Effects of sense of place on responses to environmental impacts
1998; Elsevier BV; Volume: 18; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/s0143-6228(98)00002-2
ISSN1873-7730
Autores Tópico(s)Urban Green Space and Health
ResumoRapid changes are occurring in the natural and socio-cultural environments of the polar regions. A multitude of place-related values and meanings are affected by the current resource exploitation and human development of the Arctic. This poses challenges for management as well as research, particularly in the field of environmental impact assessment. The study explores the concept of sense of place among residents of the Svalbard (Spitsbergen) archipelago in the Norwegian high Arctic. Effects of sense of place on perceptions of wilderness, environmental conditions and reactions to potential environmental impacts are analysed to examine whether sense of place can be a useful construct in environmental impact assessments. A typology of Svalbard residents based on the strength of their sense of place was developed. Few differences were found in perception of environmental conditions among these segments, but sense of place discriminates among types of reactions to environmental impacts. Sense of place is treated as a broad, integrated concept which may be useful for tapping comprehensive views of the environment. Environmental impact assessments often do not capture a sufficient breadth of place meanings. Empirical measures of sense of place could contribute to improved assessments as indicators of salient symbolic and emotional meanings of place.
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