Survey results showing the importance of nature for the economy, culture, and society, and its inherent value to people. Each green dot in the triangle represents a response. Many respondents placed importance on the inherent value of nature. The closer the response is to a corner, the stronger the statement is for the respondent. Values and perceptions can help in the design of  networks of natural and semi-natural areas to conserve biodiversity and support nature’s contributions to people.
(Creative modification of the original source by Ralph Sonderegger.)

By Marina Cracco, Gretchen Walters, and Romain Loup.

Read the full paper here.

Nature provides humans with many material resources (for example, wood and medicinal plants), regulatory services (for example, water and air filtration and modification of humidity and temperature), and non-material elements (for example, inspiration, a place to relax or practise sports). People vary in terms of how they value nature and what nature provides or contributes to them. Our study aimed to render those perceptions evident. Appealing to people’s perceptions is important for the design and establishment of a network of natural and semi-natural areas that conserve and maintain biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people.

We used a questionnaire to collect perceptions, through people’s short stories and experiences, about nature and related questions. We found that residents in the four regions we surveyed most valued nature for its capacity to provide clean air and filter water. They also perceived that areas where law and policy prioritize nature (for example, protected zones, parks) provide more contributions to people than other areas. Additionally, we observed that people in the studied regions perceive nature’s value in and of itself (intrinsic or inherent) as just as important or, for some, even more important than nature’s importance for the economy or culture. Finally, we learned that people living inside or outside parks differ in their perceptions of the state of nature and its contributions to people. Previous research shows that people tend to follow their beliefs and perceptions more than they do facts. Thus, by taking into consideration residents’ values and perceptions of nature and nature’s contributions to people, policymakers and society in general can improve park management and adapt relevant nature conservation policies.