461
want to quit because of the boring setting, such as mudflats. When information
appears coherently and mysteriously, as in landscapes such as coastal freshwater
marshes, it is likely to be favored because people may feel secure and interested in
these types of settings (Photo 15.1a–d). Thus, the environmental information regarding various wetlands might allow the determination of their ecological aesthetic
values. Aesthetic preference would make people change landscape, and thus ecosystem (Gobster et al. 2007). People desire to view, live, and visit beautiful places,
and avoid or take measures to improve places that are perceived as unattractive
(Kovacs et al. 2006). Sense of safety is also an influential factor on landscape preference (Hagerhall 2000; Herzog and Kropscott 2004; Herzog and Kutzli 2002). When
a certain wetland made people feel in danger, people stayed away from it, or even
worked to reclaim it.
Although wetland conservation actions are launching globally, wetlands are still
at risk. The conversion of wetlands for various development and utilization projects
is a major threat to wetlands everywhere. Healthy coastal wetlands of beauty could
distinctly promote awareness of wetland conservation. It is imperative to give the
ecological aesthetics of coastal wetlands a place of prominence in conservation
efforts.
Photo 15.1a–d Environmental information from less to abundant, from coherence to complexity, respectively is gravel shore, marsh, coastal freshwater forest
swamp and mangrove forest swamp, according to that, the openness of vision and
accessibility is variable. An unobstructed foreground, water body may sense spaciousness, which setting is perceived coherence and legibility; and with complex
middle to background, would induce people go deeper to explore (Photo 15.1c). The
plants diversity is lower at mangrove forest swamp, which setting is perceived high
coherence with low visual penetration. The enclosed of vision often blocked people’s travel (Photo 15.1d).
15.3 Relationship Between Ecological Aesthetics and Coastal
Wetlands
Most people think that landscape and ecology differ, with different contents of environmental experience as well. In general, we think that the public enjoys the landscape, whereas ecological experts are interested in understanding the ecology.
Traditionally, we get a sense of stewardship, coherence, order, etc. from landscapes
and diversity, complexity, and disorder from the ecological environment. Scenic
appreciation focuses on the arrangement of visual elements that appear in a picturesque landscape and cause a pleasurable emotional reaction. The process of perceiving is immediate and the benefits of aesthetic response are taken more at face
value, and in the short term. Ecological experience is engaged to the interaction
between humans and the ecology, and its view is biocentric. The knowledge base of
ecological experience is a process to understand and enjoy the intact ecosystem and
arouses a pleasant emotional reaction. The benefit is long lasting and may encourage people to participate actively in environmental conservation.
15 Ecological Aesthetics Perspective for Coastal Wetland Conservation
want to quit because of the boring setting, such as mudflats. When information
appears coherently and mysteriously, as in landscapes such as coastal freshwater
marshes, it is likely to be favored because people may feel secure and interested in
these types of settings (Photo 15.1a–d). Thus, the environmental information regarding various wetlands might allow the determination of their ecological aesthetic
values. Aesthetic preference would make people change landscape, and thus ecosystem (Gobster et al. 2007). People desire to view, live, and visit beautiful places,
and avoid or take measures to improve places that are perceived as unattractive
(Kovacs et al. 2006). Sense of safety is also an influential factor on landscape preference (Hagerhall 2000; Herzog and Kropscott 2004; Herzog and Kutzli 2002). When
a certain wetland made people feel in danger, people stayed away from it, or even
worked to reclaim it.
Although wetland conservation actions are launching globally, wetlands are still
at risk. The conversion of wetlands for various development and utilization projects
is a major threat to wetlands everywhere. Healthy coastal wetlands of beauty could
distinctly promote awareness of wetland conservation. It is imperative to give the
ecological aesthetics of coastal wetlands a place of prominence in conservation
efforts.
Photo 15.1a–d Environmental information from less to abundant, from coherence to complexity, respectively is gravel shore, marsh, coastal freshwater forest
swamp and mangrove forest swamp, according to that, the openness of vision and
accessibility is variable. An unobstructed foreground, water body may sense spaciousness, which setting is perceived coherence and legibility; and with complex
middle to background, would induce people go deeper to explore (Photo 15.1c). The
plants diversity is lower at mangrove forest swamp, which setting is perceived high
coherence with low visual penetration. The enclosed of vision often blocked people’s travel (Photo 15.1d).
15.3 Relationship Between Ecological Aesthetics and Coastal
Wetlands
Most people think that landscape and ecology differ, with different contents of environmental experience as well. In general, we think that the public enjoys the landscape, whereas ecological experts are interested in understanding the ecology.
Traditionally, we get a sense of stewardship, coherence, order, etc. from landscapes
and diversity, complexity, and disorder from the ecological environment. Scenic
appreciation focuses on the arrangement of visual elements that appear in a picturesque landscape and cause a pleasurable emotional reaction. The process of perceiving is immediate and the benefits of aesthetic response are taken more at face
value, and in the short term. Ecological experience is engaged to the interaction
between humans and the ecology, and its view is biocentric. The knowledge base of
ecological experience is a process to understand and enjoy the intact ecosystem and
arouses a pleasant emotional reaction. The benefit is long lasting and may encourage people to participate actively in environmental conservation.
15 Ecological Aesthetics Perspective for Coastal Wetland Conservation