Attitudes of local communities and tourists towards landscape parks in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship

Abstract: The paper tackles problems associated with the attitudes of local communities and tourists towards landscape parks. The study is based on the results of questionnaire surveys conducted in all landscape parks located in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship among local residents (N=2000) and tourists (N=1077). The surveys demonstrated great support for landscape parks, both among local residents and tourists. The respondents noticed their positive effect on the quality of life and the development of tourism. Sadly, the knowledge on such protected areas was rather poor. Few tourists visited a specific area because of it being protected as a landscape park, as most them were not aware of this fact at all. Respondents from both groups hardly recognised landscape parks as institutions and had never heard of the activities undertaken by the Complex of Landscape Parks of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. The study subjects usually declared their willingness to improve their knowledge by getting involved in educational events organised by the Complex and one in four of them declared their readiness to join in activities for the benefit of the landscape parks studied. The domination of approving attitudes, combined with the declared interest in educational projects and the relatively high willingness to act for the benefit of the parks, creates a very favourable climate for the functioning of the Complex as an institution. These conditions should foster the process of building cooperation with local residents, developing initiatives integrating local residents and tourists around activities undertaken for the benefit of the parks, as well as undertaking actions strengthening the brand of the Complex of Landscape Parks of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship as an active entity, having a real impact upon the protection, promotion, and sustainable development of areas covered by its activities.

Keywords: landscape park, residents, tourists, social attitudes, Lesser Poland Voivodeship

Zarys treści:

W artykule podjęto problematykę postaw lokalnych społeczności i turystów wobec parków krajobrazowych. Opracowanie zostało oparte na wynikach badań ankietowych przeprowadzonych we wszystkich parkach krajobrazowych w województwie małopolskim wśród mieszkańców (N=2000) oraz turystów (N=1077). Badania wykazały duże poparcie zarówno mieszkańców, jak i turystów dla funkcjonowania parków krajobrazowych. Dostrzeżono ich pozytywny wpływ na jakość życia i rozwój turystyki. Niestety, wiedza na temat tych obszarów chronionych była niska. Niewielu turystów odwiedziło dany teren dlatego, że jest on objęty ochroną w formie parku krajobrazowego, gdyż większość z nich w ogóle nie wiedziała o tym fakcie. Respondenci obydwu grup niemal zupełnie nie rozpoznawali parków krajobrazowych jako instytucji i nie słyszeli o działaniach Zespołu Parków Krajobrazowych Województwa Małopolskiego. Ankietowani przeważnie deklarowali chęć poszerzenia wiedzy poprzez udział w wydarzeniach edukacyjnych organizowanych przez Zespół, a co piąty z nich zgłaszał gotowość do włączenia się w działania na rzecz badanych parków krajobrazowych. Dominacja postaw aprobujących, połączona z deklarowanym zainteresowaniem inicjatywami edukacyjnymi oraz relatywnie wysoką gotowością do włączenia się w działania na rzecz parków krajobrazowych stwarza bardzo korzystny klimat dla działalności Zespołu jako instytucji. Uwarunkowania te powinny sprzyjać budowaniu współpracy z mieszkańcami, rozwijaniu inicjatyw integrujących lokalne społeczności i turystów wokół działań na rzecz parków, a także podejmowaniu zadań umacniających wizerunek Zespołu Parków Krajobrazowych Województwa Małopolskiego jako aktywnego podmiotu mającego realny wpływ na ochronę, popularyzację i zrównoważony rozwój obszarów objętych jego działalnością.

Abstract: The paper tackles problems associated with the attitudes of local communities and tourists towards landscape parks. The study is based on the results of questionnaire surveys conducted in all landscape parks located in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship among local residents (N=2000) and tourists (N=1077). The surveys demonstrated great support for landscape parks, both among local residents and tourists. The respondents noticed their positive effect on the quality of life and the development of tourism. Sadly, the knowledge on such protected areas was rather poor. Few tourists visited a specific area because of it being protected as a landscape park, as most them were not aware of this fact at all. Respondents from both groups hardly recognised landscape parks as institutions and had never heard of the activities undertaken by the Complex of Landscape Parks of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. The study subjects usually declared their willingness to improve their knowledge by getting involved in educational events organised by the Complex and one in four of them declared their readiness to join in activities for the benefit of the landscape parks studied. The domination of approving attitudes, combined with the declared interest in educational projects and the relatively high willingness to act for the benefit of the parks, creates a very favourable climate for the functioning of the Complex as an institution. These conditions should foster the process of building cooperation with local residents, developing initiatives integrating local residents and tourists around activities undertaken for the benefit of the parks, as well as undertaking actions strengthening the brand of the Complex of Landscape Parks of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship as an active entity, having a real impact upon the protection, promotion, and sustainable development of areas covered by its activities.