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Wilderness perception scaling in New Zealand: an analysis of wilderness perceptions held by users, nonusers and international visitors Research Completed

Title

Wilderness perception scaling in New Zealand: an analysis of wilderness perceptions held by users, nonusers and international visitors

Lead Author

Higham, J. E. S., Kearsley, G. W. & Kliskey, A. D.

Organisation(s)

US Forest Service

Publication Year

2000

Publisher

US Forest Service

Contacts

Further information is available on the US Forest Service website and publications page.

Department of Conservation publications also cover NZ Wilderness

This paper is part of a larger US Forest Service document available here.

Abstract

Wilderness is a concept that has both a physical and a perceptual meaning. Wilderness images have been collected by a number of researchers in recent years in an attempt to understand precisely what wilderness users consider wilderness to be. This paper sets out to analyze the original works of three researchers, studying three distinct sample populations so that wilderness perception comparisons can be made. The results of this research show striking similarities and differences of perception, between different study samples. They show that many people have a common perception of wilderness, but that they may also hold quite different images of wilderness. Some of the implications of this for management are briefly discussed.

Keywords:

Wilderness, Outdoors, Natural Resources, New Zealand

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