Sense of place and identity in peri-urban landscapes: a multimethod exploration

Abstract

This study examines the sense of place (SOP) and identity in peri-urban landscapes, which serve as borderscapes between urban and rural areas. It applies SOP both as a cultural ecosystem service and a phenomenological construct to explore how residents and visitors connect with these landscapes. Using a mixed-methods approach with over seven hundred participants from Ljubljana, Koper, and Kranj, Slovenia, the study maps and evaluates how residents and visitors perceive their environment. The results show that residents have a stronger SOP, but the importance of places for SOP and other cultural services is similar for both residents and visitors. Participatory mapping effectively identified areas of high SOP value, revealing strong connections to hills, bodies of water, biodiverse areas, and small settlements. Conflicts between land-use planning and local values were identified, emphasising the need for flexible, participatory spatial planning to reflect diverse, locally specific perspectives in decision-making.