Connectedness to nature and the conservation of the urban ecosystem: Perspectives from the valuation of urban forests

Abstract “Connectedness to nature” refers to an individual's sense of relatedness to nature, and has been extensively employed in analyzing the human−nature relationship. This study examines how connectedness to nature relates to environmental conservation, demonstrating that strong connectedness to nature is correlated with an individual's willingness to pay (WTP) for forest conservation. WTP was measured by conducting a choice experiment focused on Singapore's urban forests. The results indicate that Singaporean residents demonstrating greater connectedness to nature appear to have a higher monetary valuation of urban forests and highlight the importance of biodiversity protection and ecosystems as functions of urban forests. These findings suggest that forest management in urban areas may vary according to the degree of residents' connectedness to nature.