Papers by Marcel Hunziker
Acceptance of the wolf, lynx and urban fox: results of a representative survey in Switzerland Sev... more Acceptance of the wolf, lynx and urban fox: results of a representative survey in Switzerland Several areas in Switzerland are currently experiencing an increase in predator populations. An important prerequisite for supporting their public acceptance is a thorough understanding of the underlying reasons for acceptance or resistance. The aim of this project was to discover the reasons behind the attitudes prevailing in Switzerland. A representative written survey with standardised questionnaires was used. The results show that predators are well accepted by the majority of the Swiss public as a whole, with greater acceptance than in the past. However, there are considerable regional differences. Most objections to the presence of predators can be explained as arising from a subjectively perceived potential for predators to cause damage as well as from predator-related attitudes. It also became clear that other, more deep-seated reasons play an important role. In particular, responde...
Naturschutz Und Landschaftsplanung, 2014
Landscape Ecology, 2021
Context It is essential for policy-making and planning that we understand landscapes not only in ... more Context It is essential for policy-making and planning that we understand landscapes not only in terms of landscape ecological patterns, but also in terms of their contribution to people's quality of life. Objectives In this study our objective is to test relationships between landscape ecology and social science indicators, by investigating how landscape patterns are linked to people's perception of landscape quality. Methods To assess public views on landscapes we conducted a survey among 858 respondents in Switzerland. We combined this survey data on perceived landscape quality and place attachment with landscape metrics (e.g. diversity, naturalness of
Landscape and Urban Planning, 2021
In the context of significant landscape changes, understanding how residents perceive landscape q... more In the context of significant landscape changes, understanding how residents perceive landscape quality is crucial for landscape policy-making and planning. However, while significant advancements have been made in measuring physical landscape change, social indicators assessing visual landscape quality perceived by the public are still underdeveloped. In this study, we use an indicator-based assessment of visual landscape quality that was collected through a standardized questionnaire at national scale in Switzerland. The survey was sent out to a representative sample of over 8000 households, with 2814 complete questionnaires returned. We investigated the influence of different factors on how residents assess visual landscape quality. Our results show that across Switzerland, residents rated visual landscape quality of their municipality positively, with some differences between geographic regions. Using a multilevel model, we included explanatory variables both at the individual level and variables on landscape characteristics at the municipality level. How long residents have lived in a region and how well they can see the landscape in an unobstructed way (openness of view) are significant predictors of perceived landscape quality, while gender and educational attainment are not. At the municipality level, the type of municipality and the biogeographic region are significant predictors to explain variance between municipalities. Results from this indicator-based assessment of visual landscape quality among the general public highlight the importance of including public opinion, with results that can potentially be used as a baseline from which to assess future landscape change and effects of landscape policy-decisions.
Landscape Research, 2010
Land abandonment followed by spontaneous reforestation has been an ongoing process in the Swiss A... more Land abandonment followed by spontaneous reforestation has been an ongoing process in the Swiss Alps, especially on steep and relatively inaccessible slopes and on alpine summering pastures. This study aims to identify and explain differences in preferences towards potential future landscapes: 1) between landscape settings at different elevation belts (e.g. valley bottom, forest clearings at medium elevations, alpine pastures above the forest belt); 2) between a group of local residents and the general Swiss population; and 3) between social groups within the Swiss population. A random sample of the general Swiss population and group of local residents assessed photo manipulations of different settings in an alpine region depicting for each setting a landscape similar to the present one, a landscape optimized for biodiversity conservation, an initial stage of spontaneous reforestation, and an advanced stage of spontaneous reforestation. We discuss differences between the group of local residents and the Swiss population regarding the assessment and interpretation of some photo manipulations, but also between social groups within the Swiss population. We found that low-intensity land use is visually preferred over intensive land-use and reforested landscapes. Spontaneous reforestation is less liked at higher elevations than at lower elevations. This implies that from a visual-aesthetic point of view, the gap in public funding between lower lying agricultural land and alpine pastures, seems to be not justified.
Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences, 2014
Schweizerische Zeitschrift Fur Forstwesen, 2010
Journal of Environmental Management, 2009
Das Ziel dieses Artikels ist es, jene Herausforderungen in der professionellen Beschäftigung mit ... more Das Ziel dieses Artikels ist es, jene Herausforderungen in der professionellen Beschäftigung mit Landschaft und ihrer Entwicklung in der Schweiz aufzuzeigen, welche zu ihrer Bewältigung Forschungsaktivitäten benötigen. Dabei wird vor allem die aktuelle Situation untersucht und ein Blick in die Zukunft geworfen. Le but de cet article est de référencer les enjeux et défis auxquels est confronté le travail avec le paysage en général et son aménagement en Suisse. Pour relever ces défis, des activités de recherche sont nécessaires. Les situations actuelle et future seront examinées dans ce but.
Biological Conservation, May 1, 2011
Management of Recreation and Nature Based Tourism in European Forests, 2009
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Papers by Marcel Hunziker