EanesetalWisconsinBioregions

Effects of Scale and the Biophysical Environment on Sense of Place in Northeastern Wisconsin’s Bioregions

Authors and Affiliations:

  • Francis Eanes
    Environmental Studies Program, Bates College, Lewiston, ME, United States

  • Patrick Robinson
    Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin–Madison Cooperative Extension, WI, United States

  • Janet Silbernagel
    Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin–Madison, WI, United States

Abstract:

  • Objective: Understanding how individuals and groups feel about places (their "sense of place") is crucial for seeing how they interact with nature and man-made surroundings.

  • Study Focus: This study looks at how people from coastal communities in northeastern Wisconsin, who work on protecting watersheds, feel about their large-scale environment and its natural features.

  • Methodology: 22 detailed interviews were done with people involved in improving water quality and conservation.

  • Findings: Natural features of the landscape, especially water, create meaningful social and sensory experiences that shape how people feel about places, no matter the size of the area.

Keywords:

  • sense of place, scale, landscape characteristics, bioregionalism

Introduction

  • Context: Over the last 15 years, there’s been a rapid increase in studies about how people connect with places, involving fields like:

    • Environmental psychology

    • Human ecology

    • Human geography

    • Leisure studies

    • Anthropology

    • Urban studies

    • Rural, community, and environmental sociology

  • Importance of Sense of Place:

    • It means the "emotional connections people have with specific locations" (Hidalgo & Hernandez, 2001).

    • Research on sense of place helps us understand why people act to protect the environment, manage local resources, plan landscapes with community input, and develop environmental education programs (Gosling & Williams, 2010).

  • Gap in Research:

    • Little research has focused on:

    • How people feel about places on a large scale.

    • How natural environments influence this social sense of place.

    • Ardoin (2014) pointed out that we still don't fully understand the link between environmental problems and sense of place.

  • Study Overview:

    • This study explores how sense of place works among communities involved in watershed conservation in three natural regions of northeastern Wisconsin.

    • It aims to improve the theory of sense of place and guide future research.

Background on Place Dynamics

Definitions of Place

  • Cresswell (2004): Says "place" is a common but complex word:

    • "Place is everywhere. This is what makes it different from other terms in geography…"

  • Tuan (1977): Explains place in relation to space:

    • "If we think of space as what allows movement, then place is a stop… places… are the kinds of things we develop emotional ties to."

  • Massey (1994): Sees place as moments in social interactions, often debated and having many meanings.

  • Critical Realism Perspective: This view acknowledges both how society and nature interact, and the physical reality of a place.

Sense of Place

  • Conceptual Confusion:

    • The meaning of "sense of place" can be confusing.