Poster Details
THE IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONAL VALUES IN A RIVERINE SOCIAL ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM
Relational values refer to the way people relate to nature and each other, at either the individual level, such as local identity, or the collective level, such as family cohesion. A recent interest in the incorporation of this new value approach has emerged to enhance the ecosystem services framework. However, there is a challenge in assessing relational values because of the difficulty in finding methodologies to properly characterize them. We conducted a total of 282 face-to-face surveys to perform a socio-cultural valuation of ecosystem services in the Henrys Fork Watershed of southeastern Idaho, a world-renowned fishing destination. With the goal of understanding relational values in river systems, we explored the benefits provided by fishing and its links to components of human well-being (e.g., cultural identity). Our results showed that family cohesion and relaxation were the benefits most frequently chosen by from local respondents as the most important to maintaining their well-being. Our study emphasizes the importance of incorporating this type of river-related value in river management and planning.
Loni Nelson (Primary Presenter/Author), Idaho State University, nelsloni@isu.edu;
Adam Eckersell (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Idaho State University, eckeadam@isu.edu;
Cristina Quintas-Soriano (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Idaho State University, quincris@isu.edu;
Rob Van Kirk (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Henry's Fork Foundation, rob@henrysfork.org;
Colden Baxter (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Idaho State University, baxtcold@isu.edu;
Antonio J. Castro (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Idaho State University, castanto@isu.edu;