Public Attitudes and Preferences for Upland Landscapes - Defra

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Age and socio-economic status are factors influencing the level of access to certain landscapes. For example, individuals from lower occupational classes are less likely to make direct use of rural landscapes and green spaces than individuals from occupational classes A-C. 7 Suckall et al. (2009) also found that children from a ‘middle class’ school in Sheffield reacted more favourably to the Peak District National Park than a similar group of children from a school in a more working class region of the same city. Individuals from BME groups were also unlikely to favour the uplands over other places (for example an urban shopping mall) - although no attempt was made to determine how ethnicity relates to preferences independent of social class. However individuals who had been part of an environmental outreach scheme to increase the participation of individuals from BME groups in the countryside had more positive perceptions of the Peak District than a control group. This suggests that forms of intervention which increase members of the public’s awareness and direct experiences of natural landscapes may also influence preferences. A forthcoming customer segmentation study commissioned by Defra which grouped individuals by lifestyle, attitudes and values (as opposed to socio-demographic factors only) also found that upland landscapes were seen as challenging and unappealing by those in the segments ‘Good for the kids and me’ (young mothers), ‘Locally limited’ (lower income groups aged between 16-34) and ‘Reluctant and uninspired’ (aged between 34 and 54 struggling with work, money and families) (Defra forthcoming c). SAC (2006) employed focus groups to explore public opinion on some of the more visible services delivered by the uplands. Although these focus groups included both urban and rural participants, all participants had a reasonably high level of engagement with the uplands – i.e. the urban participants, from Sheffield, regularly visited the uplands for recreational purposes. Despite this, there were still some obvious differences in the way in which the rural and urban groups related to the upland landscape – for example the urban group were more likely to describe the landscape using words such as ‘photogenic’ and ‘tranquil’ while those residing in upland areas suggested more personal and arguably emotional adjectives such as ‘inspiring’, ‘vulnerable’, and ‘grandeur’. Likewise, Research Box et al. (2009) found that, although respondents did not always find moorland landscapes important (with some noting that they felt too exposed within such landscapes), moorland was particularly important for those living in proximity to it. For example, for respondents in Exmoor, moorland was considered to contribute greatly to local identity. Moving beyond socio-demographic variables, Research box et al. note in their study that there are four categories of factors that can influence the way that people experience the landscape: demographic factors (such as the above), situational factors (e.g. whether one interacts with the landscape alone or in a group), awareness factors (e.g. degree of familiarity with the landscape etc.) and preference factors (2009). Some of the studies reviewed here record the range of reasons why individuals engage with the Uplands 8 . As the discussion on preferences and valuation (below) will show, the nature of respondents’ engagement with the uplands impacts on both their preferences and willingness to pay for upland landscapes. In a comprehensive review of evidence on attitudes to environmental change, Upham et al. (2009) look specifically at 3 broad types of environmental change - climate change, changes in ecosystems and landscapes and energy technologies and transfer. The report considers a wider cross-section of the public than many of the studies focused specifically on the uplands and focuses on both broader environmental change and changes in landscape. The report highlights some key general considerations about public attitudes which provide important 7 Findings from Natural England’s Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment 2009 –2010 survey http://naturalengland.etraderstores.com/NaturalEnglandShop/NECR049. Social-grade as used here is derived from the National Readership Study. Definitions from the grades are as follows: A =High managerial, administrative or professional; B = Intermediate managerial, administrative or professional; C1= Supervisory, clerical and junior managerial administrative or professional, C2 = Skilled manual workers, D = Semi and unskilled manual workers, E = State pensioners, casual or lowest grade workers, unemployed with state benefits only. 8 As part of the study carried out by the Scottish Agricultural College on behalf of the Centre for Uplands, respondents were asked about the activities they participate in when visiting the Uplands. The three most common activities were walking, scenic driving and bird/wildlife watching respectively. 8
context for how we interpret the public’s preferences (for example when the public express unqualified preferences as part of survey based studies). For example, it is likely that the public are less likely to be concerned about issues which they don’t anticipate will have a direct or immediate impact on them; respondents often rate climate change to be less of a concern than other factors (e.g. intensive agriculture) because the impacts of climate change are considered to be “further away” (p7). The fact that respondents may generally be positive about some forms of change (e.g. wind energy) but opposed to their development in a place to which they are attached, is also highlighted. Summary section 3 - Individuals’ attitudes and preferences for landscape will depend on socio-demographic factors, the context in which they interact with the landscape and also the nature of the research approach – e.g. whether questions are specifically related to landscape or cover broader issues such as biodiversity preservation. - Focus groups demonstrate that proximity of residence to upland areas, socio-economic factors and ethnicity are all likely to impact on individuals’ relationships with uplands landscapes and their preferences. Engagement strategies and the provision of additional information may influence individual preferences. - People are more likely to be concerned about changes that will have an immediate or direct impact on them. 4. The public’s experience of individual upland landscape features The Research Box report - “Experiencing Landscapes - capturing the cultural services and experiential qualities of landscape” comprised a literature review and primary research using focus groups to explore the complex cultural and experiential services of various landscapes (2009). As well as considering respondent’s attitudes to different landscape types, the paper also considers how local residents relate specifically to their local Natural Character Area (NCA) 9 . Eight NCAs were selected including Exmoor (which was the only upland NCA). This research is valuable in the context of this review as it provides some insight into the ways in which different members of the public relate to different landscapes but also specifically explores some of the cultural and experiential benefits provided by key features associated with the uplands (and Exmoor particularly). However the authors acknowledge that the engagement of just local respondents in the research is a limitation and they imply that there is scope for further research involving those who are not direct users of services (but indirect beneficiaries). Hills were associated with recreation and generally found to be highly valued as landscapes. Hills and mountains are strongly associated with escape, spiritual experiences and inspiration (as are moors). Some of the other key features of upland landscapes explored included height, fields, walls and hedges, bogs and moorland. - Height was considered integral to many landscape experiences both for the exhilaration provided and the sense of putting things ‘in perspective’. - The contribution of field systems towards the look of the land was considered worthy of protection. Fields were considered to deliver a sense of calm and tranquillity, as well as a sense of history and escapism. In general, fields were more important as part of “the whole view” than as something to interact with (due to lack of access) and respondents preferred irregular-shaped and small fields (as opposed to large fields with no boundaries). - The overall appeal of walls and hedges seems to derive from their association (along with farmland and field-shapes) with a ‘quintessential’ English view. In this respect, walls 9 England has been divided into 159 NCAs each based on physiogeographic, land use, historical and cultural attributes. See http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/landscape/englands/character/areas/default.aspx 9
Page 1 and 2: Public Attitudes and Preferences fo
Page 3 and 4: 1. Introduction 1.1. Background The
Page 5 and 6: Although care must be taken not to
Page 7: landscape (e.g. food and production
Page 11 and 12: (for biomass energy) and extensive
Page 13 and 14: Black (2009) Rank† Landscape Biod
Page 15 and 16: Hanley et al. (1998) employed a Cho
Page 17 and 18: cover over the current landscape wh
Page 19 and 20: Table 3 Economic valuation studies
Page 21 and 22: Hanley et al. (1998) Hanley et al.
Page 23 and 24: 7.2. Limitations of Contingent Valu
Page 25 and 26: 9. Overview of referenced studies (
Page 27 and 28: Grijalva T.C., Berrens, R. P., Boha

Public Attitudes and Preferences for Upland Landscapes - Defra

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?