Field afforestation preferences: A case study in northeastern Finland

This investigation examined how people perceive field afforestation in two valuable landscape areas in northeastern Finland. Altogether 190 respondents assessed the scenic beauty of the views shown on 11 slides of five different afforestation options. The alternatives were created from two basic scenes using computer-assisted photographic simulation. Afforestation was considered disturbing even though the afforested area was small. Afforestation especially disturbed local residents, who had learned to appreciate their everyday landscape highly. The location of the afforested area was the most important factor affecting afforestation preferences. Our results suggest that afforestation should be located at the forest edge, whereas afforestation located in the middle of a field was the least preferred option. Afforestation site shapes reflecting the forms of the surrounding landscape were appreciated. The tree species used in afforestation had no bearing on preferences. Apparently, afforestation was more disturbing, and the details of afforestation more important, in appealing and valuable landscapes than in less attractive environments.