Evolutionary Influence on Human Landscape Preference

Falk, John H.; Balling, John D.

doi:10.1177/0013916509341244

Cited by 204 publications

(133 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…It is for this reason that preferences drive decisions we make in life, such as, for instance, where we choose to live. Some studies have demonstrated that people tend to prefer parkland and savannah-like landscapes (Falk and Balling, 2010), and similar types of open, lightly wooded, green landscape have been idealised throughout human civilisation (Ward Thompson, 2010). When asked to categorise images of environments, some of the most consistent differentiation is between 'wild' and more ordered and managed landscapes (Hartig and Evans, 1993), suggesting that degree of human influence is relevant in people's responses.…”

Section: Links To Other Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

What accounts for ‘England's green and pleasant land’? A panel data analysis of mental health and land cover types in rural England

Alcock

White

Lovell

et al. 2015

Landscape and Urban Planning

114

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Exposure to green space is associated with a variety of positive health states. Research to date has focused primarily on 'generic' green space in urban areas, where green space is relatively scarce and where it is dominated by playing fields and parks. The current research adds to our understanding with an examination of relationships between different types of green space and mental health in rural areas in England (approximate rural population = 4 million). The aggregate land cover classes of Land Cover Map 2007 were linked to rural residential areas (Lower-level Super Output Areas) and then linked to rural participants (n = 2020) in the 18-year longitudinal British Household Panel Survey. Random effects regression of mental health (as measured by GHQ12 scores) against land cover enabled effects to be simultaneously estimated from both mean between-individual differences and from within-individual differences over time. The nine natural land cover classes (Broadleaved woodland; Coniferous woodland; Arable; Improved grassland; Semi-natural grassland; Mountain, heath and bog; Saltwater; Freshwater; Coastal) were not significantly associated with differences in mental health between individuals. However, significant relationships were observed between some types of land cover and within-individual change in mental health amongst individuals who relocated during the 18 annual waves of the panel.These findings indicate the presence of important health related ecosystem services from different land cover types that have not previously been investigated and which help more effective spatial planning and land use management.

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Section: Links To Other Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

What accounts for ‘England's green and pleasant land’? A panel data analysis of mental health and land cover types in rural England

Alcock

White

Lovell

et al. 2015

Landscape and Urban Planning

114

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“…Models developed by environmental psychology (Daniel 2001) have shown that the human perceptual system is a tool designed through evolution, which is concerned with both survival and adaptation to ecosystems. Many studies have shown how through history our innate biophilic tendencies have been strongly modulated by cultural influences to fit into particular ecological contexts, while generating strong feelings of identity (Falk and Balling 2010). When people were asked about the ecosystem services that they perceived as being supplied by different landscapes, their answers tended to be strongly influenced by their origin, demands, and world views.…”

Section: Usefulness Of Visual Enquiries As a Means Of Public Participmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using visual stimuli to explore the social perceptions of ecosystem services in cultural landscapes: the case of transhumance in Mediterranean Spain

López-Santiago¹,

Oteros‐Rozas²,

Martín‐López³

et al. 2014

E&S

101

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ABSTRACT. The ecosystem services approach has been proposed as a powerful tool for the analysis of coupled social-ecological systems. This approach is particularly useful for the evaluation of cultural landscapes, which represent the joint evolution of humans and nature across an extended time span. Transhumance is a customary practice of mobile pastoralism, involving the regular seasonal migration of livestock herds between summer and winter pasturelands. This practice maintains unique cultural landscapes in Mediterranean Spain, which have been shaped over many centuries of pastoral activity. Drove roads, which are used for herd migration, represent the most outstanding feature of these landscapes. We used visually based landscape interpretation to evaluate social perceptions of ecosystem services provided by the Conquense Drove Road transhumance landscape in Spain. Face-to-face questionnaires (N = 314) were given to a sample of local inhabitants, visitors, and urban inhabitants. The questionnaires contained two pairs of photographs depicting images of croplands and pine forests associated with the transhumance landscape, with one photograph in each pair containing a drove road. We compared the social perceptions of 16 ecosystem services supplied by these two landscapes. These 16 services were divided into 3 types: provisioning, such as the production of food and water; regulating, such as the control of climate and disease; and cultural, such as spiritual and recreational benefits. We also identified differences between landscapes with and without a drove road. Overall, respondents recognized the higher capacity of forests to deliver a wider range of ecosystem services to society compared with croplands. Provisioning services were mostly associated with cropland, whereas regulating services and cultural ecosystem services tended to be related to forests. All three types of ecosystem services were more perceived by respondents when a drove road was present in each landscape. However, differences in the visual perception of ecosystem services supply and preference for transhumance landscapes emerged in relation to certain socio-demographic and cultural respondent characteristics such as a previous relationship with transhumance and agriculture, rural/urban origin and identity, environmental awareness, and cultural attachment to a place. Four groups of respondents had consistent and diverging ecosystem services appreciation, revealing various potential conflicts and tradeoffs. We discuss the applicability and usefulness of the proposed approach for evaluating ecosystem services in cultural landscapes and for informing policy-making processes.

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“…HAN (2003) showed this via a study in the six principal terrestrial biomes (desert, tundra, grassland, coniferous forest, deciduous forest, and Rainforest), establishing that those with highest valuation were coniferous forests and tundras, whereas this with lowest valuation were grasslands and deserts. But this has its nuances; FALK and BALLING (2010), in a study with inhabitants of the Nigerian forest belt, showed photographs of five biomes: tropical rainforest, deciduous forest, coniferous forest, savanna, and desert. The subjects mostly chose savanna as the most desirable place to live.…”

Section: The Love Of Water and Plantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Visual Landscape: An Important and Poorly Conserved Resource

Muñoz‐Pedreros

2017

Ambient. soc.

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Landscape is the setting for human activity, and any artificial action affects its perception. The processes that generate losses of landscape are the increase in urban areas and in productive infrastructures and services; the change in use of rural land to monoculture and the increase in anthropogenic structures in the rural landscape. This has led to an increased and rapid deterioration of landscape quality with the loss of landscapes of high aesthetic value, loss of landscape wealth; loss of naturalness when replacing the native plant cover and the loss of archetypal landscapes, robbing local identity. We must advance to landscape policies that include actions such as the compilation of landscape catalogues, monitoring and restoration programmes, as well as a vigorous environmental education programme aimed at conservation and recovery of the landscape.

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Evolutionary Influence on Human Landscape Preference

Cited by 204 publications

References 40 publications

What accounts for ‘England's green and pleasant land’? A panel data analysis of mental health and land cover types in rural England

What accounts for ‘England's green and pleasant land’? A panel data analysis of mental health and land cover types in rural England

Using visual stimuli to explore the social perceptions of ecosystem services in cultural landscapes: the case of transhumance in Mediterranean Spain

The Visual Landscape: An Important and Poorly Conserved Resource

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