Stability of landscape perceptions in the face of landscape change

The study of landscape perceptions is a sufficiently new field that changes in perceptions over time have not yet been investigated. This paper reports the initial results of such a study. It investigates a town on Cape Cod, Massachusetts that experienced substantial conversion of forest to residential land-use over a decade. Citizensʹ perceptions of landscape classes and scenic value at the beginning and end of this period are measured. Substantial stability is found in these perceptions.