Influence of Logos on Social Attitudes toward the Landscape of Protected Areas: The Case of National and Natural Parks in Spain

Andrés Caballero-Calvo,José Luis Serrano-Montes

doi:10.3390/land9040106

Abstract

This study is the first analysis of the influence of the design of the logos of the National and Natural Parks of Spain on social attitudes toward these protected areas (PAs). The effect of certain elements in the logo of a PA on its attractiveness and on support for its conservation was explored through a questionnaire survey of groups of university students. The respondents were asked to choose between different park logos, using three main criteria: tourist interest, conservation priority, and willingness to pay for conservation. The results showed a higher preference for PAs whose logos include animals and a lower preference for those with heritage elements. No significant differences were found in terms of types of university programs. The results suggest that greater attention should be paid to the role of iconographic elements in considerations of the protection and management of landscapes. This study adds to our understanding of the social mechanisms that influence the interest of the public in Natural and National Parks. These results can be used to increase the involvement of the general population in conservation goals, contributing to the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of PAs.

Highlights

In recent decades, international treaties, such as the European Landscape Convention (ELC) [1]and the Latin American Landscape Initiative (LALI) [2], have foregrounded the incorporation of public participation in landscape protection, management, and planning
We hypothesized that the use of different elements in the design of logos of Protected Areas (PAs) could have an impact on the social imagery of these landscapes, which, in turn, could lead to different degrees of tourist interest, conservation priorities, and willingness to pay for their conservation
Among the logos of National and Natural Parks chosen for this study, we distinguished five large groups according to the elements they contained: (1) landforms, (2) fauna, (3) flora, (4) cultural heritage and (5) other elements (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

International treaties, such as the European Landscape Convention (ELC) [1]and the Latin American Landscape Initiative (LALI) [2], have foregrounded the incorporation of public participation in landscape protection, management, and planning. Research on perceptions of and preferences for different landscapes, as a basis for the definition of “landscape quality objectives” [1], provides an optimal framework for the investigation of citizen participation mechanisms. The logos of Protected Areas (PAs) contribute to the creation of a collective landscape imagery, which has received little attention in the existing literature. Considering only the logos of the protected areas shown below, indicate in which order you would visit them (write the sequence order). From their logos, which of the following protected areas do you think deserves greater conservation. If you were choosing to give money to the financing of these protected areas, in what order would you choose to contribute to them (write the sequence order)?

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Conclusion