Associating sense of place and nature relatedness in the British Columbia Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region: a case study

Abstract

ABSTRACT This case study is part of a project examining the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region – a UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. We aimed to understand the extent to which individuals in six communities experience psychological variables linked to pro-social and pro-environmental outcomes, such as sense of place – comprised of place attachment, place identity, and place dependence – and nature-relatedness. We also explored how these attitudes relate to residents’ perceived views of, and walkable access to, nature. Overall, sense of place was neutral; nature relatedness and perceptions of views and access to nature were significantly stronger than sense of place. Although these two variables, as well as sense of place and perceptions of views and walkable access to nature correlated in the region on aggregate, significant associations were not revealed per community. Over 60% of responses to an open-ended item about physical features that contribute to sense of place concerned the natural environment – rather than social or built amenities. Municipal planners may capitalize on restorative effects that arise when community members form connections with nature, and concentrate funding or public engagement on trails, parks, and other natural features to bolster sense of place in coastal and mountainous communities.