Public Perceptions of Outstanding Natural Landscapes in the Auckland Region

Fairweather, J. R. & Swaffield, S. R.

Lincoln University

2004

Lincoln University

www.lincoln.ac.nz/aeru

There are many planning and policy decisions relating to land management that require some level of input from the public. One such area is public perception of the natural character of the landscape. This research reports on how members of the public and some key informants defined outstanding natural landscapes in the Auckland region. A total of 219 respondents completed 229 responses to photographs presented in sets of 30 for coastal, estuary and harbour, lowland, and hills landscapes, plus a combined set with examples from all four types of landscape.

Results show that there are, in general, two distinctive ways in which the public evaluates the qualities of natural landscapes in the Auckland Region. The first and predominant way in which respondents characterised outstanding natural landscapes was in terms of ‘wild nature’. This values natural landscape most highly when there is no evidence of human presence, modification or management. The landscapes that are selected as ‘truly outstanding’ are those which are closest to the pristine environments in the land types under consideration. The second way also values many pristine environments, but in addition evaluates some types of modified environment as being outstanding natural landscapes. This represents a ‘cultured nature’ position in which the presence of humans undertaking recreational activity, or some forms of low intensity production within a landscape, is considered to be consistent with it being an outstanding natural landscape.

The main indicator is that landscapes which include a picturesque mix of bush and extensive pastoral agriculture on hills and lowlands are highly valued, whilst relatively unmodified salt marsh and wetland are less highly valued (as being unattractive and somewhat inaccessible). Hence for the ‘cultured nature’ evaluation, not all pristine environments are recognised as having potential to be an outstanding natural landscape, whilst some partially modified landscapes are regarded as outstanding.

These two ways of perceiving landscapes are described in the report as ‘factors’ due to the method by which they were derived. The two factors are broadly consistent across the different landscapes in the region and account for a very large proportion of the responses. In the case of hill country landscapes, the evaluation is slightly more complex. Respondents also identified the photographs that portrayed landscapes considered to be ‘truly outstanding’ in each type of landscape studied (coastal, estuary and harbour, lowland, and hills landscapes). When these photographs are examined, an overall pattern of public response can be identified, with a reasonably high degree of consensus about the characteristics of landscapes that warrant the designation of being ‘outstanding natural landscapes’. They include pristine and relatively unmodified coastal environments, estuaries and harbours; unmodified wetlands with standing water; lowland bush; and picturesque or open hill country that includes a significant proportion of bush or bush remnants, with minimal presence of human artefacts or buildings.

Keywords:

Natural resources, Tourism management, Tourism, Environment, Auckland

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July 13, 2012