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Social Sciences in Landscape Research

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The research group Social Sciences in Landscape Research studies the interaction between society and the environment with social science methods (e.g. qualitative interviews, standardised surveys, experiments, expert workshops, etc.). We are particularly interested in people’s demands towards nature, landscape and the built environment, as well as in recreational and health effects of nature. We are also investigating research questions such as: What kind of behaviour do people show regarding the environment? How can we influence this behaviour? How do people perceive environmental risks, and how can we develop a culture of risk prevention and integrative natural hazard management? The outcomes of our research projects provide a basis for the sustainable use of resources according to the needs of society, and for urban and landscape planning.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Projects

Hören und Stören? Subjektive Geräuschwahrnehmung von Erholungssuchenden in Grünräumen

In der Studie wird die wahrgenommene Landschaftsqualität von Grünräumen für die Erholung unter Berücksichtigung visueller und akustischer Eigenschaften (Lärm/Stille/Naturgeräusche) durch NutzerInnen charakterisiert

Attraktivität von Bewirtschaftungsformen

In diesem Projekt soll die Attraktivität der verschiedenen Bewirtschaftungsformen im Waldlabor Zürich für die Erholungssuchenden untersucht werden.

Noise and Greenspaces

Can people in urban regions recover from stress in green spaces or is there too much noise? Researchers from WSL and Empa explore the audio-visual requirements green spaces have to meet to enable noise-exposed people to recover from stress.

Recipes for Biocities

Basierend auf bestehendem Wissen und der Zusammenarbeit zwischen verschiedenen Partnern im In- und Ausland entwickeln wir eine Vision für nachhaltige Städte der Zukunft, in denen urbane Wälder eine zentral Rolle spielen

LABES 2: Continuation of landscape monitoring Switzerland 2020/21

After further refining the concept, WSL and FOEN will work together on updating the landscape monitoring. An expanded set of indicators for landscape perception and satellite-based new indicators for the physical landscape are the new elements of the monitoring. Despite the new and expanded indicators, comparability with past surveys is ensured.

Naherholung an der Glatt: Ansprüche der Bevölkerung an die Gewässeraufwertung

Mit Hilfe einer quantitativen sozialwissenschaftlichen Erhebung wurde die aktuelle Nutzung der Glatt entlang des Projektperimeters «Fil Bleu Glatt» erfasst. Dabei wurde ein spezielles Augenmerk auf die räumliche Abbildung der Streckennutzung gelegt. Mit der Analyse wurden Bedürfnisse bezüglich der optimalen Wegvariante abgebildet und weitere Anforderungen an das Naherholungsgebiet Glatt ermittelt.

Let's Talk about Better Gardens

In diesem Umsetzungsprojekt vermitteln wir die Ergebnisse eines Forschungsprojektes über den Zusammenhang von Bewirtschaftungsformen von städtischen Gärten, Biodiversität und Wohlbefinden an die Bevölkerung und entwickeln einfache Methoden, um Biodiversität in Nachbarschaften zu fördern.

Waldwahrnehmung mit allen Sinnen

Attraktivität von Wäldern wird meistens anhand von visuellen Merkmalen bestimmt. Waldwahrnehmung basiert aber nicht nur auf visuellen Eindrücken - alle Sinne spielen eine Rolle. In diesem Projekt wird die Waldwahrnehmung von Waldbesuchenden mit allen Sinnen, insbesondere des Gehörsinns, erfasst.

Difficulties in implementing biodiversity targets

What are the difficulties in implementing biodiversity and landscape objectives? An expert survey provides information.

Expert Survey "Challenges Landscape"

10 Jahre nach der Ersterhebung werden erneut Expertinnen und Experten in der Schweiz dazu befragt, was Ihrer Meinung nach die künftigen Herausforderungen der Landschaftsentwicklung darstellen.

Effect of contact with nature during childhood on environmental attitudes, ecological behavior and environmental citizenship behavior

The project will assess the impact of a multitude of different settings on EA and EB/Environmental Citizenship Behavior by comparing children's and adults' self-report.

WaMos3

The aim of WaMos is to investigate the relationship of the Swiss population to the forest. In WaMos3, important aspects of the last household survey are replicated and the survey instrument is further developed in terms of content and methodology.

Psycho-social effects of the displacement of allotment gardeners

Which psycho-social effects does the loss of an allotment garden have on users of these gardens? Was does the loss mean for these people? It this study we examine this in Altstetten, Zurich.

Integrated risk and resources management

This project contributes to a better understanding of the social and institutional barriers of an integrated management as strategy to climate-change related problems in Alpine regions.

Potential of integrated landscape management for renewable energy projects

Recent research results show that the widespread resistance to renewable energy projects is mainly due to a lack of comprehensive planning. How can the potential of integrated landscape management be used for the production of renewable energy?

Landschaftsbeobachtungsprogramm Schweiz LABES

Ziel dieses Projektes ist, das LABES Monitoring-Instrument, das zwischen 2009 und 2017 entwickelt wurde, bis 2020 konzeptionell zu überprüfen.

Conceptual evaluation of the Swiss landscape monitoring program 2018-2020

What are the qualities of the Swiss landscape? How do people assess the state of the landscape? These are the kinds of questions being taken up by the Landscape Monitoring program (LABES) launched in 2008. This project evaluates the program for relevance and use of up-front technology.

ENERGYSCAPE

This project focuses thus on assessing public judgments of the landscape effects stimulated by a mix of renewable energy systems in Swiss landscapes.

Partizipatives GIS als Planungsinstrument für Windenergieprojekte

Erhebung von lebensräumlichen Aspekten und partizipativ-interaktiver Standortwahl.

Revitalisierung der Wigger: Die Ansprüche der regionalen Bevölkerung

Ziel des Projektes ist es, zu ermitteln, welche Ansprüche die regionale Bevölkerung an die zukünftige Gestaltung der Wigger und ihre Nebengewässer hat. Dabei sollen insbesondere auch die Erholungsansprüche berücksichtigt werden. Die Erhebung sollte gleichzeitig eine Baseline für die Evaluation der sozio-kulturellen Aspekte des Revitalisierungsprojektes bereitstellen.

Small urban gardens

The aim of this study is to explore which present or imagined organizational forms of urban gardens are best suited to our current society.

Healthy Alps

Across the Alps, land-use is changing rapidly. The project investigates the consequences of this change for alpine agricultural landscape, focusing on ecosystem services, biodiversity, and effects on human health and wellbeing, as well as their possible interrelations.

Urban forests

Urban forests fulfil important ecosystem services and are greatly appreciated by the public for their social and cultural services. The aim of the project is to get insights into people's expectations and assessments of these services. Furthermore, the project aims to link the population's perceptions and expectations with on-site forest characteristics.

Media renaturation

River renaturation has become an increasingly important issue in our society. Since 2011, Swiss cantons have been required to counteract adverse ecological effects. Various interests and demands around the river area inevitably lead to tensions and conflicts that are often difficult to resolve. An analysis of media coverage and presentation of the topic from a long-term perspective offer deeper insights into the course of the public debate and into some of the social and historical issues surrounding river renaturation.

Strategies for better gardens

Urban gardens experience increasing social and ecological importance, yet, there are only few studies about it. This project investigates the value of urban gardening for social benefit, biodiversity and soil quality.

Future prospects for renewable energy

The production of renewable energy is a landscape service of growing importance and great political relevance. However, the expansion of renewable energies is causing various conflicts with competing landscape services.

WML - WaMos meets LFI

In Switzerland, there are two very different forest monitoring instruments: The National Forest Inventory NFI and the socio-cultural forest monitoring WaMos. The aim of the current project is to bridge physical and social aspects.

Landscape impacts of renewable energy production

The project aims to gain insight into the population's attitudes towards the impact of renewable energy production on landscape quality. Particularly, the role of connotations attached to respective landscape changes will be investigated.

Analyzing the Contribution of Participatory Environmental Planning to Social Learning

The research project studies the role of social learning in the context of participatory negotiation processes based on the case study of a complex planning project in the field of natural hazard management and use of natural resources.

Parc Adula

During the creation of the national park “Parc Adula” a written survey will be conducted. Goal of the study is to find out what locals think about of the creation of “Parc Adula” and which knowledge they have about it.

Urban Gardening

Allotment gardens are a special type of urban green and play an important role in modern urban environments both for the ecosystem and for the society. The study of the WSL investigates the effects of allotment gardens on the well being and physical and social health of their users.

GeneMig

GeneMig is an inter- and transdisciplinary CESS project that identifies societal and environmental challenges and risks associated with migration of species and their genes in a changing environment. This project (1) combines genetic methods with landscape modelling and (2) assess public attitudes and coping strategies towards species migration in the context of environmental change.

Photovoltaic-panels on avalanche protectionconstructions

In Switzerland exist around 600 km of avalanche protection constructions, mainly between 1800m and 2500m of altitude. Two pilot creations in Bellwald (VS) test whether avalanche protection constructions are suited as carriers of photovoltaic panels and for producing electric power. In our project we evaluated with qualitative and quantitative methods how local tourists and local inhabitants perceive these pilot creations and, more generally, to which degree they accept solar panels in different environmental settings.

Evaluation of steering instruments in outdoor winter sports

Disturbances through increased recreation activities have an impact on wildlife populations, especially in winter. The nation-wide campaign “Respektiere deine Grenzen” tries to minimize the conflict between winter sports and wildlife populations in the Swiss Alps. This project analyses the outcome of the campaign.

Energy Landscape "Grimsel" as perceived by Tourists

The Grimsel landscape is an energy landscape characterized by reservoirs, dams and power plants. Do visitors like this landscape (yet)?

Recovery of Wildlife in the Alps

The return of large carnivores such as wolf and lynx in the Alps leads to conflicts with the local population. The goal of this project is to present practical conservation and management options for wolf and lynx in the Alps.

KULTURisk

This EU FP7-project aims at promoting a culture of risk prevention against natural hazards. To achieve this goal benefits and costs of different prevention measures are compared, and the effectiveness of risk communication within these measures are evaluated.

Nearby Outdoor Recreation

This project has the goal to develop a GIS-based model to forecast which near-by areas local inhabitants in Switzerland preferably use in their leisure time for outdoor recreation.

WaMos 2

The aim of the research project WaMos 2 is to assess the attitudes of the population towards forest and wood related topics. In doing so, the project revisits and builds upon work that was done in 1997. The results of WaMos 2 will serve as a basis for forest related policy, and the forest- and environment-related reporting of FOEN.

Acceptance of Acceptance of Protected Areas

Projects for the designation of large protected areas often encounter acceptance problems. This research and implementation project focuses on the difficulty of missing mutual acceptance by stakeholders.

Landschaftsforschung

Die WSL hat im Auftrag des Forum Landschaft den Stand der Landschaftsforschung in der Schweiz untersucht. Es wurden aktuelle und zukünftige Herausforderungen der Schweizerischen Landschaftsentwicklung ermittelt sowie ihre Handlungsrelevanz beurteilt.

CapHaz-Net

CapHaz-Net is a unique collaboration project that brings together social scientists from various European countries. Funded by the European Community it reviews how institutions and people in Europe cope with and adapt to natural hazards.

Acceptance of Acceptance of Protected Areas

Effect on nature stay

The project analyses the influence of a stay in differently managed agricultural zones on human well-being. This allows to draw conclusions concering the optimal design of natural areas.

Einstellungen Regionaler Naturpark Pfyn-Finges

Im Rahmen des Projekts zur Bildung eines Regionalen Naturparks „Pfyn-Finges“ wurde untersucht, wie die lokale Bevölkerung dem Parkprojekt gegenüber eingestellt ist.

ENHANCE M4

Enhancing ecosystem quality (e.g. through intervention or defragmentation) is relevant for society and economy. Which ecosystem enhancement contributes best to perceived quality of life and is economically most beneficial?

BiodiverCity

The main goal of the project is to understand the relationship between urban diversity, built environment and the acceptance of the human population, in order to identify initial measures for integrating findings on how to enhance urban biodiversity and the acceptance of the residents into urban development processes.

Influence of nature on wellbeing and health

The positive influence of natural environment can contribute to public health, and should be considered in landscape architecture. We will show the comparison of an influence of tended and wild woods onto human wellbeing.

Use conflicts in outdoor areas

Considering the constantly increasing leisure activities in various outdoor areas the question arises, how social use conflicts and ecological impairment of nature can be reduced.

Erholungsnutzung im periurbanen Raum

Durch Zunahme der Freizeit steigt der Druck auf Naherholungsräume im periurbanen Raum. Um Nutzungskonflikte zu vermindern, braucht es Informationen zu Nachfrage, Potential und Intensität der Raumnutzung. Wissenschafter ermitteln deshalb Kriterien, die das Naherholungsverhalten bestimmen und entwickeln Naherholungsmodell.

Requirements for local quality of life

Today the development of space and Mobility is far away from the principle of sustainability. New ways of spatial planning are required. This project aims at establishing a basis for a more sustainable spatial planning and mobility.

Alpine landscape development

In the context of sustainable development of the resource alpine landscape it is necessary that these developments are supported by a large part of the population. Therefore people's manifold objectives and desires must be known and included in planning measures.

Impact of transit traffic on society

The aim this project is to investigate the implications of transit traffic on nature and society and to design a monitoring tool to detect changes related to the amount of traffic. The project also investigates the influence of transit traffic and the related landscape changes on wellbeing and place attachment of inhabitants.

Wahrnehmung und Bewertung von Naturgefahren

Sozialwissenschafter möchten im Projekt herausfinden, wie sich die Wahrnehmung und Bewertung von Lawinen, Murgängen, Steinschlag, Hochwasser, Stürmen usw. auf die Akzeptanz von Präventionsmassnahmen auswirken.

Socially sound river restorations

What is the meaning of the river space for the local public? What are the attitudes and demands of the population in regard to river restoration and which demands do people have regarding participation? This project shows possible ways towards socially sound river restorations.

BioScene: Reconciling biodiversity conservation

For centuries agriculture has played a multifunctional role in defining and sustaining mountain biodiversity in Europe through the management of habitats, species and landscapes. The overall aim of this project is to investigate the implications of agricultural restructuring and decline for biodiversity conservation in Europe’s mountain areas.

Outdoor-activities in nature and landscape

Outdoor-activities can have negative consequences on nature and landscape. A PhD student has analysed the motivation of outdoor-activists, their attitudes towards nature and landscape and their behaviour changing strategies.

Perception of natural hazards

With a telephonic survey the Swiss inhabitant's perception of natural hazards and specifically the hurricane "Lothar" has been investigated. The scientists asked almost 1000 people.

Attitudes of the society towards wilderness

What are the global attitudes towards nature and wilderness? What is perceived as wilderness and what degree of wilderness is accepted by the population in general? What are the differences between people accepting wilderness and those objecting it?

Consequences of "Lothar" to interest groups

The storm Lothar has had consequences for totally different groups interested in the forest. These are not only groups economically linked with the forest, but also people, which use the forest in their leisure time. Which consequences did "Lothar" have for the different interest groups?

Management of dry meadows

One option to regulate the management of dry meadows is signing a contract with farmers. It has become evident that not all farmers are willing to sign such contracts in spite of the possibility to earn some extra money. The question was why some farmers refuse to sign.

Biosphere reserves from people's view

Acceptance and success of biosphere reserves depend very much on the local population`s perception of and identification with the biosphere reserves. The objective of the study is to determine the attitudes of various social groups towards nature and nature protection.

Natural science experiments

Do natural science experiments have an influence on the politicians' readiness to plan environ-political measures and on the public's acceptance? The significance of experiments in natural science in the public discussion on CO2-emissions was investigated. Among the politicians three different types of attitudes towards natural science in general were found.

Attitudes towards decaying forests

A major concern for landscape conservation strategies is the public attitude towards nature in general and towards efforts to let "nature return to the cultivated landscape". In this context the attitudes of national park visitors towards declining forest patches have been investigated.

Need-oriented landscape development

Rural communities in Switzerland experience a process of urbanization running contrary to the needs of the locals. In order to stop this harmful process, answers to the following questions are needed: What needs of the people can be met by the "every-day-landscape"? Why don't people shape their "every-day-landscape"? How could they be encouraged to participate?

Spontaneous reforestation

One of the main arguments for handing out agricultural subsidies in Swiss mountainous areas is the conservation of traditional landscapes. To find out what people think about land abandonment WSL conducted qualitative in-situ-interviews as well as standardised questionnaires and photo-experiments.

Landscape change assessed by tourists

The lay assessment of tourism-induced landscape changes was investigated with standardized questionnaires and photo-experiments. A main result was that tourists are very sensitive to landscape changes caused by tourist infrastructure. They wish the landscape to remain traditional.

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Publications

Scientific publications (peer-reviewed)

Wilkes-Allemann, J.; Kopp, M.; Van der Velde, R.; Bernasconi, A.; Karaca, E.; Čepić, S.; Tomićević-Dubljević, J.; Bauer, N.; Petit-Boix, A.; Coleman Brantschen, E.; Cueva, J.; Leipold, S.; Saha, S.; Živojinović, I., 2023: Envisioning the future - creating sustainable, healthy and resilient BioCities. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, 84: 127935 (16 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.ufug.2023.127935

Mann, S.; Hunziker, M.; Torregroza, L.; Wartmann, F.; Kienast, F.; Schüpbach, B., 2023: Landscape quality payments in Switzerland: the congruence between policy and preferences. Journal of Policy Modeling, 45, 2: 251-265. doi: 10.1016/j.jpolmod.2023.03.007

Wunderlich, A.C.; Salak, B.; Hegetschweiler, K.T.; Bauer, N.; Hunziker, M., 2023: Impacts of rising COVID-19 incidence and changed working conditions on forest visits in early 2020 of the pandemic: evidence from Switzerland. Forest Policy and Economics, 153: 102978 (14 pp.). doi: 10.1016/j.forpol.2023.102978

Jürgens, U.M.; Grinko, M.; Szameitat, A.; Hieber, L.; Fischbach, R.; Hunziker, M., 2023: Managing wolves is managing narratives: views of wolves and nature shape people’s proposals for navigating human-wolf relations. Human Ecology, 51, 1: 35-57. doi: 10.1007/s10745-022-00366-w

Dopico, J.; Schäffer, B.; Brink, M.; Röösli, M.; Vienneau, D.; Binz, T.M.; Tobias, S.; Bauer, N.; Wunderli, J.M., 2023: How do road traffic noise and residential greenness correlate with noise annoyance and long-term stress? Protocol and pilot study for a large field survey with a cross-sectional design. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20, 4: 3203 (19 pp.). doi: 10.3390/ijerph20043203

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Further scientific publications

Landschaftsqualität in Regionalen Naturpärken. Ergebnisse der Landschaftsbeobachtung Schweiz LABES

Die Regionalen Naturpärke von nationaler Bedeutung wurden mit Hilfe des Monitoring-Instrumentes Landschaftsbeobachtung Schweiz (LABES) auf ihre Landschaftsqualitäten hin untersucht. Erhoben wurden dabei sowohl physische Landschaftsindikatoren als auch die Beurteilung der Landschaftsqualität durch die Bevölkerung.

WSL Berichte 133

2023

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Hunziker, M.; Hegetschweiler, T.; Purves, R., 2022: Détente en forêt. In: Office fédéral de l'environnement (OFEV) (eds), 2022: La forêt perçue par la population suisse. Résultats de la troisième enquête auprès de la population Suivi socioculturel de la forêt (WaMos 3). Berne, Office fédéral de l'environnement (OFEV). 27-37.

Hunziker, M.; Hegetschweiler, T., 2022: Protection de la surface forestière et contributions publiques destinées à la forêt. In: Office fédéral de l'environnement (OFEV) (eds), 2022: La forêt perçue par la population suisse. Résultats de la troisième enquête auprès de la population Suivi socioculturel de la forêt (WaMos 3). Berne, Office fédéral de l'environnement (OFEV). 51-56.

Hunziker, M.; Hegetschweiler, T., 2022: Schutz der Waldfläche und Beiträge der öffentlichen Hand an den Wald. In: Bundesamt für Umwelt (BAFU) (eds), 2022: Der Wald aus Sicht der Schweizer Bevölkerung. Ergebnisse der dritten Bevölkerungsumfrage Waldmonitoring soziokulturell (WaMos 3). Bern, Bundesamt für Umwelt (BAFU). 51-56.

Hunziker, M.; Hegetschweiler, T.; Purves, R., 2022: Erholung im Wald. In: Bundesamt für Umwelt (BAFU) (eds), 2022: Der Wald aus Sicht der Schweizer Bevölkerung. Ergebnisse der dritten Bevölkerungsumfrage Waldmonitoring soziokulturell (WaMos 3). Bern, Bundesamt für Umwelt (BAFU). 27-37.

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Magazine articles and brochures

Hegetschweiler, T.; Allgaier Leuch, B.; Fischer, C., 2021: La forêt, espace de détente toujours plus prisé. La Forêt, 74, 6: 16-19.

Affolter, A.; Buchecker, M.; Müller, S., 2021: Der integrierte Planungsansatz als Instrument zur lokalen Umsetzung der Energiewende. Welchen Beitrag könnte dazu das Instrument Energieregion leisten?. Wasser, Energie, Luft, 113, 1: 9-16.

Hegetschweiler, T.; Allgaier Leuch, B.; Fischer, C., 2021: Die Erholungsnutzung im Wald nimmt zu. Wald und Holz, 102, 7: 19-22.

Hunziker, M.; Wartmann, F.; Kienast, F., 2021: Wie sich die Qualität der Landschaft messen lässt. Thema Umwelt, 8-9.

Hunziker, M., 2020: Die Bevölkerung und ihr Erholungswald. Waldmonitoring soziokulturell. Zürcher Wald, 4-8.

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