Perceptions about land use

Although there are only a limited number of rigorous research papers focussed specifically on land use perceptions, there is an extensive literature on: environmental attitudes in general and urban growth in particular, as well as on the land use perceptions of farmers and on public perceptions about the use of land for the production of food and raw materials. A number of key themes emerge. First, the urban public are resistant to urban growth and have an ingrained and deep attachment to ‘traditional’ and romanticised visions of rural land use. Second, farmers, the main managers of land use, have proved resistant to concepts of multifunctional land use. Third, there is a perception gap between the practice of food production as a damaging land use exercise and consumer ignorance about the realities of how food and other raw materials are produced. However, consumers support the ideas of farmers being paid to use their land in a more environmentally friendly way. Fourth, there is a value-action gap between people's perceptions of the land use damage they are doing and their lack of willingness to actually change their behaviours. The drivers behind these perceptions are likely to change as carbon reduction policies begin to impact. So the paper concludes with a discussion about future perceptions and possible behavioural change.