The Perception of the Environment

Running Head: KNOWING AND PERCEIVING THE ENVIRONMENT
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Knowing and Perceiving the Environment
Student Name
Institutional Affiliation

KNOWING AND PERCEIVING THE ENVIRONMENT
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Question 1
Part 1
As outlined by the authors, the three varying perspectives towards ecologically sustainable
forestry and community safety are nature as a hazard, as instrumentally valuable, and as
intrinsically valuable. The three aspects vary based on people’s experiences and belief systems.
Nature as hazard – often views natural phenomena as unfavorable, highlighting the negative
impacts of forces of life such as forest fires. This view does not take into consideration how
human and societal conditions impact our vulnerability to the environment. Nature as hazard
discourse is often fear-based and plays off residents’ beliefs towards surrounding natural areas.
This perspective emphasizes hazard mitigation strategies that focus on controlling the
environment, i.e., controlled burns in WUI communities rather than total fire suppression as
hazardous and potentially insuppressible (Goemans & Ballamingie, 2012).
Nature as instrumentally valuable – values nature according to how the environment benefits
society often through an economic or aesthetic framework. Often nature’s aesthetic is connected
to a sense of place and the cultural or individual identities of urban residents. Society’s all-
encompassing growth and development into natural environments can and has lead to debates
and conflict regarding the restoration of urban ecological systems. Private property rights can
take precedence over the conservation of natural urban environments and the efforts of
community hazard reduction (Goemans & Ballamingie, 2012)..
Nature is intrinsically valuable – measures the value and worth of life and natural areas over
their benefit to society and people. Often this perspective operates within a moral obligation of
the individual/society to care for and protect natural environments. The discourse allows nature
to thrive through minimal human intervention. Opposition and conflict can arise from this

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perspective when hazard reduction goes against the intrinsic value applied to natural urban
landscapes (Goemans & Ballamingie, 2012)..
Part 2
As the authors describe, there has been an evolution of thought regarding human perception of
natural hazards, which has resulted in changing views on society’s vulnerability to natural
disasters and hazards. This evolution of thought revolves around the idea/belief that more
affluent communities in North America are better able to prevent and reduce genetic risks and
the subsequent vulnerability of society that correlates. Often continued exposure to natural
hazards within natural urban areas is a result of the desire of people to live within natural
environments that are likely to experience natural disasters and hazards. As populations within
these areas continue to expand, property values increase, creating more draw to these natural
urban environments, increasing the potential risk of property damage and loss due to natural
hazards. The evaluative approach to environmental perception looks at human adjustment to the
natural environment (Goemans & Ballamingie, 2012)..
Part 3
Consideration of different perceptions towards ecologically sustainable forestry and community
safety within Kelowna and the surrounding area would be of benefit when developing different
educational approaches for people regarding fire and risk management. Consideration of these
differing perceptions would allow for a deeper understanding of people’s connection to fire and
risk management and thus would allow for more comprehensive education. Three possible ways
to educate people on ways to protect from and reduce forest fire could include information
seminars and booths at community events, a user-friendly web page that included fire prevention

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strategies and fire reporting information, as well as an interactive installation near City Park that
allowed people of all ages and demographic to learn about fire reduction as well as the natural
flora and fauna of the area (Burton et.al., 2018).
Information seminars can be a great way to educate as well as communicate with a vast number
of people. Through these information seminars, it would be possible to speak to people about
their views on fire and risk prevention and what efforts they have been using thus far. This
approach allows one to connect with people on a personal level, and the information provided
can be more in the form of a discussion. There would be an info-graphic containing information
about fire reduction methods, including removal of excess yard waste, underbrush, and
controlled burning. The information seminar/booth could also provide resources for distribution
regarding Kelowna’s natural environment and varying perspectives on risk reduction (Wallach,
2015).
A web-page is a great way to allow people to access information from the comfort and safety of
their homes and removes the possible conflict that may arise from differing perspectives. The
website would include both internal and external resources that look at differing views on fire
and risk reduction. The site could also include links to other pages that speak to fire reduction.
This would give people an assemblage of information, experiences, and first-hand ideas that
could assist in educating regardless of personal views towards ecologically sustainable forest and
social safety. The site would have an area for people’s opinions, which allows them to be felt
heard and could initiate the discussion about the varying outlooks of fire avoidance in town
places (Mayzner, Shaw and Bransford, 2017).

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The interactive installation within the same space, such as City Park, would appeal to a more
significant population of people. It would potentially be a better way to learn about fire and risk
reduction as well as the surrounding place. The installation could provide some history of
Kelowna and the Okanagan through the use of photos, products, and modern media. In addition
is data about the ecology, climate, flora, and fauna of Kelowna and the surrounding region. The
installation would intend to allow people, especially young people, to become engaged in fire
reduction in a fun and educational manner. The facility could contain games, competitions,
prizes, as well as methodologies, own forest fires, and the area. Again the facility would allow
for personal connection and conversation and hopefully engage a wide range of people Goemans
& Ballamingie, 2012)..
Question 2
Mental maps and images are formed as a result of individual perception and cognition. These
mental images can significantly impact society, mainly when dealing with geographic areas and
the environment. Due to how humans process, store, and interpret psychological information,
images are a selectively reconstructed interpretation of the natural world. Because no two people
understand or perceive the world in identical ways or through identical lenses, mental photos
can't be without bias. These biases can significantly impact others when speaking of land use
and decision making; the perceptions of few can and do have an impact on many (Brennan-
Horley, 2010).
Land use is a factor that affects all humans and the environment. The way we as individuals and
community use and misuse land and the situation has side-effects and consequences that could be
felt for millennia. The fact is, large-scale land-use decision making often falls to the views and

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ideas of those with higher status representing the minority population of the world. Decision on
the world land use was, to a large extent, decided in the post-war period. Fordism and
Industrialization became the model for social, economic growth; extensive social order and
production as a means to advance the capitalist agenda. Massive factories were built that pumped
out mass quantities of pollutants into the air, land, and water. The capitalist machine employed
millions. An unskilled labor force is filling the market with standardized, cheaper and affordable
products. These workers were given decent wages that were sufficient to buy the manufactured
products. However, the elite group and the owners of the factory grew in both influence and
wealth. The few individuals in power made decisions that can be argued and proven as affecting
the climatic patterns and the community views and interaction with nature in general (Goemans
& Ballamingie, 2012)..
The pollution in the Great Lakes, global warming, water contamination, mine tailings, acid rains
– urban sprawl, core-periphery neighborhoods, segregation, and reaffirmation can all be linked to
mechanization and urban growth. These effects of industrialization are perceived differently
worldwide and as an unfortunate result of that which was necessary, fake news, or as inspiration.
How people see and interpret urban, or community’s environmental degradation and growth
reflect the mental images that they have created about the surrounding world. People’s
connection to land, sense of place, and their appreciation of the non-urban/urban areas are
influenced how some individuals, moreso those in power, perceive and decipher the real world
(Arya & Patel, 2013).
Our neighborhoods, green spaces, worship places, communal areas, shopping places are made
by regional, federal planners. Whether an individual looks at large-scale land use or smaller-
scale grassroots use, those individuals in charge of decision-making are of great influence and

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impact to the society. in turn , our economic views, ideologies, culture, morols, belief systems
collective identities and values are affected by the biases and perceptions of those people in
power. Each of these factors influences why and how we use our land (Goemans & Ballamingie,
2012)..
Using the “nature as hazard” perspective, obvious weights and risks of people’s actions can be
drawn upon. When people understand the gravity of their potential actions as a general mindset,
people will be more conscientious of the preservation of the environment and develop a greater
degree of respect for nature, regardless of policy strictness within a community. A definite
approach towards addressing this perspective is by simply presenting facts for people to see.
Pictures, references, and numbers that show the damage that disasters can cause will be able to
bring about reactions and responses that allow for change. Through ads, course teaching, and
awareness through social media, people can know the dangers of damaging nature. As the
results of educating people are never instantaneous, shaping the general outlook of people’s
reactions will create proper change (Paccagnan, 2017).
The “nature as instrumentally valuable” perspective counteracts the negativity of the potential
risks by outlining reward. When people understand the benefits that they can draw upon the
preservation of forests and natural beauty, they understand the need to preserve their
surroundings. People, with proper understanding of this perspective, will be more motivated to
manage actions towards ensuring that nature thrives. Through the aspects of economics, people
can view job opportunities and emphases on tourism as a measure to be actively involved with
nature. When natural beauty as a commodity can be used to generate income, people would be
able to further value environmentally friendly practices (Goemans & Ballamingie, 2012)..

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The “nature as intrinsically valuable” perspective properly defines the encompassing ideas of
forest preservation through ethics and morals. As people learn to establish their own sense of
duty in caring for the environment, they will develop their own “common sense” which creates
their own set of policies and moral codes that they will follow.
Question 3

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Greater Victoria
The Okanagan
Valley
The Kootenays
The Sunshine
Coast/Sechelt
Greater Vancouver
The rest of
Vancouver Island
Kamloops/
Thompson
The Central
Interior
The Fraser Valley
The Peace River
District
The Northwest
The North
Pasca
l 3 2 4 8 1 7 5 6 12 11 10 9
Shanelle
3 4 1 6 2 5 7 9 8 10 11 12
Evelyn
11 1 4 9 6 10 2 3 5 7 8 12
Ryan
3 5 6 2 1 4 7 8 9 12 11 10
Leah
4 3 6 2 1 5 7 8 9 10 11 12
Caro
3 5 6 2 1 4 7 9 8 10 11 12
Leslie
2 5 6 4 1 3 7 8 9 10 11 12
Marle
y
3 1 2 7 10 5 6 4 8 11 9 12
Megan
3 2 1 5 12 6 7 4 10 9 11 8
Tracy
3 11 9 1 12 2 4 10 5 6 8 7
Total 38 39 45 46 47 51 59 69 83 96 101 106

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The Okanagan Valley
Greater Vancouver
Greater Victoria
The rest of
Vancouver Island
Kamloops/Thompson
The Kootenays
The Central Interior
The Sunshine
Coast/Sechelt
Peninsula
The Fraser Valley
The Northwest
The North
The Peace River
District
Pasca
l 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 1 2 2 1 1
Shanelle
3 3 3 2 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 1
Evelyn
3 2 2 2 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1
Megan
3 2 3 3 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2
Ryan
3 3 3 3 2 1 2 3 1 1 1 1
Leah
2 3 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1
Caro
2 3 2 3 1 1 2 3 1 1 1 1
Leslie
2 3 3 3 2 2 1 3 1 1 1 1
Marle
y
3 2 2 1 2 3 2 1 1 1 1 1
Trac
y 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 1 1
Total 27 26 25 25 23 22 21 20 16 12 11 11
Part A

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The four areas that were identified as the most desirable to live are Greater Victoria, the
Okanagan, the Kootenays, and the Sunshine Coast/Sechelt Peninsula. Each of these four regions
has particular traits in stock, including moderate climates, proximity to water, natural beauty, and
prime growing conditions. The four areas can be divided into vernacular regions based on the
perceptions of their communities and the lifestyle people find appealing. Each of the areas offers
areas with moderately sized cities and towns without the great hustle and bustle of big cities.
They are each beautiful in their own right, which connects a sense of place to each of the four
regions. Many of the people I interviewed are close in age and are in similar positions in their
lives. The four areas still offer affordable housing, and it is more of a reality to own a home in
these areas than in Greater Vancouver or other large cities within Canada ("Climate Change",
2020).
There are definite similarities between “The View from California” and the data that I analyzed.
People prefer to live in areas with moderate climates, where land use is both agricultural and
residential. In areas such as these, economic development increases as people migrate from both
urban and rural areas. I think urban areas within BC are desirable to people, especially those
with a proximity to nature (Kountouris & Remoundou, 2016). . Unfortunately, many of the
larger metropolitan areas within BC, particularly the Greater Vancouver area, are financially out
of reach for most people young families at large. This then causes people to migrate to smaller
urban areas with similar climates and land use leading to economic growth and development. I
think many people share these views, which is why we see increased growth and migration to
areas such as the Okanagan, Kootenays, Sunshine Coast, and Vancouver Island (Kahn & Bajari,
2011).

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Part B
No, the pattern of preferences my interviewees showed did not surprise me because I
interviewed my friends and I had a relatively good idea of their choices before I began the
interview. Also, as mentioned above, most of my friends are likeminded and in similar places
in life. They are planning to buy homes within the next few years and start families. Unluckily,
the cost of living in Vancouver makes those goals nearly unreachable. My preferences would
be almost near to the information that I collected. I have a desire to live in a smaller community
with a significant agricultural presence, as that was how I grew up (Gould & White, 2012).
Part C
No, there is no relationship between the preferred regions and familiarity of areas. The preferred
areas are those that many of the respondents are familiar with. Many of the people interviewed
have traveled or lived in parts of BC, which makes them familiar with the areas. The areas
which are least desirable areas to live in are some of the regions the respondents know the least
about. However, the reason those areas are undesirable is based on climate, proximity to large
urban areas, and personal taste/interests (Kahn & Bajari, 2011).

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References
Arya, A., & Patel, V. (2013). Impact of global warming and climate change on human and plant
health (2nd ed., pp. 23-34). New York.
Brennan-Horley, C. (2010). Mental mapping the ‘creative city’. Journal Of Maps, 6(1), 250-259.
doi: 10.4113/jom.2010.1082
Climate Change. (2020). Retrieved 10 March 2020, from
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/climate-change/
Goemans, M., & Ballamingie, P. (2012). Forest as hazard, forest as victim: Community
perspectives and disaster mitigation in the aftermath of Kelowna's 2003 wildfires. The
Canadian Geographer / Le Géographe Canadien, 57(1), 56-71. doi: 10.1111/j.1541-
0064.2012.00447.x
Gould, P., & White, R. (2012). Mental Maps. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.
Kahn, M., & Bajari, P. (2011). Why Do Blacks Live in the Cities and Whites Live in the
Suburbs?. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.263049
Kountouris, Y., & Remoundou, K. (2016). Cultural Influence on Preferences and Attitudes for
Environmental Quality. Kyklos, 69(2), 369-397. doi: 10.1111/kykl.12114
Mayzner, M., Shaw, R., & Bransford, J. (2017). Perceiving, Acting, and Knowing: Toward an
Ecological Psychology. The American Journal Of Psychology, 91(1), 155. doi:
10.2307/1421838

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Paccagnan, V. (2017). On Combining Stated Preferences and Revealed Preferences Approaches
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Wallach, H. (2015). Perceiving a Stable Environment. Scientific American, 252(5), 118-124. doi:
10.1038/scientificamerican0585-118