Sense of place as an integrated framework for understanding human impacts of land use change

This chapter introduces sense of place as a theoretical and operational framework for understanding human social and psychological effects of land use change. Human concerns about land use change often focus on potential impacts on environmental quality: this discourse has been legitimized and reinforced through institutional structure (e.g., laws such as the US Clean Water Act) and ecological science that quantitatively measures water chemistry impacts from increased nutrient loadings; wildlife population impacts from conversion of habitat to human habitation; and air quality impacts resulting from auto emissions as suburban residents commute longer distances to jobs in urban centers, for example.