Assessing ecological conditions for landscape management: a comparative analysis of field measurements and perceptions

Abstract

Assessments of ecosystem condition are fundamental to landscape management, and there are several sources of evidence practitioners may use. Perceptions of individuals is one of those sources, and understudied. This study quantitatively compares ecological field measurements and the perceptions of a group of key individuals. Findings reveal that perceptions did not statistically differ from the ecological assessment for elements of ecosystem composition (e.g. vegetation diversity and invasive species). However, differences were found for all other elements (e.g. ecosystem function, structure, and overall condition), such that the individuals tended to have lower ratings of ecosystem condition than ecological assessments. The findings highlight the importance of comparing different approaches for reciprocal verification of data and to identify opportunities to integrate evidence, thereby providing a more detailed picture of ecosystem condition.

Keywords:

• Environmental assessment
• ecological integrity
• perception-based assessment
• Niagara Glen Nature Reserve

Acknowledgement

We would like to acknowledge the contributions of the Niagara Parks Commission.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Canada Graduate Scholarships Program. This work was also made possible through the Excellence in Environmental Stewardship Initiative, a partnership between the Niagara Parks Commission and Brock University.

Notes on contributors

Angela Mallette

Angela Mallette is a researcher and Ph.D. candidate at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Her research interests include coastal climate change adaptation, public opinion and perceptions, and sustainability/environmental education.

Ryan Plummer

Ryan Plummer is a Professor and Director of the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre (ESRC) at Brock University. His multi-faceted program of research broadly concerns resilience, governance of social-ecological systems, and environmental stewardship.

Julia Baird

Julia Baird is a Canada Research Chair in Human Dimensions of Water Resources and Water Resilience and an Associate Professor in the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre and the Department of Geography and Tourism Studies at Brock University. Her research interests and expertise include the structure, function and outcomes of water governance networks, individual perceptions and understanding of water resource systems, and social factors that enhance water stewardship and engagement.