Koun Sugimoto

Effects of childhood experience with nature on tolerance of urban residents toward hornets and wild boars in Japan

Urban biodiversity conservation often aims to promote the quality of life for urban residents by providing ecosystem services as well as habitats for diverse wildlife. However, biodiversity inevitably brings some disadvantages, including problems and nuisances caused by wildlife. Although some studies have reported that enhancement of nature interaction among urban children promotes their affective attitude toward of favorable animals, its effect on tolerance toward problem-causing wildlife is unknown. In this study, we assessed the tolerance of 1,030 urban residents in Japan toward hornets and wild boar, and analyzed the effects of childhood experience with nature on tolerance using a structural equation model. The model used sociodemographic factors and childhood nature experience as explanatory variables, affective attitude toward these animals as a mediator, and tolerance as a response variable. The public tolerance toward hornets and boars was low; over 60% of the respondents would request the removal of hornets and wild boar from nearby green spaces by government services, even when the animals had not caused any damage. Tolerance was lower in females and elderly respondents. Childhood experience with nature had a greater influence on tolerance than did sociodemographic factors in the scenario where animals have not caused any problems; however, its effect was only indirect via promoting positive affective attitude toward wildlife when the animals have caused problems. Our results suggest that increasing people’s direct experience with nature is important to raise public tolerance, but its effect is limited to cases where wildlife does not cause any problems. To obtain wider support for conservation in urban areas, conservationists, working together with municipal officials, educators and the media, should provide relevant information on the ecological functions performed by problem-causing wildlife and strategies for avoiding the problems that wildlife can cause.

Use of GIS-based analysis to explore the characteristics of preferred viewing spots indicated by the visual interest of visitors

Abstract Visual resources are important for constructing attractive outdoor recreational spaces and for attracting potential tourists. Therefore, visual resources need to be assessed as part of planning and management, in order to maintain or improve the quality of such recreational spaces. Most studies have focused mainly on identifying the scenes or visual objects preferred by visitors; comparatively little attention has been given to identifying locations from which visitors choose to view or photograph attractive scenes while sightseeing. In this study, we present a GIS-based visual-resource-assessment method using spatial location and orientation data from photographs taken by participants. Using these photographs, the characteristics of the viewing spots preferred by participants are evaluated based on visual interest. The results enable identification of preferred viewing spots and description of their spatial characteristics. By comparing different viewing spots, a hierarchy of spot attractiveness is constructed.