Urban Arboretum Associated with Variety of User Values

In highly developed urban areas, undisturbed natural landscapes take on heightened ecological, aesthetic, and emotional value. Nearby residents visit urban parks and open spaces to view wildlife, participate in sports and recreation, socialize with friends and family, or enjoy a tranquil respite from a hectic urban lifestyle. These diverse experiences shape the meanings that users assign to a natural landscape, and contribute to each user's unique sense of “place-based” attachment.

A growing body of literature has investigated these meaning-attachment combinations, collectively termed “sense of place,” in an effort to better understand how individuals perceive and value places such as natural areas that figure prominently in their lives. The authors of this study conducted a qualitative evaluation of sense of place among users of an urban arboretum in Madison, Wisconsin. The study focused on local members of a conservation advocacy group associated with the arboretum. Sixteen members of this group participated in phone interviews with researchers, in which they responded to questions focused on their use of the arboretum, feelings about arboretum management decisions, and perceptions of the arboretum's impact on their community and personal property.

Interview responses suggested that users in this group associate the arboretum with four main meanings or values: natural values, such as the chance to view native flora and fauna; recreational opportunities, such as running, hiking, and boating; spiritual benefit derived from peace and tranquility in the natural environment; and societal implications, including community advocacy work, land management policies, and impacts on neighborhood quality and property values. Many of these values included a social element--for example, interviewees mentioned observing wildlife with family or running with a group. The four value types occurred simultaneously in a single individual or even in a single activity, as in the case of one user viewing arboretum wildlife while jogging through the arboretum.

Although most users saw the arboretum as a community asset, several mentioned management problems. For example, interviewees living on the arboretum's borders complained of deer and unwanted plants invading their property. This view contrasted with the positive value that most interviewees, including some of the same individuals who complained about plant and animal invasions, placed on the opportunity to view flora and fauna in their natural environment. Other interviewees mentioned that certain management policies, such as a “no dogs” policy, negatively impacted their recreational enjoyment. Many also expressed concern about how local development projects would affect the arboretum's ecological health and natural aesthetic.

Despite the small sample size, these results demonstrate the diversity and complexity of meanings that different individuals may associate with a single place. Although the results of this study should not be considered statistically representative of the general population of arboretum users, they could nonetheless help guide policy and advocacy. The study authors suggest that managers use the results of “sense of place” research to hone in on problems, such as animal and plant invasions, and engage users in constructive solutions. Similarly, advocates and policymakers might tap into arboretum users' sense of place when conducting public outreach efforts. Emphasizing common meanings that form the basis for attachment to the arboretum--such as its natural aesthetic, opportunities for socialization and recreation, and positive impact on local property values--could enhance the power of appeals for funding and improve the effectiveness of campaigns aimed at raising public awareness of the arboretum's importance to the community.