Perceptions and Environmental Preferences in British Columbia

Unit 2, Module 5: How people perceive

Question 1 relates to the section on how people perceive, which is covered in Unit 2, Module 5.
Read the article “Forest as hazard, forest as victim: Community perspectives and disaster mitigation in the aftermath of Kelowna’s 2003 wildfires” (Goemans & Ballamingie, 2012) and answer the following questions:
1.The authors identify three different perceptions towards ecologically sustainable forestry and community safety. In a paragraph each, identify and describe each. Why do the perceptions vary? (5 marks)
2.The authors describe an evolution of geographic thought around human perception of natural hazards that accounts for our changing ideas about society’s vulnerability. Briefly outline the key points in this discussion. Which approach in Module 5 evaluates human adjustment to the natural environment?
3.If your job was to plan urban-rural-natural land use in Kelowna and the surrounding areas, how do you think your understanding of these different perceptions would help you in developing different approaches with which to educate people on fire risk and management? Identify and briefly discuss three ways that you could educate people (keeping in mind their different perceptions) on what they can do to protect their property and community from wildfire. Your answer should be approximately 500 words (two double-spaced pages).
Question 2:
One of the themes around perception is that perception varies with knowledge and is closely related to the cultural and social considerations of the individual who holds a particular mental “picture”. Mental maps of geographic areas are heavily influenced by one’s perception.
Six ways that mental maps can be important and impact society include:
1.Mental images change in a shrinking world, and we become increasingly aware of this when something happens in one place that affects us all.
2.Mental images around mobility or population movement
3.Perceptions of a few can impact many.
4.People in power can have distorted mental maps/images.
5.Mental maps change.
6.Mental maps explore what we think of unknown areas and what we don’t know.
Discuss which one of the six, in your opinion, has the greatest influence on land use decision making.
Question 3:
For this question, you will need the help of at least ten people. You will only need each person’s help for about five minutes, so you should be able to persuade friends or people you know to help you. If you cannot come up with ten people, get as many as you can. They are going to help you explore the realm of environmental preferences that we discussed in the unit.
Follow the step-by-step procedure, and answer the questions as you come to them:
Step 1:
Prepare a list of locations (see below) on paper or a digital file. Select at least ten people who will participate in this exercise. You may approach them one at a time or in groups.
Step 2:
Provide each of the ten people with a list of the following regions in British Columbia, and ask them to rank these regions in terms of their preferability as places in which to live.
Make sure that each person assigns the number 12 to the least desirable region and 1 to the most desirable place to live.
The regions are:
A.Greater Victoria
B.The rest of Vancouver Island