correlate with personal attitude and education, support the aims of extensive green-space management and should encourage urban planners to integrate biodiversity protection zones into urban planning.

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“…Concerning urban nature preferences, it is crucial to acknowledge differences between experts and laypeople: While the basic psychological processes for environmental perception are equal in both, there are cognitive differences in the processing of the perceived information. The greater knowledge of experts in regard to environmental design alters their perceptions and judgments (Johnson 1995;Rambow and Bromme 1995). For example, experts in landscape planning may show a preference for species-rich, natural urban areas because they are aware of biodiversity values.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting tree preferences from visible tree characteristics

2017

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This paper presents a psychological perspective to the selection of trees for urban residential areas. Sixty tree species suitable for urban planting sites were rated by lay participants regarding preference. We then used outward tree features to predict the preference ratings. Twenty-five different plant characteristics served as possible predictors in a regression model for tree preference. We found that the distinction between conifers and deciduous trees, the maximum tree height, and the crown height-to-width ratio were valuable predictors for preference, explaining more than 70% of the variance. This adds support for evolutionary theories of landscape preference. The regression model presented in this paper can be applied to calculate a preference estimate for other tree species using their known physical data, which may facilitate tree selection tasks in green space planning. By specifying preference-relevant tree characteristics, our findings may also inform the process of selecting diverse species for sites where a homogenous overall appearance is a planning goal.

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The good, the bad and the ugly: science, aesthetics and environmental assessment

Cited by 7 publications

References 7 publications

How do biodiversity and conservation values relate to landscape preferences? A case study from the Swiss Alps

How do biodiversity and conservation values relate to landscape preferences? A case study from the Swiss Alps

Urban Nature: Perception and Acceptance of Alternative Green Space Management and the Change of Awareness after Provision of Environmental Information. A Chance for Biodiversity Protection

Predicting tree preferences from visible tree characteristics

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