Local perceptions and values for a midwestern river corridor

Rivers are vital natural corridors under increasing environmental pressure from rural development. This study addressed rural residentʹs perceptions and values, including their preferences for and attitudes toward riparian landscapes. Study participants were 120 rural property owners living in two communities near the River Raisin of southeastern Michigan. They completed a mailed survey which included a schematic diagram to determine their perceptions of those landscapes which form the river corridor, a photo-questionnaire to measure preference for scenes typical of the river corridor, and written questions to assess perceptions of both positive and negative characteristics of riverfront land. The results showed that local residents see the river corridor as four inter-connected zones: the river, woods, farms and built areas. New residents showed significantly higher preference for more natural areas, such as woods and river zone, than did long-time residents. Farmers, by contrast, had a higher preference for less natural landscapes such as farms and built areas. Residentsʹ landscape preference related more to their surrounding landscape-type than to the actual distance between their home and the river, although water quality problems were felt more strongly by those living near the river. The results point to the need to consider the riparian corridor as a series of inter-connected landscapes in planning efforts. Decisions about protection and development in these zones require not only an ecological understanding of these resources but an appreciation of the residentsʹ values as well.