Local communities and protected areas: The mediating role of place attachment for pro-environmental civic engagement

Managers and researchers agree on the importance of understanding the nature of humans' attachment to place in order to reduce environmental impacts in protected areas. Attachment has been discussed as having implications for pro-environmental behaviors directed at protecting natural resources and informing sustainable recreation and ecosystem management. Accordingly, this study examined whether residents' (who might also be park visitors) attachment to a place (i.e. a national park) mediated the relationship between community attachment and engagement in participatory resource management.Drawing on responses from 239 residents in communities surrounding Retezat National Park in Romania, place attachment, community attachment, and pro-environmental civic engagement behavioral beliefs were hypothesized as independent variables. A high correlation was observed between place attachment factors, place identity and place dependency which suggested a weak differentiation of the two factors. Pro-environmental civic engagement intentions were found to vary depending on residents' beliefs regarding pro-environmental civic engagement and level of place attachment. Both community attachment and park related place attachment played a role in predicting citizens' levels of pro-environmental civic engagement beliefs. Parks that are perceived to have a level of mutual benefit and co-management generate more support toward conservation and recreational use goals.Management implicationsLocal residents represent a key stakeholder group for parks and protected areas because of their constant interaction with the setting through recreation and other activities. This study reveals the importance of understanding the social environment within communities proximal to a park and how social perceptions can shape attachment to a protected area with implications for pro-environmental civic engagement beliefs and intentions to sustain natural resource protection. Programs and initiatives designed to increase local residents' attachment to their community (e.g. through recreation programming, special events like concerts, wildlife oriented walks, nature oriented games) should be encouraged and supported by park managers.Allowing some carefully managed and zonal extractive uses of the park also facilitates more positive social connections and attitudes toward the park, as long as other extensive park area resources are protected and basic principles of sustainability and conservation are followed. Based on responses to the civic engagement beliefs and intention items in this study, it would also be advisable to provide opportunities for local residents to participate in meetings, public hearings, community projects and management decisions, to sustain trust in park managers, which is very important to local impressions of a park and positive park attachment attitudes.