Connectedness to nature: Mapping the role of protected areas

Factors that determine the connectedness with nature in rural and urban contexts

Connectedness with nature is considered a key element for the future of conservation. There are both internal and external factors that determine the levels of connectedness with nature. Among these factors are gender, age, knowledge about the environment and place of residence. In the latter case, there may be differences in how urban and rural dwellers perceive nature, based on their experiences and contact with it. The main objective of this research is to evaluate and establish the factors that influence and determine the levels of connection with nature, examining how these factors relate and interact with each other, taking the urban and rural context as starting point. The ABC-CNS scale, which addresses the affective, behavioural and cognitive aspects of the connection with nature, was applied via online questionnaire to a sample of university students from two countries, Spain (496 students) and Ecuador (872 students), who were also clustered according to career, age, gender, and place of residence. The results obtained through four General Linear Mixed Models (ABC-CNS and its dimensions as response variables) and LSD test, demonstrated that the ABC-CNS scale presented significant differences for all the variables analyzed (place of residence, gender, age, and career), also demonstrating which levels influence and interact in higher ABC-CNS values. Finally, the study concludes that the analyzed factors contribute to the development of the connection with nature. In the case of place of residence, attention should be given to the specific settings of the environments under study.

Effects of connection to nature on residents' perceptions of conservation policy justice of Natura 2000

We examined the effects of human connection to nature on residents' concerns about justice in conservation policies of Natura 2000. Expansion of Natura 2000 conservation network has resulted in local communities having to consider Natura 2000 in their development plans, and justice concerns have been strong in some communities near Natura 2000 sites. We conceptualized Natura 2000 justice within a framework composed of 3 domains of conservation justice: distribution, recognition, and representation. To examine the effect of nature connection on perceived justice of Natura 2000, we conducted a door-to-door survey of rural resident (80.09% response rate) in 3 municipalities of Pomerania in Poland. The effect of connection to nature on perceived distribution of Natura 2000 benefits was positive (b = 0.187, t = 7.057, p < 0.001); perceived communication about Natura 2000 was positive (b = 0.089, t = 2.940 p < 0.01); perception of limitations was positive (b = 0.078, t = 2.416, p < 0.01); perceived recognition was positive (b = 0.117, t = 3.367, p < 0.001); and perceived representation was positive (b = 0.123, t = 5.015, p < 0.001). Our results suggest local residents' bonds with nature matter and they should be considered when new conservation approaches, such as Natura 2000, are introduced.