Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/31509
Title: For the Love of Nature: Exploring the Importance of Species Diversity and Micro-Variables Associated with Favorite Outdoor Places
Contributor(s): Schebella, Morgan F (author); Weber, Delene (author); Lindsey, Kiera  (author)orcid ; Daniels, Christopher B (author)
Publication Date: 2017-12-01
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02094
Handle Link: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/31509
Abstract: 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 Schebella et al. For the Love of Nature 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.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Source of Publication: Frontiers in Psychology, v.8, p. 1-21
Publisher: Frontiers Research Foundation
Place of Publication: Switzerland
ISSN: 1664-1078
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020: 470103 Environmental communication
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020: 280111 Expanding knowledge in the environmental sciences
Peer Reviewed: Yes
HERDC Category Description: C1 Refereed Article in a Scholarly Journal
Appears in Collections:Journal Article
School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

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