Ryan, R.L., 2000, people-centred approach to designing and managing restoration projects: insights from understanding attachment to urban natural areas, in: Gobster, P.H. & R. B. Hull, ‘Restoring nature’, Island Press, Washington
- Author : Ryan, R.L.
- Year : 2000
- Published in Book : Restoring nature
- Pages : 209-228
- Abstract in English : Urban natural areas are precious resources. As illustrated by the Chicago Wilderness project, many urban natural areas are treasure troves of biodiversity. Substantial research has found that the presence of nature holds a strong appeal of urban dwellers. In the natural environment, people can find a connection with something that is both large and more timeless than themselves; nature can provide spiritual sustenance for their souls, physical relief for their bodies, and psychological restoration for their minds. And when people are drawn to natural areas and experience them, they may develop an attachment to these places. The attachment that people have to urban natural areas can be a powerful force for resorting nature within the city. It is important for designers and managers to understand and respect the landscapes to which people have an attachment before undertaking ecological restoration projects. Such projects can rastically alter the existing landscape and destroy the very qualities of places that many natural area users may love, leading to public outrage over restoration efforts. Thus, an underlying theme in our design and planning recommendations is the need to involve the public in planning restoration projects. People view natural areas through lenses of different experience, resulting in attachments to different qualities of these places. To avoid the conflicts that can occur because of different viewpoints, restoration must occur in a manner that is also culturally sustainable, that is to say in a manner that people appreciate and understand
- Comments/Notes : KEYWORDS: urban forestry, nature conservation, participation, place attachment.