People, Places, Protected Areas and Tourism: Place Attachment in Rossport, Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Place attachment is spatially and temporally anchored in the local context, affecting how residents perceive proposed development strategies. As such, we examine, through the analysis of 18 interviews conducted with residents from Rossport, Ontario, Canada, how place attachment and historical antecedents (or lack thereof) have influenced the acceptance of, or opposition to, conservation and tourism strategies in and near the village of Rossport, Ontario. The analysis of the interviews suggests that some of the resistance and scepticism towards conservation and tourism initiatives by long-term residents is rooted in historical approaches to regional development strategies, while a lack of awareness of historical events prevents newer residents, who often supported these initiatives, from understanding the legacy of these proposals in the community. Moreover, analysis indicates that sharing the stories of the community and place attachment through video interviews provides an opportunity to promote social cohesion and a place attachment between long-term residents and more recent amenity migrants.