By Brooke Davis, BHI Conservancy Intern 2012

1. Place Attachment and Environmentally
Responsible Behavior As A result of
Participation in BHIC Programs
Brooke Davis !
Colorado State University!
!

2. Background
! Place Attachment Theory (Vaske, et al.) !
! Place Identity - the personal and collective
meanings that intersect at a particular physical site !
! Place Dependence - reflects the importance of a
resource in providing amenities necessary for desired
activities !
! Place Attachment - arrises when settings (i.e.
local parks) are imbued with meanings that create or
enhance one s emotional tie to a natural resource !

3. How can we use place attachment?
! Vaske, et al. surveyed participants in a junior ranger
program!
! Place-based learning - do students learn better when
what they are learning can be tied to a specific location
that is important to them? !
! ...the association between a sense of place, how the
self gets related to the environment, and sense making
related to conservation-oriented advocacy. - Cantrill,
et al. !

4. Hypothesis
Place !
Attachment!
+!
How many times has
respondent visited
Bald Head Island!
I hypothesized that the number of times a respondent has
previously visited Bald Head Island would have a strong
positive correlation with that individual s level of place
attachment. !

5. Hypothesis
Current
Environmental !
Behaviors!
Importance of !
Behaviors After !
Program Participation!
+ ∆ !
I hypothesized that, after completing a program with BHIC,
respondents would rank the importance of environmentally
responsible behaviors at the same level or higher than their
current participation in those behaviors.!

6. Methods
! Distributed surveys at every program for one week!
! Focused on the adult population (18 and up) !
! Respondents were genera!y surveyed after the
program!
! n=80!
! General questions about visitors previous
experiences on BHI !
! 8 questions measuring place attachment !
! 5 general environmental behaviors evaluated!

7. Place Attachment
! Place Identity !
! I identify strongly with this place."
! I think a lot about coming here."
! I am very attached to this place."
! I feel like this place is a part of me."
! Place Dependence !
! This place is the best for what I like to do. "
! I get more satisfaction out of visiting this place than any other."
! I would not substitute any other area for doing what I do here."
! No other place can compare to this area."
www.bhic.org!

9. Results:
Level of Place Attachment Based On Number of Previous
Visits to Bald Head Island
% Who
Responded
with
Agree or
Strongly
Agree !
Place Attachment Variable!
r=0.386**! r=0.361**! r=0.511**!r=0.442**!r=0.597**!r=0.602**!r=0.588**! r=0.427**!
** = Significant correlation!
with number of previous visits !

10. Results:
Current Environmental Behaviors vs. Importance of
Environmental Behaviors After Program
Environmental Behavior!
+0.455! +0.892! +0.671! +1.400! +1.190!

11. What part of your experience during this
program had the most impact on your visit?
! Nature is very fascinating! !
! The interns were fantastic! !
! The educational aspect was very important for our
family. Kids respect nature more when they understand
it better. !
! The movie was interesting and made me want to help
with conservation efforts. !
! It was turtle-y awesome! !
www.bhic.org!

12. Sources of Error & Areas for Improvement
! Sample Size !
! Timing of survey distribution - some surveys filled out
in middle of program, some filled out after program!
! Some programs have more participants than others!
! with a larger sample size, may be worth looking at
how individual programs influence environmental
behaviors!
! respondents participating in multiple programs
throughout the week!

13. Discussion & Recommendations
! Based on participation in our programs, visitors believe
that volunteering with environmental organizations is
important!
! Volunteer opportunities?!
! Provide resources for people to find out how to get
involved with environmental organizations in their
hometown!
! Survey youth who participate in summer camps!
! Survey BHI residents using place attachment theory!
! What influences the decision to purchase/build a
house here?!

14. Questions??