Experiencing nature in special places: Surveys in the north-central region

Abstract

The experiences people have in natural environments can be very important to them, even though these experiences are sometimes hard to categorize and measure. In a series of qualitative surveys, I asked people to describe special outdoor places and explain in their own words what these places meant to them. Their responses revealed many similarities in the highly valued experiences that occurred across diverse respondents and places. By treating special places with care, managers and planners can help ensure that opportunities for such experiences will continue to be available to people.