Staats, H., B. Gatersleben & T. Hartig, 1997, Change in mood as a function of environmental design: arousal and pleasure on assimilated forest hike, in: Journal of Environmental Psychology, 17,
- Author : Staats, H., B. Gatersleben & T. Hartig
- Year : 1997
- Journal/Series : Journal of Environmental Psychology
- Volume Number (CONSECUTIVE: Counting all Volumes of this Journal ever published) : 17
- Pages : 283-300
- Abstract in English : Withdrawal of land from agricultural production is creating possibilities for reafforestation is several areas of Europe. Reafforestation can serve recreational as well ecological goals. This article considers the effects of two ecological significant forest design characteristics, accessibility and vegetation density, on mood. Both of these variables have implications for ecological design alternatives as well as for recreational quality. A lack of orientation reduces pleasure and lower density of vegetation give rise to more pleasure. The outcome may relevant to recreational planning. The findings do not imply that all areas of newly reforested areas should be made highly accessible or less dense. Rather, those responsible for reafforestation efforts and forest management generally might instead consider the implications of the findings when planning to maintain or vary density and accessibility levels as means of promoting different forest values (e.g. ecological, recreational, resource). They might also think about ranking areas according to their potential for promoting different combinations of forest values, and about the levels of characteristics such as accessibility and density that might be appropriate for differently ranked areas. For example, some relatively small areas near cities may not be well-suited for ecological diversity maintenance plans, but they serve well to relieve recreational demands on places with special ecological values. They may also serve large ecological restoration goals by serving as an educational resource. In such places matters of what visitors find aesthetical pleasing might be given greater weight
- Comments/Notes : KEYWORDS: environmental psychology, environmental design, reafforestation, accessibility, vegetation density, recreation, urban forestry, arousal. UTILITY: lecturers/teachers, academic research, students of universities of professional education.