Local communities and protected areas: The mediating role of place attachment for pro-environmental civic engagement

Managers and researchers agree on the importance of understanding the nature of humans attachment to place in order to reduce environmental impacts in protected areas. Attachment has been discussed as having implications for pro-environmental behaviors directed at protecting natural resources and informing sustainable recreation and ecosystem management. Accordingly, this study examined whether residents' (who might also be park visitors) attachment to a place (i.e. a national park) mediated the relationship between community attachment and engagement in participatory resource management. Drawing on responses from 239 residents in communities surrounding Retezat National Park in Romania, place attachment, community attachment, and pro-nvironmental civic engagement behavioral beliefs were hypothesized as independent variables. A high correlation was observed between place attachment factors, place identity and place dependency which suggested a weak differentiation of the two factors. Pro -environmental civic engagement intentions were found to vary depending on residents' beliefs regarding pro -environmental civic engagement and level of place attachment. Both community attachment and park related place attachment played a role in predicting citizens' levels of pro -environmental civic engagement beliefs. Parks that are perceived to have a level of mutual benefit and co-management generate more support toward conservation and recreational use goals. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.