Exploring Sense of Place and Environmental Behavior at an Ecoregional Scale in Three Sites

This article reports on three case studies that explore the person-place relationships that occur on an ecoregional scale and whether and how those place connections relate to residents undertaking action on issues about which they report being concerned. The research was conducted in three ecoregions of high priority for conservation: the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), the Klamath-Siskiyou (northern California/southern Oregon in the United States), and the Chesapeake Bay (eastern coast of the United States). Data were collected through surveys (n=330, n=248, and n=320, respectively), interviews (n=32, n=29, and n=21), and ethnographic study. Across the three ecoregions between one-fifth and one-quarter of residents indicated that their place connections occurred at an ecoregional scale. Among those who reported taking action—or when prompted to report at what scale they would take action—respondents indicated a scale of action roughly reflective of the scale at which their place connections occurred.