For the Love of Nature: Exploring the Importance of Species Diversity and Micro-Variables Associated with Favorite Outdoor Places
Although the restorative benefits of nature are widely acknowledged, there is a limited understanding of the attributes of natural environments that are fundamental to restorative experiences. Faced with growing human populations and a greater awareness of the wellbeing benefits natural environments...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2017-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02094/full |
| _version_ | 1818359175216889856 |
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| author | Morgan F. Schebella Morgan F. Schebella Delene Weber Delene Weber Kiera Lindsey Christopher B. Daniels Christopher B. Daniels |
| author_facet | Morgan F. Schebella Morgan F. Schebella Delene Weber Delene Weber Kiera Lindsey Christopher B. Daniels Christopher B. Daniels |
| author_sort | Morgan F. Schebella |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Although the restorative benefits of nature are widely acknowledged, there is a limited understanding of the attributes of natural environments that are fundamental to restorative experiences. Faced with growing human populations and a greater awareness of the wellbeing benefits natural environments provide, park agencies and planners are increasingly challenged with balancing human and ecological outcomes in natural areas. This study examines the physical and experiential qualities of natural environments people referred to when describing their connection to their most valued natural environments in an online questionnaire. Recruited primarily via a public radio program, respondents were asked to identify their favorite places and explain what they loved about those places. Favorite places are considered exemplars of restorative environments and were classified based on an existing park typology. Reasons people liked particular sites were classified into three domains: setting, activity, or benefit. Content analysis was used to identify the attributes most commonly associated with favorite places. These attributes were then related to the four components of restorative environments according to Attention Restoration Theory. In contrast to previous research, we found that “fascination” was the most important component of favorite places. Possible reasons for this contrast, namely, respondents' median age, and the likelihood of a high degree of ecological literacy amongst the study population are discussed. South Australians' favorite environments comprise primarily hilly, wooded nature parks, and botanical gardens, in stark contrast to the vast arid areas that dominate the state. Micro-variables such as birds, plants, wildlife, native species, and biodiversity appear particularly important elements used to explain people's love of these sites. We discuss the implications of these findings and their potential value as an anchor for marketing campaigns seeking to encourage contact with nature, as well as education programs designed to improve people's understanding of important but intangible concepts such as biodiversity. The findings have clear, practical implications for park managers given the modifiable nature of many of the attributes identified as being most important to our respondents, and we believe attention to such elements has the potential to simultaneously enhance people's nature experiences, optimize restorative outcomes, and improve environmental stewardship. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T20:40:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e5144bbec15b49c79ed672ec7ec78b22 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T20:40:43Z |
| publishDate | 2017-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-e5144bbec15b49c79ed672ec7ec78b222022-12-21T23:32:09ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782017-12-01810.3389/fpsyg.2017.02094289390For the Love of Nature: Exploring the Importance of Species Diversity and Micro-Variables Associated with Favorite Outdoor PlacesMorgan F. Schebella0Morgan F. Schebella1Delene Weber2Delene Weber3Kiera Lindsey4Christopher B. Daniels5Christopher B. Daniels6Natural and Built Environments Research Centre, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaBarbara Hardy Institute, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaNatural and Built Environments Research Centre, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaBarbara Hardy Institute, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaHawke Research Institute, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaBarbara Hardy Institute, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaSchool of Pharmaceutical and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaAlthough the restorative benefits of nature are widely acknowledged, there is a limited understanding of the attributes of natural environments that are fundamental to restorative experiences. Faced with growing human populations and a greater awareness of the wellbeing benefits natural environments provide, park agencies and planners are increasingly challenged with balancing human and ecological outcomes in natural areas. This study examines the physical and experiential qualities of natural environments people referred to when describing their connection to their most valued natural environments in an online questionnaire. Recruited primarily via a public radio program, respondents were asked to identify their favorite places and explain what they loved about those places. Favorite places are considered exemplars of restorative environments and were classified based on an existing park typology. Reasons people liked particular sites were classified into three domains: setting, activity, or benefit. Content analysis was used to identify the attributes most commonly associated with favorite places. These attributes were then related to the four components of restorative environments according to Attention Restoration Theory. In contrast to previous research, we found that “fascination” was the most important component of favorite places. Possible reasons for this contrast, namely, respondents' median age, and the likelihood of a high degree of ecological literacy amongst the study population are discussed. South Australians' favorite environments comprise primarily hilly, wooded nature parks, and botanical gardens, in stark contrast to the vast arid areas that dominate the state. Micro-variables such as birds, plants, wildlife, native species, and biodiversity appear particularly important elements used to explain people's love of these sites. We discuss the implications of these findings and their potential value as an anchor for marketing campaigns seeking to encourage contact with nature, as well as education programs designed to improve people's understanding of important but intangible concepts such as biodiversity. The findings have clear, practical implications for park managers given the modifiable nature of many of the attributes identified as being most important to our respondents, and we believe attention to such elements has the potential to simultaneously enhance people's nature experiences, optimize restorative outcomes, and improve environmental stewardship.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02094/fullbiodiversityecological literacyfavorite placesnature connectednessrestorative environments |
| spellingShingle | Morgan F. Schebella Morgan F. Schebella Delene Weber Delene Weber Kiera Lindsey Christopher B. Daniels Christopher B. Daniels For the Love of Nature: Exploring the Importance of Species Diversity and Micro-Variables Associated with Favorite Outdoor Places Frontiers in Psychology biodiversity ecological literacy favorite places nature connectedness restorative environments |
| title | For the Love of Nature: Exploring the Importance of Species Diversity and Micro-Variables Associated with Favorite Outdoor Places |
| title_full | For the Love of Nature: Exploring the Importance of Species Diversity and Micro-Variables Associated with Favorite Outdoor Places |
| title_fullStr | For the Love of Nature: Exploring the Importance of Species Diversity and Micro-Variables Associated with Favorite Outdoor Places |
| title_full_unstemmed | For the Love of Nature: Exploring the Importance of Species Diversity and Micro-Variables Associated with Favorite Outdoor Places |
| title_short | For the Love of Nature: Exploring the Importance of Species Diversity and Micro-Variables Associated with Favorite Outdoor Places |
| title_sort | for the love of nature exploring the importance of species diversity and micro variables associated with favorite outdoor places |
| topic | biodiversity ecological literacy favorite places nature connectedness restorative environments |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02094/full |
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