WHOSE PUGET SOUND?: EXAMINING PLACE ATTACHMENT, RESIDENCY, AND STEWARDSHIP IN THE PUGET SOUND REGION

Abstract

abstract Place attachment is recognized as integral to addressing place-based challenges, such as environmental degradation. In combination with place identity and place meaning, place attachment can contribute to one’s engagement in environmental stewardship behaviors. Building upon ongoing efforts to monitor the health and recovery of Washington’s Puget Sound, a region experiencing profound population growth, the authors examine the relationships among place attachment, residency, and environmental stewardship. Based on data from over 2,000 responses to a general population survey, the authors highlight the current status of place attachment among Puget Sound residents and the extent to which residency matters to their stated attachment to place and environmental stewardship behaviors. This examination challenges often touted negative perceptions of the region’s newcomers and concludes that residents, new and old, share a strong positive place attachment and sense of proenvironmental stewardship.