Perceiving the invisible: formal education affects the perception of ecosystem services provided by native areas

Abstract

Landowners' decisions reshape landscapes, affecting the distribution and maintenance of ecosystem services (ESs). In Brazil, 53% of all remaining native vegetation is on private farms, reinforcing the importance of these stakeholders. The aim of this study was to identify landowners’ perceptions of the native areas on their properties as sources of ESs, to support future conservationist management strategies. We tested whether personal variables (gender, age and years of formal education), and farm characteristics (type and size) were determinant in their perceptions. We interviewed 75 landowners in the Brazilian savanna region, using a questionnaire and paired images strategy (e.g., pictures of soybean cultivation with and without native forest vegetation). Our analyses revealed that landowners perceive native areas as providing ESs. Gender, age and size of farm did not affect the landowners’ perceptions of ESs. However, we observed that years of formal education increased the chance of perceiving ESs which are more difficult to observe (pollination and pest regulation). Those services may require more scientific background to be understood. These results highlight with regard to perception of some ESs, education is a stronger factor than experience based on land-use activities.