Contested beliefs about land-use are associated with divergent representations of a rural landscape as place

Rural land use change is frequently characterised by conflicting beliefs about the likely social, economic or environmental consequences of a new or unfamiliar land use. How a land use is perceived, interpreted, and understood, is an important determinant of public response and attitudes towards that land use. Understanding factors influencing the formation of beliefs and attitudes towards a land use can help land planners anticipate and manage land use conflict and promote culturally sustainable landscapes. Previous qualitative study has demonstrated an association between conflicting beliefs about large scale plantation forestry, a contentious land use occurring in many parts of the world, and diverse meanings attributed to the rural landscape. This association is tested in a large scale postal survey (n = 930) of residents in north-west Tasmania. Consistent with the previous qualitative study, results indicate an association between conflicting beliefs about the likely outcomes of plantation forestry and contrasting representations of the rural landscape. Plantation forestry was more likely to be associated with negative beliefs about outcomes, and evaluated negatively, by people representing the rural landscape as a place for nature conservation and amenity than those representing the landscape in terms of production. These findings support the proposition that beliefs about a land use are shaped within the social context of shared place meanings in a way that promotes existing representations of the rural landscape.