Perceived environmental quality and place attachment in North American and European temperate lake districts

Abstract Sense of place, or the meanings and attachments held for settings, continues to emerge as an important factor in environmental management. Previous research in a lake-rich setting in northern Wisconsin, USA, demonstrated that attachment to lakes is based in part on the perceived water quality and perceptions of social conflict. This research explores how these findings are similar or different across sites with very different ecological and social characteristics. To explore these cross-site similarities and differences, a social science survey was implemented in 10 lake districts (total n = 2,278 respondents), including 5 sites in North America and 5 in Europe. These sites share several commonalities: they all lie at fairly similar latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, and they are all regions relatively rich in lake resources. The results demonstrate the myriad commonalities and contrasts in behaviors, environmental perceptions, and place attachment across sites.