Tag: human behaviour

The cultural ecosystem services (CES) construct has evolved to accommodate multiple worldviews, knowledge systems and conceptualizations of nature and values, including relational and mental health values. Cultural ecosystem services research and practice has mostly focused on cognitive ways of constructing and expressing intangible values of, and relationships with, nature. But our non-material relationships with nature are not exclusively cognitive: sensory and affective processes are fundamental to how we build, enact and experience these relationships. Building on the core ideas of relational values, embodied experiences and connectedness with nature, we present a simple framework to explore the sensory, affective and cognitive dimensions of human–nature interactions, as well as the settings and activities that frame them. We demonstrate its use in a case study in the Peruvian Andes, where we applied an inductive, exploratory approach to elicit personal imageries and imaginings related to nature, place and recreation. The narratives shared were rich with symbolism and personal sensory experiences, emotions and memories, which the interviewees linked with general assertions about people, place and nature. We discuss the usefulness of such a perspective for CES research, and for human well-being, environmental justice and landscape management.

Key messages

• People value ecosystems for the different contributions that they make to human well-being, both material and non-material.
• Non-material contributions, such as those related to identity, sense of place and psychological well-being, have affective, cognitive and sensory dimensions.
• Although overlooked in ecosystem management and research, the affective and sensory aspects are important for connectedness with nature, human well-being, conservation and environmental justice.
• This brief summarizes the main findings of qualitative research in Apurimac (Peru) that explores the affective, cognitive and sensory dimensions of people’s ecosystem experiences and imaginaries.
• Understanding the diversity of people’s experiences and imaginaries is important for more equitable and sustainable ecosystem management.