INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVES OF
THE CALIFORNIA LANDSCAPE
A Thesis
Presented to the
Faculty of
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Landscape Architecture
By
Cristina M. Plemel
2020 SIGNATURE PAGE
PROJECT: INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVES OF THE CALIFORNIA LANDSCAPE
AUTHOR: Cristina M. Plemel
DATE SUBMITTED: Spring 2020
Department of Landscape Architecture
Andrew Wilcox Project Committee Chair Professor and Department Chair
Philip Pregill Project Committee Member Professor of Landscape Architecture
Jared Pierce Project Committee Member Forest Landscape Architect Tahoe National Forest
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ABSTRACT
This study took research participants on scenic hikes throughout California to understand landscape preferences utilizing participant photography. There were 8 hikes total and 16 participants. The hikes took place at the following locations: Abbott’s Lagoon in Point Reyes National Seashore, Vivian Creek Trail in the San Gorgonio Wilderness, Strawberry Peak and Mount Baden-Powell in the Angeles National Forest, Mosaic Canyon in Death Valley National Park, Abalone Cove Shoreline Park in Palos Verdes, the South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes, Loch Lomond in Santa Cruz County, and Mount San Jacinto State Park. Participants were given a disposable camera on each hike and asked to photograph the landscape. After the hikes, film was developed, and participants were emailed digital copies of their photographs and asked to explain why each photo was taken. The literature review has two sections. Part one has a focus on plant communities found in California, while part 2 has a focus on landscape preferences, perception, and scenic beauty of landscape.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SIGNATURE PAGE ...... ii ABSTRACT ...... iii LIST OF FIGURES ...... vi CHAPTER 1: Introduction ...... 1 1.1 Overview ...... 1 1.2 Goals and Objectives ...... 2 1.3 Background ...... 3 CHAPTER 2: Research Methods ...... 6 2.1 Methods ...... 6 2.2 Participant Photography ...... 6 2.3 Journal Entries and Photo Response Forms ...... 6 CHAPTER 3: Procedures ...... 7 3.1 Procedures ...... 7 CHAPTER 4: Literature Review Part 1: Landscape Preference, Landscape Assessment, and Scenery ...... 9 4.1 Introduction and Historical Background ...... 9 4.2 Importance of Landscape Preference Studies for Landscape Architecture ...... 10 4.3 Factors Affecting Landscape Preference ...... 11 4.4 The Need for a Different Method ...... 12 4.5 Experiences in the Landscape ...... 12 4.6 Visual Quality Assessment ...... 13 4.7 Conclusion ...... 14 CHAPTER 5: Literature Review Part 2: California Plant Communities ...... 15 5.1 Introduction ...... 15 5.2 Climate ...... 17 5.4 Coastal Redwood Forest ...... 21 5.5 Coastal Mixed Evergreen ...... 22 5.6 Riparian Forest ...... 22 5.7 Interior grassland ...... 22 iv
5.8 Vernal pools ...... 22 5.9 Foothill woodland ...... 24 5.10 Chaparral ...... 24 5.11 Mountain Vegetation ...... 25 5.12 The Desert ...... 27 CHAPTER 6: Results ...... 29 6.1 Hike 1: Point Reyes National Seashore ...... 29 6.2 Hike 2: Sacred Cove, Palos Verdes ...... 31 6.4 Hike 4: Strawberry Peak ...... 35 6.5 Hike 5: Mount Baden Powell ...... 36 6.6 Hike 6: Mosaic Canyon ...... 37 6.7 Hike 7: South Coast Botanic Garden ...... 38 6.8 Hike 8: Loch Lomond ...... 39 6.10 Responses Overall ...... 43 CHAPTER 7: Discussion ...... 45 CHAPTER 8: Conclusion ...... 48 8.1 Conclusion ...... 48 8.2 Limitations ...... 49 8.4 Recommendations for Future Research ...... 50 REFERENCES ...... 51 APPENDIX A ...... 59 APPENDIX B ...... 61
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 Tiburon Mariposa Lily ...... 15 Figure 2 A Generalized Geologic Map of California ...... 16 Figure 3 Incredible landforms on the Northern California Coast...... 18 Figure 4 Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes north of Santa Barbara ...... 19 Figure 5 Northern Coastal Scrub and Prairie vegetation in Salt Point State Park...... 20 Figure 6 Chaparral in the Angeles National Forest ...... 25 Figure 7 Anza Borrego State Park ...... 28
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CHAPTER 1: Introduction
1.1 Overview
This study took research participants on a series of trips throughout California to get their own unique perspective of the California landscape. Landscape Architects who work for both the forest service and the national park service work with the perspectives of the park visitor when it comes to scenery. For them, it is very important to consider the perspective of the visitor as it influences the decisions made regarding protection of scenery. Protecting visual landscape quality is also crucial for environmental management and policy (Daniel, 2001). Scenery is one of the main reasons why most visitors come to national parks and forests; national park surveys found that 90 percent of visitors listed scenery as extremely important to protect and preserve (Kulesza et al. 2013). Attempts to assess the landscape in the past give us less information about what is important to everyone, especially since many past preference studies take an average of the ratings received from each participant to determine the rating of a single landscape scene. In addition, many of the past studies use photographs instead of physically taking people into the landscape. Rather than showing participants photographs of different landscapes like studies of the past, (Kaplan 1977, Anderson 1978, Miller 1984, Kaplan 1985) my study takes groups of people to these places for them to experience the landscapes in person. In addition, while a photo restricts a person to a single view, being physically present in the landscape gives a full view of the area, and hiking through the landscape will provide the opportunity for the participant to experience every aspect of the landscape. I believe what people will be attracted to in the landscape will be resulting from their unique life experiences and things that are important in their lives. Instructing people to go out on their own and experience the landscape from their perspective will reveal unique insights from each person. Limiting the amount of instructions given to participants has the intention of allowing a more uninfluenced perspective to come through, a perspective that is a pure reflection of that person’s perception of the landscape. Not limiting people to rating the scenery of a landscape on a numeric scale should produce data that is richer in information (Carlson 1984). Often, these studies would take an average of the numeric ratings of the participants to determine the landscape preferences of the people. This results in a generalized preference score, where information from each participant is lost slightly. These subtle differences matter greatly in a design field where attention to detail is valued, so why should we be looking at just the average preference score from a large group of study participants. If we collect open ended responses from participants and allow them to describe everything that is important to them in the landscape, what kind
1 of information will we find? Will conducting more studies such as this one, lead the way for new advances in the field of design and landscape architecture? And lastly, taking out many groups of people without professional training in design will produce varied qualitative data useful for public agencies (Cats-Baril, 1986). People’s opinions on aesthetics is a product of their prior knowledge, unique emotions, and personal vision (Shimamura, 2013). I predict this finding will be consistent in this project of discovering people’s perspectives of the aesthetics of the California landscape. Overall, the research done in the past agrees that there is a need for a different method used for landscape assessment which can combine the topics of scenic beauty, preference, and psychological restoration benefits from nature (Macdonald, 1994 ). There is also agreement that participant photography is a useful tool to use for landscape assessment. My study follows the recommendations of past research which had been conducted on this topic. My study also creates a different kind of method to assess landscape and physically takes participants to these locations in an attempt to combine the topics of landscape preference, scenic beauty, and restoration (Han, 2010). 1.2 Goals and Objectives
Goal The goal of this thesis project is to take research participants to iconic locations of the California landscape and gather qualitative data on what participants are drawn to in the landscape while hiking. Objectives The objectives of this thesis project include: 1. Take research participants on a hike to an iconic location of the California landscape where they experience all the benefits a nature hike offers. 2. Collect rich qualitative data on preferences and perspectives of the California landscape at each location, from each participant. This data will be in the form of photographs taken by the participants, photo response forms, and journal entries. 3. Analyze the data to see if there are any commonalities across participants. See if any specific categories or components of landscape appear after reviewing the photographs taken by the participants. Examine data to see if it is consistent with past research on landscape preference and to see if any new insights emerge. Thesis Question
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What are the individual perspectives of the California landscape? What will the photographs and journal entries of the research participants reveal about landscape preferences in natural settings and is this consistent with past research? 1.3 Background
Background: Area and Project Context The California landscape is an incredibly diverse place. Home to both the tallest trees and the largest trees on the planet, California is also home to both the lowest point (- 279 feet) and the highest point (14,505 feet) in the contiguous United States. The lowest point being Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park and the highest point is 84.6 miles north west; Mount Whitney (Barbour, Pavlik, & Lindstrom, 1993). California has a variety of soils, vegetation, and climatic types, about 1,000 distinctive plant communities, and all eleven of the world’s major soil groups. Not only is California rich in plant communities, but it is also rich in plant species. Thirty percent of California’s plant species cannot be found anywhere else in the world (Barbour, Pavlik, & Lindstrom, 1993). The climate type of most of California is Mediterranean, but this does not include the area of the desert regions which lie outside of the California Floristic Province. The entire region of the California Floristic Province contains a Mediterranean climate; however, this region extends into south western Oregon and northern Baja California, Mexico. The California Floristic Province covers an area of about 125,097 square miles while the political boundary of the state covers about 163,707 square miles (“California—Landscape,” n.d.). The Jepson Manual identifies 10 geographic subdivisions in the state of California, and 6 of them are included in the California Floristic Province. The other 4 regions which lie outside of the Floristic Province are the Deserts, which include the Great Basin Province and the Desert Province (Jepson, 1993). The hikes were chosen because they are a good sample to show the diversity of landscapes in California. The hikes took place at the following locations: Palos Verdes, Abalone Cove and Shoreline Park This hike will begin at the parking area for Abalone Cove Shoreline Park and end at the Portuguese point tidepools. From the parking area it is a quarter mile to the dirt trailhead that leads down to the beach. Abalone Cove is one of the best spots for tidepools in the Los Angeles area and features a sea cave and views of Catalina Island. Plant Communities: Coastal Sage Scrub Point Reyes National Seashore, Abbot’s Lagoon
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Abbot’s Lagoon is in Point Reyes National Seashore and features a 3.2 round trip hike. Although only 1.6 miles from the parking lot to the beach, the trail features a variety of landscapes. There is a coastal pond, coastal foothills, grassland, sand dunes, and even a working cattle ranch. The hike traverses over a diverse matrix of habitat capable of supporting many species of birds. Plant Communities: Beach Dune, Freshwater and brackish marsh, coastal prairie Mosaic Canyon, Death Valley National Park Mosaic Canyon is a 1- mile hike through a high walled canyon which resembles a slot canyon. There is colorful slickrock and polished marble making up the rock walls of the canyon. The canyon is names after the mosaic breccia rock formation which makes up the canyon walls Plant Communities: Mojave Desert bordering the Great Basin Desert Vivian Creek Trail, Mount San Gorgonio Wilderness Mount San Gorgonio is the tallest mountain in Southern California rising at an elevation of 11,503 ft. From the Vivian Creek trail the trip is 16 miles round trip. Plant Communities: Chaparral, Riparian, Lower Montane, Upper Montane, and Alpine Mount San Jacinto State Park, Aerial Tramway to San Jacinto Peak John Muir described the view from the top of the 10,834-foot peak of San Jacinto as “One of the most sublime spectacles seen anywhere on earth”. The hike passes through Round Valley and Long Valley with alpine views and views of the Coachella Valley below. Plant Communities: Riparian, Lower Montane, Upper Montane, Alpine Mount Baden Powell Mount Baden Powell is one of the tallest mountains in the San Gabriel Mountains standing at an elevation of 9,406 feet. The trail is 8 miles round trip and travels through a beautifully forested area. There are amazing views looking out towards the Mojave Desert and surrounding panorama. There are also limber pines that are over a thousand years old. Plant Communities: Riparian, Lower Montane, Upper Montane, Alpine Strawberry Peak Strawberry peak is a favorite southern California hike located in the front ranges of the San Gabriel mountains. It is the highest peak in the front ranges of the San Gabriel’s
4 standing at an elevation of 6,165 feet. It was named after its resemblance to an upside- down strawberry. Plant Communities: Oak woodland, Chaparral Loch Lomond, Santa Cruz Mountains Loch Lomond Recreation area is a reservoir which stores water for the nearby residents of Santa Cruz, and a recreation area which allows for boating and hiking. The lake is surrounded by coastal redwood forest. Plant Communities: Coastal Redwood Forest (Stienstra & Brown, 2016).
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CHAPTER 2: Research Methods 2.1 Methods
The research methods for this project will include participant photography, photo response forms, and journal entries. The researcher has completed the Collaborative Institutional Training initiative courses in the protection of human subjects and the research methods have been approved by the Cal Poly Pomona Institutional Review Board. 2.2 Participant Photography
Participant Photography is a research method which allows the research participant to select views in the landscape which are important to them. The photograph provides a visual representation of a participant’s perspective from a moment in time. Richard Chenoweth first identified this research method in 1984 as a tool for research in Landscape Architecture, and in 1988, researchers Hull and Revell identified participant photography as a useful tool to solve problems associated with sampling landscapes for visual quality assessments. This is a dependable method for obtaining perspectives about the landscape from the public. 2.3 Journal Entries and Photo Response Forms
Photo response forms and journal entries of each participant will paint a picture of each research participants unique experience of the hike. After the hikes, participants will be emailed photo response forms which correspond to the photographs they took on the hike. Each participant then will further evaluate why they decided to take each photo. Digital images of the photographs will be emailed to the participants prior to the response forms. Journal entries will give the participants the opportunity to reflect on their experience before and after the hike. Research participants will be asked to journal their thoughts in the beginning of the hike (within the first hour) and at the end of the hike. These journal entries should provide rich data on each participant experience of the hike. The Outdoor Challenge Program which was discussed by Rachel Kaplan in The Experience of Nature, utilized journal entries as a research method and reported positive results and detailed information from participants (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989).
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CHAPTER 3: Procedures 3.1 Procedures
Participants will be given 1 disposable camera with 27 exposures on each trip and asked to take photos of what they are drawn to in the landscape. Little direction or rules will be given as to not bias the participants. Each location will be in a different plant community or iconic landscape of California. After the trip, participants will be emailed digital copies of their photos, and be asked to write a response to their 10 favorite photos. 1. Participants will be recruited for the study 2. Participants will attend a small group hike 4. Participants will receive digital copies of their photos by email after film is developed 5. Participants will be asked to write a response to their 10 favorite photos 3.2 Participants This study utilized human subjects in research. The researcher and Co- PI have completed the Collaborative Institutional Training initiative courses in the protection of human subjects. The California State Polytechnic University at Pomona Institutional Review Board has reviewed the protocol for research with human subjects and the protocol has been approved. The approval letter can be found in the appendix of this document. Inclusion criteria of the subject group included young adults ages 22 – 32 who are healthy enough to attend easy to strenuous hikes. Exclusion criteria included anyone not physically fit enough to complete a 3-mile to 12-mile hike. The study had a total of 16 subjects. The following is a list showing how many participants attended each hike. Abbotts Lagoon, Point Reyes National Seashore 3 Participants 1 Male 2 Females Sacred Cove, Palos Verdes 3 Participants 3 Females Vivian Creek Trail, San Gorgonio Wilderness
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1 Participant 1 Male Strawberry Peak, Angeles National Forest 2 Participants 2 Males Mount Baden Powell, Angeles National Forest 1 Participant 1 Female Mosaic Canyon, Death Valley National Park 1 Participant 1 Female South Coast Botanic Garden 1 Participant 1 Female Loch Lomond Recreation Area 2 Participants 1 Female 1 Male Mount San Jacinto State Park 2 Participants 1 Female 1 Male The rate of return for the photo response forms for each participant on each hike was 100 percent. All participants who attended each hike sent back their completed photo response forms.
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CHAPTER 4: Literature Review Part 1: Landscape Preference, Landscape Assessment, and Scenery
4.1 Introduction and Historical Background
Landscape research studies first began to really take off in the 1960’s. Since then these studies have greatly increased in number and influenced a new generation of researchers. Prominent researchers in the field of psychology, Rachel and Stephen Kaplan received a grant from the United States Forest Service in the early 1970’s to study the effects of an outdoors program on people. This outdoor program was called the outdoor challenge program, and numerous positive effects on people from exposure to nature were found. This research was discussed thoroughly in their book, The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective. Attention Restoration Theory was a notable theory discussed in the book, The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective. The theory states that exposure to nature can restore a human's attention and focus after it has been fatigued (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989). This discovery lead to more findings about the restoring potential of nature, it was even found that having just a view of vegetation out a window can be beneficial to human health. Kaplan in 1993, inspired by her own observations of increased well-being from upgrading from a windowless office to an office with a view of a tree, completed a study proving that office workers experienced better well-being when they had an office with a view of nature (Kaplan, 1993). Similarly, Ulrich’s famous 1984 study, found that hospital patients with a window view of trees recovered quicker than patients without a view of nature or vegetation. More studies which built on the restorative properties of nature followed. Hartig in 1991, conducted a study which was based on Attention Restoration Theory by Rachel and Stephen Kaplan. The study required participants to complete a series of tasks designed to test human attention and cause mental fatigue, due to the overuse of directed attention capacity (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989). Immediately following the completion of the attention draining activity participants were randomly assigned to walk in an urban area, walk in a nature preserve, or sit and read while music played. It was found that participants which were assigned to walk in a nature preserve reported the greatest recovery of their attention fatigue (Hartig, 1991). In 1995, the workplace environment was another subject of a study which aimed to find a solution to the increase of reports of stressors in the workplace. The study found that visual scenes of nature, and access to outdoor stimuli is an essential need for people to function effectively in the workplace (Heerwagen, 1995).
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Later studies used participants which were experiencing different levels of attention fatigue to test the magnitude of the positive effect of nature on human well-being. One study contained participants which had 2 variables, less fatigued and more fatigued. The study found that participants with the more fatigued condition reported an experience of greater attention recovery on a numeric scale than the participants with the less fatigued condition (Hartig & Staats, 2006). The benefits of walking in nature continued to be researched and the discoveries continued. In 2009, Kuo conducted a study concerned with the impact natural environments could have on children with ADHD. The study found children which were assigned to walk in a park, outperformed their counterparts on attention tasks who were assigned to walk in an urban area or residential neighborhood (Kuo 2009). It was known prior that exposure to nature could increase attention span in the general population, however this study proved it was also effective to those in the population with ADHD. The consensus of these studies has concluded that access to scenes of nature is essential to human health and plays an important role in relieving stress (Ulrich, 1981; Ber, Hartig, & Staats, 2007). 4.2 Importance of Landscape Preference Studies for Landscape Architecture
The subject of environmental psychology involves the study of how people assess their environments in different ways (Stokols, 1978). Within the field of environmental psychology is the field of landscape preference. Landscape preference is defined as a person's feeling of fondness for the landscape, and it can be for any reason (Herzog & Bosley, 1992). There is a significant amount of research which has been able to prove the existence of a human preference for scenes of nature over man-made scenes (Kaplan, Kaplan, & Wendt, 1972; Ulrich, 1981, 1983; Smardon, 1988; Kaplan 1992). Studies followed which showed participants photos of landscapes which were edited to be less vibrant in color, the photos of dull landscapes were still preferred over urban scenes (Tinio & Leder, 2009). Later studies which were influenced by this finding began to focus on discovering the specifics about the natural landscape that cause this phenomenon. It has been a subject of agreement among researchers that landscape preference studies should be very important to designers for many reasons. One major finding is that when existing in an environment which suits our preference, there is a link with the human ability to improve (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989). Rachel Kaplan sums up the importance of people’s preferences, and the conflict the field of aesthetics sometimes faces perfectly in this quote: “Rather than being frivolous, preference as we have come to see it through numerous studies is an expression of a deep and underlying aspect of human functioning. Although people are generally not aware of it, their preferences are influenced by such factors as
10 whether they could learn more in a given environment and whether they would be able to move around in the environment without fear of getting lost.” (Kaplan & Kaplan 1989 p. 6) Similarly, Nasar found in 1988 that designs which focused on satisfying documented human preferences, were successful in enhancing human well-being. There is also a significant amount of research which has shown people to exhibit an increase of positive emotions when they are presented with natural landscape scenes (Garvill, Olsson, & Garling, 1996; Hull & Harvey, 1989; Ulrich, 1979, 1981). Additionally, the more a person seems to prefer a natural scene has been shown to be correlated with the amount of mental restoration they can receive in studies which looked at the potential for exposure to nature to alleviate attention fatigue (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989; Ulrich, 1983). So, this potentially could mean if a person were sitting in a deciduous forest by a babbling brook, their favorite landscape, they would receive a high amount of restorative effects. Overall, it has been found that preferred landscapes promote attention restoration in humans (Ulrich, 1991; Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989, Newell, 1997). 4.3 Factors Affecting Landscape Preference
In the well-known book: The Experience of Landscape, by Jay Appleton, the idea that preference is linked to our evolutionary past was first discussed. When presented with an environment which can meet our needs biologically as humans, we should experience a preference for that landscape. People do not have landscape preferences which are the same across the board. Their preferences of landscapes have been studied, and they vary. Studies of the past have focused on certain characteristics of people to determine why people have varying preferences (Stamps & Nasar, 1997; Abello & Bernaldez, 1986). The reasons for certain landscape preferences in humans has also been shown to be influenced by our psychological make-up (Leder, Belke, Oeburst, & Augustin, 2004). Similarly, some studies have discovered that humans believe something is aesthetically pleasing when it is familiar and fits their opinion of how something should be (Reber, Schwarz, & Winkielman, 2004). So, if I am conducting a landscape preference study using photographs of different landscape scenes and one photograph features a large waterfall, the study participant might rate that photo of a waterfall as highly preferred, if that waterfall resembles a waterfall from their personal memory. Just to give an example, maybe there was a hike from their childhood which featured a waterfall and has fond memories attached to it. By the same token, the ability of the brain to process a scene with ease has been associated with aesthetics. Studies have shown that imagery or natural landscapes are easier for us to process than man-made scenes (Orians & Heerwagen, 1992).
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Brain imaging technology has also proven the phenomenon of human well-being associated with viewing nature. Areas of the brain associated with the feeling of pleasure have been shown to light up in studies where participants were shown images of natural environments while in an MRI machine (Biederman & Vessel, 2006). 4.4 The Need for a Different Method
It has been widely documented that the old methods for landscape assessment are not sufficient. Several past studies have come to difference conclusions supporting the fact that some of the old approaches to landscape assessment are not sufficient measures and need to go further. In 1977, researcher Carlson concluded landscape assessments should be made up many combined normative aesthetic knowledges. The act of quantifying a landscape is not an appropriate practice (Carlson, 1984). Landscape assessments are more appropriate when surveys or other forms of participation from the public are utilized over the opinions of design professionals (Cats-Baril, 1986). Landscape assessments should be objective and subjective methods use to assess the landscape should not be used (Lothian, 1999). Landscape assessments need to include ecological aspects because ecology is a pivotal part of the landscape (Gobster, 1999). In 2006 Antrop concluded landscape assessments should be follow changing social norms and meanings, assessments should not be stable over time. In 2003 Dakin concluded that assessments should be able to pick up on the invisible qualities that make up the aesthetics of a landscape. Scannell and Gifford in 2010 made the argument that landscape assessments should have a focus on place attachment and community identity. Similarly, Cats-Baril and Gibson found landscape assessments should reveal local and visitor cultural values and needs in 1986. 4.5 Experiences in the Landscape
Research on landscape preference agrees that there are certain objects in the landscape people are attracted to which cause physiological or mental responses. The degree of complexity, water features, and openness in the landscape are some of these features (Ulrich, 1979, 1983, 1993). As for the emotional aspects, researchers Berlyne and Lewis found in 1963, feelings of calm and tranquility to be associated with open natural environments, like a grassland. In contrast, they could complexity in the landscape to be associated with stress. Studies have also identified specific qualities a landscape can influence people to have a positive response. A sense of being away, high fascination value, provide exploration, and compatibility “setting must fit what one is trying to do and what one would like to do.” are the qualities identified by researchers Rachel and Stephen Kaplan.
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Experiencing beautiful places and landscapes has been documented as a meaningful experience which is an important part of the human experience (Krebs 2014). In addition to this, experiencing beautiful landscapes also plays an important role in the emotional and spiritual aspects of human lives (Zube, 1987). Curtin in 2008 found that the presence of wildlife in the landscape significantly improved tourist experiences in Australia, and encounters with wildlife elicits a feeling of awe, and even has psychological benefits. The presence of color in the landscape also influences preference. Past studies have provided evidence that if there is color in the landscape, people tend to rate the landscape scene higher (Tinio & Leder, 2009). Mausner in 2005 took participants on group hikes and instructed them to talk about environmental features in the landscape that caught their attention during the hike, in a study used to document human interactions with nature. Mauser found there were many aspects to the nature experience that could only be experienced on a hike, for example how the experience of climbing through boulders can alter perception. (Holmes, 1998) Looked at the aesthetic experience of forests, and describes the wonderous experience of walking through a forest. (Morgan & Williams, 1999) Reported the opposite phenomenon among participants, who rated beach scenery in their study lower if there was cloud cover. This is consistent with past research, it has been shown people strongly prefer green in the landscape than brown colors (Kaufman, 2002). In 1992, Herzog and Bosley found that their variable “tranquility” was highly correlated with preference. Additionally, the variable “mystery” proceeded with a slightly lower score. Preference in the natural environment has been shown to be influenced by what an individual might believe is functional to them (van den Berg, Koole, & van der Wulp, 2003). Interestingly, Han in 2013 made the conclusion little research has been conducted to examine the relationships at work linking scenic beauty, preference, and restoration. 4.6 Visual Quality Assessment
Researchers Daniel and Boster were the first so use the variable “scenic beauty” quantitatively to measure human preference for landscapes in 1976. The observation that design professionals have different opinions of landscape aesthetics than the general public and the phenomena of increasing public interest in protecting the scenery in public lands is what caused agencies like the forest service to create a scenic assessment method which was based on public input (Arthur, 1977). It has been documented in studies that when people are shown images of low-quality landscapes visually, their response is negative. Similarly, when people are shown images depicting landscapes considered high quality, positive reactions arise (Daniel & Vining, 1983). One explanation of this might come from our evolutionary past. Higher quality habitat, is associated with higher survival rates (Orians & Heerwagen, 1992).
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4.7 Conclusion
Studies have shown exposure to nature can improve human health, mood, and focus. Research proves the importance of landscape preference studies, and how pivotal it is for us to learn from these studies. The findings provide a roadmap of how we can become happier, healthier and in the words of the researchers, “more effectively functioning” people in society. Although scenic beauty, preference, and restoration are interrelated, little research has been done to investigate how they are related (Macdonald, 1994). For example, some research shows our preferences come from theories of evolutionary psychology and we have evolved to prefer environments which lead to increased rates of survival. However, this would not explain why some people exhibit a preference for landscapes which would be difficult to survive in. Death Valley National Park reports one million visitors per year, yet it sets a record for being the hottest and driest place on earth (National Park Service, 2019). Surely this landscape is not one we would be able to survive in if left without our modern technologies. Yet people rate this landscape as highly scenic. Perhaps the fact that the landscape has such a high fascination value and satisfies the sense of being away because the landscape is so unique and different from what we experience in our day to day lives. This lays out a question for further research. We can look at the qualities which need to be present in the landscape to illicit a positive response from people a little closer. Do some people exhibit a preference for certain landscape qualities? Is the preference for one landscape quality much more important than another? Or is the preference for a landscape quality only slight. Or are all the qualities rated equally in importance for a certain individual.
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CHAPTER 5: Literature Review Part 2: California Plant Communities
5.1 Introduction
California is home to over 6,000 native plants, more than any other state. California’s 6,000 plants include 1/4th of all plant types in North America, north of the Mexican border. California’s diverse topography, rich geologic history, diverse soils, and climate can explain some of the reasons why California has such a rich flora (Faber, 1997). California contains a total of 1,742 rare plant species (California Native Plant Society’s Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants of California, 2001). Thirty percent of California native plants are endemics, meaning they can only be found in California (Barbour, Pavlik, & Lindstrom, 1993).
Figure 1 Tiburon Mariposa Lily
Source: Crawford, B. (n.d.). photograph. Pictured above is the Mariposa Lily or Calochortus tiburonensis. It is one of the plants listed on the California Native Plant Society’s Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plant Species List. The plant is known only to occur in one location, the Ring Mountain Open Space Preserve located north of San Francisco in Marin County. It grows on serpentine soils. Some Determinants of Plant Distributions, Rarity, and Richness (Plant Species and Communities)
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• Soil Types (Soils can vary based on parent material, or differences in weathering). For example, soils which are very old and have been very weathered over the years are nutrient-poor.
• Large Scale Climate
• Local Climate
Figure 2 A Generalized Geologic Map of California
Source: (n.d.). Retrieved February 28, 2020, from https://www.saddleback.edu/faculty/mhill/CA GEol lecture_links.htm
There is a total of 11 different soil groups found in the world, and California has examples of each soil group (Barbour et al., 1993). Many rare plants found in California are edaphic endemic plants, which are plants that only grow on a certain type of soil (Faber, 1997). In North America, the largest exposure of serpentine rock can be found in California. As serpentine rocks begin to weather, soils develop which are high in magnesium and low in calcium, which is toxic to many plants (Faber, 1997). California’s serpentine soils can explain the occurrence of many rare endemic plants which have adapted to living on serpentine. Serpentinite is also the California state mineral (Barbour et al., 1993). The geologic history of California includes episodes of faulting, mountain uplift, glaciation, and erosion. Major tectonic plate activity is responsible for creating the varied landscape of California. Sixty million years ago, the central valley in California was at the western edge of the North American continent (Faber, 1997).
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5.2 Climate
California has a diverse climate. The diversity in climate is caused by a diversity in geography in California, and this causes a diversity in vegetation types. Cool and wet winters and hot and dry summers are characteristic of the Mediterranean climate. More than half of the state has a Mediterranean climate, which does not include the deserts, high mountains, or northwest. The northwest receives too much precipitation to be considered a Mediterranean climate, the deserts are too hot and dry, and the high mountains are too cold. Along the coast, summer temperatures are more moderate. The ocean acts as a heat sink, absorbing heat in the summer and releasing heat to the air in the winter. Ranges in temperature are greater more inland from the coast. Precipitation decreases as you travel south. San Diego receiving 10 inches of precipitation per year, while San Francisco receives 25 inches per year. Temperature and amount of precipitation are also influenced by elevation. From the ocean, air pushes towards the east and cools as it rises in elevation. When air hits our mountain ranges it is forced to rise. Moisture in the air condenses as the air cools as it rises in elevation. Temperatures fall 3 degrees Fahrenheit for every 1000 feet of elevation rise. Precipitation increases around 7 inches annually for every 1000 feet in elevation rise for up to 8,000 feet in elevation. Above 8,000 feet most of the moisture has been taken out of the air and precipitation levels will decrease. The limit of the Mediterranean climate in northern California mountains is 5,000 feet while it is 3,000 feet in southern California. The deserts are in the rain shadow cast by the mountain ranges. Topography is also an influence on climate. South and west facing slopes are usually warmer and drier. Southern slopes will have higher temperatures than northern slopes. Eastern slopes receive morning light, which is cooler than afternoon light, and western slopes receive afternoon light the hottest part of the day. This will cause differences in vegetation on each slope (Barbour, Pavlik, & Lindstrom, 1993). 5.3 California Coastal Vegetation Landforms on found on the California coast include rocky coves, steep cliffs, sandy bays, muddy tidal flats, and different types of sand dunes. These landforms are impressive and have been shaped by the strong forces of the Pacific Ocean. Together, the oceans mechanical forces and the landforms determine the vegetation types found on the coast. California coastal vegetation varies widely from the north to the south, but it can be described as a mosaic of dune, wetlands, prairie, scrub, and forests (Barbour, Pavlik, & Lindstrom, 1993).
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Figure 3 Incredible landforms on the Northern California Coast.
Location: Salt Point State Park, Sonoma County Source: Photos taken by the author
Average Rainfall on the Coast South: 10 inches Central: 25 inches North: 30 to 60 inches In forested habitats in the north: 7.8 to 20 inches of summer fog drip (Young, 2013). Beach and Dunes Beach vegetation can be found in the area between the mean high tide line to the foot of the first dune, which is also called the foredune. This vegetation type covers about 10-20% of the ground and consists of low growing plants (Barbour, Pavlik, & Lindstrom, 1993). Dunes occur along the immediate coast at an elevation range of 32 to 330 feet. Soils consist of recently deposited sands or paleo-dunes which have been reworked. California coastal dunes are critically endangered and have been negatively affected by invasive species, urbanization, and recreation. For sand dunes to form, they need a source of sand such as from river sediments, eroding bluffs, or paleo dunes, and a low area for them to collect. There are three types of dunes, including: primary foredune, parabolic dunes, and moving sand sheets. Primary foredunes have sparse vegetation and run parallel to the shore. Parabolic dunes
18 are U Shaped, with vegetated ridges, and run perpendicular to the to the shore. Moving sand sheets are in motion with active movement and have little to no vegetation (Young 2013). Spotlight: Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes The Guadalupe Nipomo Dunes stretch 18 miles from Pismo State Beach in San Luis Obispo County to Point Sal in northern Santa Barbara County, they are the largest intact coastal dune system on the planet. The dunes are home to several rare plants and are crucial location for over 200 species of birds. Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes. (n.d.).
Figure 4 Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes north of Santa Barbara
Source: Photos taken by the author
Sand dunes are harsh environments for plants. Plants on the beach need to be adapted to withstand stresses such as salt spray, low soil nitrogen, sand blasts, high light intensity, burial by sand, and sandy soils which are characteristic of this environment. High salinity in the soil affects plants just like dry soil or drought would. To adapt to these conditions, beach vegetation has evolved with several special traits to survive (Faber, 1997). Some of these traits include big taproots to access the water table, or an extensive system of shallow roots to take up as much surface water as possible, a prostrate growth pattern to protect from high winds, a thick cuticle which can prevent water loss from transpiration and block salt, succulence to protect from low water levels, and pale leaves to protect from the harsh beach sunlight (Young 2013).European beach grass, sea
19 fig, and hottentot fig are all introduced plants which are having negative effects on beach and dune habitat (Barbour, Pavlik, & Lindstrom, 1993). Coastal Prairie and Scrub In California, the coastal prairie plant community can be found north of Big Sur. It resides just inland of the beach and dune plant community. Northern coastal scrub and Prairie occur north of San Luis Obispo and all the way to Oregon. The scrub is often on ravines or steep slopes and Prairie is on terraces which have deep alluvial soils. There are often shifts in the mosaic of prairie and scrub vegetation, which is usually caused by either fire, grazing animals, or succession (Young, 2013). Coastal scrub can be divided into Northern scrub, located north of Big Sur and southern scrub located south of Big Sur. Coyote brush, Salal, Bush lupine and California coffeeberry are common plants of the Northern California scrub. Southern California scrub vegetation is lower and more open than northern scrub and is dominated by sage and sagebrush species (Faber, 1997). The coastal sage scrub plant community is highly threated by development (Barbour et al., 1993). Maritime Succulent Scrub, San Diego County to Baja. Coastal prairie and coastal scrub are located inland from the beaches on California’s terraces, cliffs, and rolling hills. Coastal prairie has been heavily modified since the arrival of the settlers in the mid-nineteenth century. The plant community has been affected by heavy grazing, and invasive plants such as the wild artichoke, milk thistle, and Klamath weed (Young, 2013).
Figure 5 Northern Coastal Scrub and Prairie vegetation in Salt Point State Park.
Location: Sonoma County Source: Photo taken by the author
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Coastal Forest More inland from coastal prairie and scrub lies the coastal forest which includes redwood, Douglas-fir, mixed evergreen, and closed cone forests (Faber, 1997). 5.4 Coastal Redwood Forest
Thanks to the very cool and humid maritime climate, this plant community produces the fastest growing trees on the planet. The dim forest floor has many different plants growing there including huckleberry, salal, wax myrtle, sword fern, redwood sorrel, and many others. A northern-temperate forest which once surrounded the earth about 320 million years ago contained ancestors of the redwood tree, part of the Arcto-Tertiary geoflora during the cretaceous period. A changing climate and continental drift caused the redwoods habitat to shrink to include North America, Western Europe, Himalayas, and Japan. During the Pleistocene era repeated glacial cycles, mountain uplift and a cooler drier climate restricted the redwoods even more to include only western North America (Barbour, Pavlik, & Lindstrom, 1993). The Coast redwood Sequoia sempervirens is in the family Cupressaceae, and in the sub family Sequoioideae, it is related to the Sierra redwood or Giant Sequoia Sequoiadendron gianteum. Coastal Redwood Climate The redwoods need to receive year-round moisture, they receive up to 40 inches of precipitation per year, and 25 to 50 percent of this comes from summer fog. Water droplets from fog build up on the redwood leaves and drip down to the ground, and the redwoods drink up this water with their shallow root system. The shallow root system can be seen very well if there is a recently downed tree. 50 to 60 degrees F is the optimal temperature for a redwood tree (Young, 2013). Redwoods are the tallest trees on the planet, standing at a height of 300 feet or more and can live up to 2200 years. They have a DBH of 20 to 25 feet and are one of the fastest growing trees on earth, they also have the ability to store a lot of carbon. There is only 3% of old growth forest remaining, they have been heavily logged because the wood is so great for construction. Their wood contains natural compounds which makes it resistant to bacterial decay and fungus, this is one of the reasons why the trees can live so long (Barbour, Pavlik, & Lindstrom, 1993). The historic fire return interval in the redwood forest is between 20 to 500 years and is an ignition limited regime type. The fires in the redwood forest are surface fires, which do not kill large mature trees. Redwood trees are surrounded by 1- foot thick bark which is fire resistant. Cat eyes are common to see in a redwood tree which was affected by fire, the center of the trunk is missing but the outside bark
21 remains. Redwood trees are also well adapted to floods. Fire and flood encourage new redwood seedlings to grow since seedlings cannot survive on leaf littered forest floors (Young 2013). 5.5 Coastal Mixed Evergreen
The coastal mixed evergreen forest covers 5 percent of California’s area and is drier than the coast redwood forest. The canopy structure is also more open than that of the coast redwood. Along the northern coast you will find Douglas fir as a primary component of the forest and further south of that down to the central coast it will be coulter pine and some ponderosa pine. This vegetation type can be found mixed with chaparral, oak woodland, redwood, and coastal scrub. The fire return interval in these forests is a range od 5 to 75 years (Young, 2013). 5.6 Riparian Forest
Riparian vegetation occurs along rivers and streams in California at elevations below 1,600 feet. Riparian comes from the Latin word Ripa, which means a river or stream bank. The riparian forest type was once much more widespread in North America, but the climate warmed and dried on the west, and this type became restricted to areas along rivers on the west coast. On the east coast it is abundant because of the wet humid summers and cold and wet winters. The trees of the riparian forest retained a cold winter trait even though they experience mild winters in California, they continue to drop their leaves in the winter. The plants are also able to survive the dry summers because being near a waterway allows them to access a permanent water table (Barbour, Pavlik, & Lindstrom, 1993). 95 percent of riparian vegetation in California is now gone. Flooding is a natural disturbance regime in this plant community which has been highly altered by primarily dams and levees. 60 percent of California’s mammals use the riparian habitat and 25 percent of mammals need this habitat for continued survival (Young, 2013). Plants have adapted to the stresses of this environment which include inundation, low light, a changing streambed, and breakage from floodwaters (Young, 2013). 5.7 Interior grassland
Interior grassland of California has been heavily altered by agriculture activities of the central valley. The habitat once consisted primarily of perennial native bunchgrass but now much of this area is dominated by invasive European annuals (Faber, 1997). 5.8 Vernal pools
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Vernal pools are found in chaparral, grassland, lodgepole pine forest and oak woodland vegetation types where a hard pan soil layer prevents the percolation of water. Pools of water form in the winter and dry up in the spring. Wildflowers bloom in the spring in the areas which were inundated by the pools (Faber, 1997). Vernal pools are seasonal wetlands which have an underlying layer that is impermeable to water. This layer could include claypan, cemented hardpan, or volcanic rock. With the onset of winter rains the pools become inundated, and this water stands in the pools anywhere from 10 to 65 days during the winter and the spring. The depth of the water in the pools usually doesn’t reach more than 20 inches, water begins to dry up in the early spring, but the soil retains moisture through April and May (Rains 2006). Vernal pools have unique ecological features which distinguish them from other ecosystems. These features include: 1. They are ephemeral wetlands. The inundation period is too short and unpredictable to support truly aquatic species. 2. The water chemistry of the pools is a strong reflection that the water comes from rain. This means the water is low in nutrients, and salts, which distinguishes vernal pools from other seasonal wetlands, including alkai meadows, and tule and bulrush marshes. Within the vernal pools there is a visible zonation of vegetation. Zones of vegetation within the vernal pools are clearly visible and are a result of the vernal pool species seeds having different resistances to the time they are inundated. The plant species which can be found on the edge of the pool are in a shallower water level zone, therefore, the water dries up sooner and the species are more sensitive to inundation. The opposite is true for plants which grow in the center of the pool, where the water is deeper (Young, 2013). Ecological Islands
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They are isolated pools and groups of pools which allow species to diversify. This results in greater species diversity, such as narrow endemic species, which are now endangered. There are 17 different vernal pool regions in the state (Keeler-Wolf et al. 1998). Endangered Ecosystems 60-95% of vernal pool habitats have been lost since 1800, these losses are due to agriculture, altered hydrology, urbanization, and livestock grazing. And 13.3 percent of vernal pool habitats within the central valley were lost between the years 1997 and 2005. They host several threatened species (Young, 2013). 5.9 Foothill woodland
In northern California, dominant tree species of the foothill woodland include Oregon oak and California black oak, while in southern California these species include the coast live oak, Englemann oak, and California walnut. While blue oak, interior live oak, valley oak, and gray pine can be found in the drier interior foothills (Faber, 1997). 5.10 Chaparral
Chaparral consists of 8 percent of California’s 100 million acres. Chaparral vegetation in northern California is also distinct from chaparral in southern California. Chamise, scrub oak, ceanothus, toyon, and manzanita are among the most common species of northern California vegetation. Southern California chaparral also contains those species but also includes yucca, red shank, laurel sumac, and lemonade berry. Chaparral vegetation is also different from coastal sage scrub. The plant community can be found on dry, rocky, and poor soils, and sometimes even serpentine soils. The vegetation type has one layer which consists mostly of evergreen shrubs. The plant community is adapted to fire, and plants of this community can be seeders or sprouters. The historic fire return interval of this plant community is about 30 to 50 years however in recent years fires have been becoming much more frequent, and this had been resulting in type conversion to grassland (Young, 2013).
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Figure 6 Chaparral in the Angeles National Forest
Source: Photo taken by the author
5.11 Mountain Vegetation
Higher elevation means more precipitation, lower temperatures, shallower soils, and lower amounts of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Each 1,000-foot increase in elevation is equal to moving 300 miles north, in terms of vegetation types. Here are the 4 climatic zones in California’s mountains in order of increasing elevation: Lower montane, upper montane, subalpine, and alpine. As you travel south, the elevations of each zone will increase. For example, lower montane can be found at a lower elevation in northern California than in southern California (Barbour, Pavlik, & Lindstrom, 1993). Lower Montane Mixed Conifer Forest This vegetation type occurs at an elevation of 2,000 to 5,000 feet in northern California and at an elevation of 5,000 to 8,000 feet in the southern California mountain ranges (Faber, 1997).
“The inviting openness where trees stand more or less apart in groves, or in small irregular groups, enabling one to find their way nearly everywhere, along sunny colonnades and through openings that
25 have smooth, park-like surface…” - John Muir These forests which John Muir described above are not common to find today. Fire suppression policies and logging have caused forest to become less open and have a greater quantity of younger aged trees. In the past 150 years, half of the acreage of the lower montane mixed conifer forest has been cut at least once (Faber, 1997). The lower montane forest is also where the great Sierra redwood calls home. The Sierra redwood or Giant Sequoia area extends 250 miles north to south in the Sierra Nevada mountains. They can live up to 3,000 years or more and are the largest trees on the planet, 65 percent of old growth forest remains. Other plant communities of the lower montane include Ponderosa pine woodland and mixed conifer forest (Young, 2013). Upper montane forest Common trees found in the upper montane forest throughout the state include Jeffrey pine and lodgepole pine. Western white pine and red fir are tree species which can only be found in the northern portion of the state in this vegetation zone (Faber, 1997). Most of the Jeffrey pine forest can be found on the east side of the Sierras, the west side of the Sierras is more mixed, and Jeffrey Pines are found in higher and drier areas (Young, 2013). Mixed subalpine woodland The mixed subalpine woodland is where trees reach their upper elevation limit, an elevation of 7,500 to 10,000 feet. Common species of this zone include mountain hemlock, lodgepole pine, limber pine, foxtail pine, and bristlecone pine (Faber, 1997). The canopy of this woodland is short and the tree patterns can be described as sparse and clumped (Young, 2013). Lodgepole pine forest is found in moist areas and is a prevalent invader of meadows (it can also be found along the coast). The pine has two needles per fascicle and can reach heights of up to 65 feet or more (Young, 2013). The Whitebark pine or Pinus albicaulis is the most common treeline species found in the central and northern Sierra Nevada. It has 5 needles per fascicle and can grow up to 32 feet tall (Young, 2013). Alpine tundra The alpine tundra vegetation type occurs in the elevation zone of 10,300 to 11,000 feet elevation or more. It is above the treeline and consists of less than 1 percent of California. The growing season is shorter here and can be measured in weeks and days. Buckwheat, spreading phlox, and cushion cress are common plants of this zone (Faber, 1997). Cold is the main stress to plants in this zone but wind, intense sun, and drought are also stressors. There
26 is less precipitation here than in the lower altitudes. The growing season in this zone is only 6 to 10 weeks long and they experience nightly freezing. The winters are also very harsh, and the winds can dry out the plants. These habitats are fragile and slow to recover from damage (Young, 2013). 5.12 The Desert
The deserts lie in the rain shadow of the mighty California mountain ranges. Moisture in the air coming west from the pacific hits the California mountain ranges and most of the moisture is dropped on the west side of the mountains. East of these mountains, in the rain shadow, lies the deserts. There are 3 types of deserts in California, the cold desert, the warm desert, and the hot deserts. The cold desert is also known as the Great Basin Desert, the warm desert is the Mojave, and the hot desert is the Colorado. Each desert has its own unique vegetation type which is adapted to the conditions. The deserts occupy about 28 percent of the land area in the state and are biologically diverse places (Barbour, Pavlik, & Lindstrom, 1993). The Cold Desert The cold desert is also known as the Great Basin Desert. It is a high elevation (above 4,000 feet) desert located in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains (Faber, 1997). The Great Basin Desert in California can be found all the way up to the Modoc Plateau in the north to its southern limit in the Owens Valley. Most of the annual precipitation here falls as snow (Barbour,Pavlik, & Lindstrom, 1993). The cold deserts have a climate that is cold, dry, and continental (different from maritime). The main plant of this community is the Artemisia. This genus is rapidly evolving in the Great Basin and some major species found in the area include big sagebrush, low sagebrush, silver sagebrush, black sagebrush, and rock sagebrush. Other shrubs of the Great Basin include greasewood, bitterbrush, rabbitbrush, and horsebrush. This plant community has been rapidly invaded by cheatgrass which was introduced in the late 1800s and 1900s. Salt cedar is another invasive species found in this plant community (Young, 2013). The Warm Desert The warm desert includes the area of the Mojave Desert which lies just south of the cold desert (Faber, 1997). The average elevation here is 2,000 feet. This desert experiences more drought and warmer temperatures than the cold deserts because of its lower elevation, it also experiences more mild winters than the cold desert. This desert gets about 4 to 6 inches of precipitation per year, and some of it does fall as snow in the winter. A common shrub of the Mojave is the Creosote bush, it is also found in the Sonoran Desert and is possibly the most successful desert shrub found in North America. The
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Creosote bush has an incredible ability to survive extreme drought stress. The Joshua Tree, Yucca brevifolia, is another important plant of this community. It reaches heights of 30 feet, has sharp yucca-like leaves, and twisted branches (Barbour,Pavlik, & Lindstrom, 1993). Hot Desert The hot desert is also known as the Colorado desert and is located in the south eastern corner of California. There is a greater variety of plant life growing in the Colorado desert because the region is frost-free (Faber, 1997). Yearly precipitation in this desert is about two inches or less and the elevation is below 1,500 feet. The Colorado desert in California is a small part of the Sonoran Desert and it is named because of its location to the west of the Colorado river. The San Jacinto, Santa Rosa, and Laguna Mountains are the ranges responsible for creating this rain shadow. Temperatures here frequently exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit consecutively for weeks (Barbour, Pavlik, & Lindstrom, 1993). Botanically significant locations in this desert include the fan palm oasis and Anza Borrego State Park.
Figure 7 Anza Borrego State Park
Source: Photo taken by the author
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CHAPTER 6: Results
Results and Findings from the Hikes The following is a summary of the findings from the hikes, this is only a summary of what was included in the photos which I received written responses to. The photos which do not have a response were not analyzed. 6.1 Hike 1: Point Reyes National Seashore
At Point Reyes National Seashore there were 3 participants, they were told to take a photo of anything that caught their interest in the landscape, and to remember their reasoning for taking the photo. After the photos were developed 1 month later, digital copies of the photos were emailed to the participants, and they were asked to respond to their 10 favorite photos and write down their thoughts of the experience overall. Participant 1 The ten photos participant one took which they chose to respond to include: 1. A close-up of a sand verbena 2. Driftwood on the beach 3. A bridge and lagoon view 4. A view of the east side of the lagoon 5. A small plant growing in the waters of the lagoon 6. A shot of a great blue heron flying over the lagoon 7. A shot of me taking a photo of the great blue heron 8. A close-up view of a log on the beach taken with flash 9. A close-up of vegetation and oyster shells 10. A view of one of the study participants walking on a boardwalk with a view of the grassy prairie. Responses Summary Participant 1 showed interest in taking a photo of the sand verbena because they were interested in how the plant received its nutrients. They mentioned texture once and contrast twice. They also mentioned excitement over capturing a non-blurry photo of the heron in flight. Interest in the large log on the beach and showing a vast landscape scene. Participant 1 also revealed the reasoning for taking a photo of the oyster shells
29 was because they were surprised to find them in that location, so far away from the beach. Participant 2 The ten photos participant 2 took and choose to write a response to include: 1. A view of people on the beach 2. A photo of a dead bird carcass on the sand 3. A close-up view of the water in the lagoon 4. A view of the waves on the beach 5. A close-up of a string intending to keep people out of a restoration area 6. A photo of cows 7. A photo of scat 8. A view of the lagoon 9. A photo of the heron and a view of the lagoon 10. A photo looking out towards the bridge with people on the trail Responses Summary Participant 2 mentioned scale as a reason for taking photo number 1, as well as emotions and memories. They mentioned the adjective “gross” twice and explained that was a reason to take the photo. They were also interested in the length of the string closing off the restoration area. Animals in the landscape were also a strong reason to take a photo. Participant 2 also mentions contrast, when they explained that the separation of colors was of interest to them, and to compare with the last photo taken as they explained in their responses. Participant 3 The ten photos participant 3 took and choose to respond to include: 1. A close-up photo of poppies along the trail 2. A close-up photo of ferns 3. A close-up photo of blooming poppies 4. A view of a person taking a photo of the heron flying over the lagoon 5. People along the trail
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6. A view of the bridge over the lagoon 7. A close-up of some grasses being blown in the wind 8. A view with blooming cow parsnip 9. The group taking close-up photos of the lagoon 10. A person standing on the log 11. Another photo of everyone on the shore of the lagoon taking photos Responses Summary Participant 3 top reason to take a photo included being attracted to the colors in the landscape. They also mentioned being interested in contrast and composition of the photos. They had a desire to capture the experiences of others, as they mentioned in their explanations for taking so many photos of the group together. Similarities between the three participants Every participant took a photo of the bridge and of the heron. Every participant also took photos which had people in them. Two out of three people took a photo of the dead bird carcass and two out of three people took a photo of flowers. 6.2 Hike 2: Sacred Cove, Palos Verdes
The hike in Palos Verdes was located at Sacred Cove. The trail began at the Abalone State Park parking area and was about a mile to the cove. There were 2 participants on the hike. They were each given 1 disposable camera and asked to take a photo of anything that caught their interest in the landscape. They were emailed digital copies of their photos the next day and asked to write responses to why they chose to take each picture. This section is organized according to the format of the participant photos and responses index. Participant 1 has 24 responses to 24 photos 1. A photo of a close-up on a crack in the ground 2. A photo of the tidepool 3. A photo of a tidepool 4. A photo of a warning sign 5. A view of the tidepools and overcast ocean 6. A view of the cave with a splashing wave 7. A close-up of the rocks on the beach
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8. A close-up of a dead sea urchin 9. A photo of a seal 10. A close-up of the water puddles 11. A close-up of a mixture of rocks 12. A view of the mustard flowers Responses Summary (to the first 12 photos) Participant 1 took multiple photos of the sea urchins in the tidepools and expressed excitement about snapping a photo of the seal on the rock. They also mentioned curiosity about the crack in the ground and described it as a “dark abyss”. They had a special interest in the warning sign that was located by the tidepools and wrote quite a bit about it. 13. A close-up of the tidepool 14. A tidepool with a starfish 15. Landforms – looking towards the cave 16. A view of the beach where the hike started 17. Mussels in the tidepool 18. A view of the cave 19. A view of the tidepools and the cave 20. A view of grasses 21. A participant in the mustard blooms 22. A view of the beach from the top of the trail 23. A view of the mustard flowers 24. A participant waving from the beach below Responses Summary (Photos 13 to 24) Participant 1 mentioned being disappointed by some of the photos coming out blurry. The starfish was a significant animal in the landscape for Participant 1 to capture and they expressed much excitement. Participant 1 also mentioned the cave and expressed interest in wanting to take different photos of it. They also mentioned composition and colors as a reason. Participant 2
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1. A participant in trying to find the trail 2. A view from the top of the trail looking out towards the beach 3. A view of a tidepool with a participant’s shadow 4. A photo of a tidepool 5. A photo taken from the beach looking up towards the trail 6. A photo of the seal on a rock 7. A photo of a cactus and grasses 8. A photo of a tidepool with a man fishing in the distance 9. A photo of flowers 10. A photo of the cave 11. A photo of our picnic Responses Summary (1-11) Participant 2 mentioned wanting to document the event a few times as a reason for taking the photo. They also mentioned composition a few times as well. The sea lion was also of importance to participant 2. The cave was also very important to participant 2, they mentioned feeling mesmerized by the water sounds, and feeling calm. They were also careful in describing how they wanted to go about snapping this photo of the cave. 12. A photo of a starfish 13. A photo of the mustard blooms with a participant in the shot 14. A photo of rocks on the beach 15. A photo of the mustard blooms 16. A photo of the beach with mustard blooms 17. A photo of a view of the beach 18. A photo of a small wave washing over the tidepools 19. A view looking out towards the ocean 20. A view of the cave 21. A tidepool with a single purple sea urchin 22. A photo of the cave
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23. A photo of a man fishing Responses Summary (12-23) Participant 2 was also very surprised by the starfish because it was the only one seen. Participant 2 mentioned they were annoyed by walking through the tall plants but thought it was a cool experience to walk through the flowers. Participant 2 was also very interested by the rocks on the beach because they were of so many different sizes and textures. Participant 2 mentioned documenting the experience as a reason again. Participant 2 mentioned that the view of the beach from the top of the trail looked inviting. Participant 2 mentioned they were excited by the sea lion, being able to get so close to it. Similarities between the participants Both participants mentioned the starfish in the tidepools, the cave, and the sea lion with enthusiasm. These were significant parts of the landscape for both participants. Both participants mentioned paying attention to the composition of the photos as well. 6.3 Hike 3: Vivian Creek Trail Vivian Creek Trail is in the San Gorgonio Wilderness area in Angelus Oaks, California. The Vivian Creek Trail is a popular route taken to get to the top of Mount San Gorgonio, the tallest mountain in southern California. We did not complete the entire trail which is 16 miles round trip because of daylight concerns. We were able to hike 10 miles round trip. One participant attended this hike and was asked to take a photo of anything that caught their interest in the landscape. In 2 weeks, the participant was emailed digital copies of their photos and asked to write responses to why they took each photo. 1. A photo of a pinecone 2. A photo of the beginning of the trail 3. A photo of Vivian creek 4. A photo of a feather on the trail 5. A view of a mosaic of the chaparral vegetation and the forest 6. A view looking down the valley 7. Close up of a pine tree 8. A dead tree 9. A view of the pines at sunset 10. A shadow cast over the mountains
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Participant 1 was the sole participant on this hike. This hike was much longer than the other hikes. They wrote much longer responses than the other participants on previous hikes. They wrote a few metaphors about life in a couple of their responses, maybe there was something about the high elevation views that made the participant reflect. 6.4 Hike 4: Strawberry Peak
Hike 4 took place at the popular Strawberry Peak hike in the Angeles National Forest which begins at the Redbox Canyon parking area. The hike is about 7.2 miles round trip and 2 participants attended this trip. Participants were instructed to take photos of anything along the hike that caught their interest in the landscape and to remember their reasoning for taking each photo because they would be asked to write responses one the photos are developed. Participants were emailed digital copies of their photos 2 weeks after the event and asked to write responses. Participant 1 1. A view from the higher areas of the trail 2. A view of a yucca bloom and the mountains in the distance 3. A view of the mountains 4. A large rock which was along the trail 5. A view of trekking poles and a rock 6. A view of the yucca blooms 7. A view from the top of the trail 8. Another view from the top of the trail 9. A rock outcrop along the trail Responses Summary Participant 1 was studying to be a geologist and really enjoyed taking photos of different rocks and geological features along the hike. They enjoyed describing scientific processes which cause certain things in the landscape. They also mentioned enjoying seeing the contrast between different features in the landscape. Participant one took a few photos in which the composition was a view from the top of the trail. Participant 2 1. A view of the mountains framed by vegetation 2. A view of the mountains
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3. A photo of a rock out crop 4. A view of the mountains with highway 2 5. View of the mountains 6. Yuccas and the trail 7. A view of the mountains with highway 2 8. A boulder and plants 9. A view of the mountains 10. Closer view of the chaparral and slope 11. A view of the north side of the mountain Responses Summary Participant 2 took most photos which were an entire view of the mountains in the distance. They mentioned in their responses they were amazed by the view multiple times. Similarities between the participants Both participants took most photos which were of wide views of scenery and in addition, both participants mentioned being amazed by rocks in different ways. Both participants took a photo of a rock outcrop, but it was not the same rock outcrop. 6.5 Hike 5: Mount Baden Powell
Hike 5 took place on the trail leading to the peak of Mount Baden Powell in the Angeles National Forest. The hike was a total of 8 miles round trip and begins at the Vincent Gap parking area. There was 1 participant on this hike who was given instructions to take a photo of anything that caught their interest in the landscape, and to remember their reasoning because they would be asked to write responses to each photo explaining why they took the photograph. In two weeks, the participant was emailed digital copies of their photos and asked to write a response to each. 1. Looking up at a pine tree 2. Sap on the bark of a tree 3. A plant along the trail and me in the distance 4. Pines near the top of the mountain 5. A dead tree
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6. An upside-down view 7. A view of Mount Baldy in the distance 8. A shrub and the forest 9. Close up of a pine 10. A stack of rocks along the trail Responses Summary Participant 1 was very fond of all the pine trees on the hike because of the personal memories attached to them. This participant also took many photos in which plants were the main subject of the photo. This participant also described a wide variety of emotions during the hike. 6.6 Hike 6: Mosaic Canyon
Mosaic Canyon trail is in Death Valley National Park. The trail is less than a mile and travels through a geologically significant canyon. The beginning of the hike is a narrow canyon, and towards the end the canyon opens into a wider wash. There was 1 participant on this hike, given a disposable camera with 27 exposures. They were told to take a photo of anything in the landscape that caught their interest on this hike, and to remember their reasoning so they could write responses. In 3 weeks, the participant was emailed digital copies of their photos and asked to write responses to their 10 favorite photos. Participant 1 1. Looking back at the canyon, darker rock 2. Smooth white rock of the slot canyon 3. Desert landscape 4. A photo of me taking a photo of a desert holly 5. A photograph of me taking a photograph of the participant 6. Looking back at the slot canyon 7. The road on the way to the hike 8. The participant took a photo of their shoe 9. The smooth rock of the slot canyon 10. A view of the clouds and the red rocks
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Responses Summary Participant 1 mentioned color as a reason for taking a photo quite a few times they mentioned the colors of the rocks and of the sky quite a few times. Participant 1 also mentioned emotions as reasons for taking photos, quite different emotions as well. For example, participant 1 described being terrified and in awe of the beauty of the landscape. Scale of the landscape was also mentioned, and participant 1 was surprised to find so much plant life on this hike. 6.7 Hike 7: South Coast Botanic Garden
South Coast Botanic garden is in Palos Verdes in Los Angeles County, it is 35 hectares. The garden has many different sections including a rose garden, Japanese garden, cactus and succulent garden, sensory garden, and many others. There was 1 participant on this hike, and they were told to take a photo of anything that interested them in the landscape, and to remember their reasoning. The next week the participant was emailed digital copies of their photographs and asked to write a response to 10 photos, explaining their motivation to take the photos. Participant 1 1. Gazebo and garden 2. Green wall 3. View from the path 4. Trees in the garden 5. Looking up into the trees 6. A view of different plants 7. View of the garden 8. Shaded area in the garden 9. View of the pond 10. Looking up at the palms Responses Summary Participant 1 mentioned having fond memories of different things from their personal life being recalled after seeing many things in the garden. They also mentioned enjoying the scents of the plants very much. Participant 1 really enjoyed seeing the vertical garden, and mentioned they appreciated that the garden had seating areas.
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6.8 Hike 8: Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is a reservoir in the Santa Cruz Mountains that provides water to the county of Santa Cruz. There is no swimming allowed in the lake. The hike in Loch Lomond was 50% on a pedal boat and 50% walking along the hiking trail that circles the shore of the lake. There were two participants on this hike, and they were instructed to take photos of anything that interested them in the landscape. In two weeks, they were emailed digital copies of their photos and asked to write responses to why they took each photograph. Participant 1 1. A photo from the parking lot 2. A photo of a young redwood tree 3. A photo of plants on the forest floor 4. A photo of trees along the lake 5. A photo of a young pine tree 6. A photo taken from the pedal boat 7. A photo of trees along the lake 8. Another photo of trees along the lake 9. A wide view of the trees along the lake taken from the pedal boat Responses Summary (Photos 1-9) Participant 1 took an interest in the plants on the forest floor and took quite a few close- up photos of plants. They mentioned they were very pleased about getting to a shady spot to rest. In addition, Participant 1 showed curiosity about various features in the landscape, especially the plants encountered. 10. Close up of a plant 11. The lake and a sheer cliff face 12. The lake and lush forest 13. The lake and trees 14. The sun peeking through the redwood trees 15. A trio of young redwood trees 16. Plants on the forest floor
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17. Heart shaped leaves of plants on the forest floor 18. A view of the lake with fellow pedal boaters in the shot Responses Summary (Photos 10- 18) In this second batch of photos, participant 1 took a few close-up photos of plants again, and mentioned special interest to the plant which had heart shaped leaves. Curiosity about different things photographed was another reason to take photos. Participant 1 also cited different personal memories a reason to take photos. Participant 2 1. A photo of young redwood trees 2. A close-up photo of moss 3. A photo of a person on the trail 4. A photo looking up at the forest canopy with the sun peeking through 5. A photo of the forest trees 6. A shadow of a person 7. A photo of the lake 8. A photo of the participants 9. A photo looking up at the trees Responses Summary (Photos 1-9) Participant 2 had unique photo responses, choosing a photo caption like style. They mentioned enjoying the trees along the trail, as well as enjoying seeing the way sunlight penetrates the forest canopy. 10. A photo of the participants dog 11. A photo of an old tree stump in the lake 12. A photo of the water of the lake with forest in the distance 13. A photo taken from the pedal boat, with trees on the sheer cliff face 14. A photo of the lake with forest views in the background 15. A photo of the lake with tree branches grazing the water 16. A wide view of the lake 17. Vegetation and the lakes shore
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18. An island in the middle of the lake 19. Close up of branches 20. A portrait view of trees and the lake Responses Summary (Photos 10-20) For photos 10-20 Participant 2 made similar photo caption responses. They mentioned the sun, water, and the trees so probably enjoyed those features in the landscape very much. 6.9 Hike 9: Mount San Jacinto State Park The final hike took place at San Jacinto State Park and there were two participants. Participants took the Palm Springs area Tramway to Mountain Station and from there took a 12-mile round trip hike to the peak of Mount San Jacinto. Participants were instructed to take photos of anything that interested them in the landscape and to remember their reasoning for taking the photo. Two weeks later the film was developed, and participants were emailed digital copies of their photos, they were asked to write responses to explain their reasoning for taking the photo. Participant 1 1. A wide view from the higher elevations of the trail 2. View of the distant forest in the background 3. A hiker on a boulder 4. A close-up shot of the corn lily plant 5. A photo taken at the café at the mountain station 6. A view of the trail in the distance from the balcony of the mountain station 7. A twisted and broken tree 8. A view from the trail 9. A large pine and view of the forest 10. A view of the green meadow Responses Summary Participant 1 was paying close attention to the landscape and made various comments about it. They mentioned thinking it was cool to see the spaced apart pine trees in the distance from the trail. They also mentioned specific memories coming to mind. A major
41 thing from their responses showed that this participant was very proud of themselves to have completed this hike. Participant 2 1. View of the forest 2. Granite boulders 3. A view of granite boulders 4. Taken from the top of the peak 5. Taken from the top of the peak with more of the mountain in the shot 6. A view from the top of the trail 7. Very white boulders and vegetation near the peak 8. Sky, trees, and vegetation 9. Two trees and a view 10. A lookout 11. The meadow 12. Taken from the forest floor Responses Summary Participant 2 mentioned wanting to capture the contrast of different things in the landscape as reasoning to take a few photos. They also took special interest in the granite boulders at the top of the peak. Similarities in responses Both participants took a photo of the meadow and mentioned that they strongly preferred the landscape and how green it was. In addition, both participants took a photo at a viewpoint which I described as the halfway point in the hike. This could have influenced both to take a photo, however it did have an excellent view, and it was the first point during the hike when we had an extensive view of the landscape.
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6.10 Responses Overall
Long Shot/Wide View 59
Plants are the main subject 45
Close-up 34
People in the shot 24
Animals 17
Types of Photographs The top type of photograph was a long shot or wide view type, this consists of photographs participants took which the main subject was a view. Since these categories of photos were distinguishable, they were the top type of photo across all the hikes. Taking a photo of animals in the landscape was very popular among the participants, and the total number of animal photos probably would have been higher if there were more animal sightings. There were only animal sightings on the first two hikes, however all the participants which attended took a photo of the animal we saw.
Emotion 32
Mystery/Curiosity 31
Color 19
Composition 17
Contrast 15
Memory 12
Senses 11
Movement 6
Man-made in the Landscape 6
Texture 5
Reasons for Taking a Photo
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Above are a few of the categories that emerged from analysis of the photo responses. The top two reasons for taking a photo were because participants had an emotional response or were curious about something in the landscape.
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CHAPTER 7: Discussion
Participant responses were widely consistent with past research which has been done on landscape preference. Especially on hikes which had multiple participants, there were certain components in the landscape which caught everyone’s attention. In addition, there were many cases where people were attracted to something specific in the landscape, however other participants on the same hike did not mention it (Abello & Bernaldez, 1986). Participants often described being interested in a certain feature in the landscape, and writing in their responses, different types of questions. For example, on the hike in Palos Verdes many participants took photographs of the cave and reported wondering what was inside of it. I created a new category called mystery/curiosity since this came up in so many participant responses. Kaplan in 1982 identified mystery as a key aspect of landscape preferences in their cognitive theory of landscape preference. Respondents on the Palos Verdes hike also reported the cloud cover during the hike as a positive part of the experiment, with one respondent describing the scene as calming and serene the way the horizon line wasn’t visible because of the clouds. (Morgan & Williams, 1999) Reported the opposite phenomenon among participants, who rated beach scenery in their study lower if there was cloud cover. In addition, the horizon line scene can be described as open, a quality identified by (Ulrich, 1979, 1983, 1993) which is a quality of landscape shown to illicit feelings of calmness and tranquility, which is exactly what the respondent described in their photo response form. Curtin in 2008 found that the presence of wildlife in the landscape significantly improved tourist experiences in Australia, and encounters with wildlife elicits a feeling of awe, and even has psychological benefits. All participants in the Palos Verdes study took a photo of the seal, which was present in the landscape, laying on a rock resting. In their photo response forms, participants described various positive emotions and excitement from seeing the seal. In one participants account, they were specifically excited to see the seal so close in person. This phenomenon was also found on the Abbott’s Lagoon hike, all participants on the hike took photos of a Great Blue Heron which was found at the lagoon. Two participants took photos of a bird carcass found on the beach, and one participant took a photo of cows which we saw towards the beginning of the trail along the coastal prairie. While not traditionally considered to be wildlife, on the Loch Lomond hike, participant 2 took a photo of the family dog. Animals in the landscape, when they were present to the participants, always seemed to illicit excitement and positive emotions. Mausner in 2005 took participants on group hikes and instructed them to talk about environmental features in the landscape that caught their attention during the hike, in a study used to document human interactions with nature. Mauser found there were many aspects to the nature experience that could only be experienced on a hike,
45 for example how the experience of climbing through boulders can alter perception. On my two hikes which had sections of boulder hopping participants reported emotional responses of being proud they completed the hike, and reported they very much enjoyed the experience. This was consistent with Mauser’s study; participants did report a stronger emotional connection to nature caused by the physical contact with the environment. In 1998, Holmes studied the aesthetic experience of forests and describes the wonderous experience of walking through a forest reported by people. The existence of a wonderous experience happening from walking through the forest was expressed from the participants on the hikes as well. Participants on the Loch Lomond hike took many photos of redwoods on the hike, indicating these trees were significant to them. Both participants took a similar photograph while walking through the dark forest floor, the photograph was of the sunlight shining through the redwood forest canopy. The experience described by the participants also can fit in with research by Rachel and Stephen Kaplan. Their descriptions fit well with an experience which causes feelings of fascination, a quality of the landscape Rachel and Stephen Kaplan described as influencing preference. On the Mount San Jacinto hike, participants were especially attracted to the meadow which was bright green. Both participants took a photo of the meadow and in their written responses, described enjoying seeing the vibrant green color. This is consistent with past research, it has been shown people strongly prefer green in the landscape than brown colors (Kaufman, 2002). This is also consistent with the findings of Tinio & Leder in 2009. They found that color in the landscape was correlated with higher preference. On the Abbott’s Lagoon hike, Participant 3 mentioned color as a reason for taking a photo in 6 out of 11 responses, so color was very important to them. On the Loch Lomond hike, participant 2 responded with a preference for the green of the trees in photo number 12. Although the hike at the South Coast Botanic Garden was not in a natural area (a natural area defined as non-made made) like the other hikes, the participant still reported a positive experience consistent with past research (R. Kaplan, 1993; R. Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989; R. Ulrich, 1979; Roger S. Ulrich, 2016). This is consistent with past research stating that participants do not need to go to a far away wilderness area to experience benefits to well-being. The presence of vegetation and a natural settling even if its made-made will still allow people to experience benefits to well-being (R. Kaplan, 1993; R. S. Ulrich, 1984). It would be interesting to take this participant on another hike in a natural area which is not mad made, to compare their preference. Complexity in the landscape was found to be associated with the feeling of stress in past research (Berlyne et al., 1963; R. Ulrich, 1979; Roger S. Ulrich, 1983). The Death Valley hike came close to this research finding. The participant reported feeling “uneasy” on
46 the way to the hiking area, and the surrounding landscape could very well fit the description of being complex. The landscape featured large jagged multicolor steep mountains rising high from the desert floor, spectacular, but a lot to take in. It was an unfamiliar scene from daily life, and the fact that it was unfamiliar, could cause us to process the landscape slower, and possibly prefer the scene less (Orians & Heerwagen, 1992). A landscape with high fascination value has been identified as a landscape component which would illicit preference as well as a sense of being away, providing exploration, and compatibility (S. Kaplan, 1995). The Abbott’s lagoon hike featured many qualities of landscape shown to illicit preference including water and openness, shown to have a calming effect on people. All the participants on this hike include photos of open landscape views, including the prairie, the dune and lagoon area, and the beach. In addition, the calm waters of the lagoon were in multiple photos. The Palos Verdes hike was similar, participants also took photos of the calm water and open views.
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CHAPTER 8: Conclusion
8.1 Conclusion
Across the hikes all participants reported having a positive experience, on the longer hikes, many hikers reported feeling a happy sense of accomplishment. Having a positive experience due to the experience of a nature is widely consistent with past research (Hartig et al., 1996; R. Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989; R. Bruce Hull & Harvey, 2016; R. Ulrich, 1979; Roger S. Ulrich, 1983). Although the hikes were in different locations, many participants reported taking a photo because it reminded them of a fond memory of their past. Many people reported being drawn to certain specifics in the landscape, as participant 1 in the Mount Baden-Powell hike mentioned, she was drawn to the pine trees because it reminded her of growing up and going on hikes with her family. I believe another aspect of this study was the experience of interacting with others as a group on these hikes, that was a large positive part of this experience. Not only were participants able to interact with each other, but the disposable camera provided them a way to interact with the landscape in a new way. As one participant put it, they were able to “appreciate the landscape more”. People also enjoyed looking at the way their photographs came out, which adds another new aspect to this experience. There was a lot of excited associated with the viewing of the photographs after the trips. Participant 1 on the Palos Verdes hike reported not intentionally taking photo 21. with the purpose of capturing other participants, however one participant shows up in the photo, and Participant 1 reports being very happy with the composition. For designers, it is important to understand the landscape preferences of their clients. This does not only mean paying close attention to what the client is requesting, but it is even more helpful to understand what these landscape features people are attracted to are and for what reasons. A designer which has this in their toolkit can make better designs for their client and maybe even help them make new discoveries about themselves. This itself can be a difficult task, for the landscape consists of many components, it is much more than vegetation. The landscape consists of topography, history, hydrology, animal life, and other phenomenon all interacting in one place, and all these features are different in each place. The landscape is always constantly changing, with the seasons, the weather, and with time. Each landscape is truly a unique place, and to complicate this equation, just add people into the mix. People are also complex to understand, so it is not an easy task to understand the preferences of people. Studies of the past have been successful in identifying general commonalities which are usually the case for most preferences of people, but there is never one hundred percent agreement across the board.
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8.2 Limitations
Having to physically take the study participants to the hike location was a drawback for a project which is to be completed in a single year. If the study had a larger team and a longer timeframe, it would have been helpful to take multiple groups to each location on separate days, and then compare the responses. It is to be noted, that a few participants which attended the same hike on the same day were attracted to the same things in the landscape. If the study were to be repeated and take multiple groups on the same hike it would be interesting to compare the responses against each other. The small sample size of 16 participants was a limitation as well, however it was necessary to allow for safety on these hiking trips. The IRB protocol was approved with the condition that the sample size was small, because this was deemed safer by the university. A bigger team working on this project could have allowed for a larger sample size, meaning more people taken out on each hike. Time and lack of funding were a limitation. The costs of the disposable camera and to develop the film added up quickly and were also a limitation. Funding for this project could have allowed for the purchase of additional disposable cameras, more film to be developed, and for hiking trip related travel expenses. In addition, a longer project time frame could have allowed for more hiking trips to take place, especially during different seasons. The choice to use film can also be a seen as a limitation, but I believe film contributed to more significant data which contained more description from the participants. People reported having a lot of fun using the disposable cameras, and for many it was their first time using one in a very long time. While I was unable to ask this in the questionnaire sent out to the subjects after each hike, I believe providing disposable cameras for each participant influenced the willingness to participant in the study. Many participants verbally reported they were excited to participate in this project because of the use of disposable cameras. Additionally, the number of photos on the disposable camera acted as a control on the experience, allowing participants to slow down, and consider their reasoning before taking a photo. Conversely, the use of camera phones on the trip would have allowed for more data to be analyzed. With a camera phone, subjects could have been asked to take a larger number of photos on the trips. 8.3 Application to Landscape Architecture This study shows that there are many studies that can be conducted in the field of landscape architecture to advance the field, which involve taking participants to physical locations. Rachel Kaplan lead the way in 1989 with her outdoor challenge program, which involved researching out in the physical landscape. I believe studies which take people out into the landscape will reveal new insights about the relationships between scenic beauty, preference, and psychological restoration due to exposure to nature.
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8.4 Recommendations for Future Research
I recommend taking multiple groups of people to the same location on different days. Taking groups to one site could allow for interesting conclusions from individual perspectives of the same place. Participant responses could then be compared to see if there are any similarities between people’s perspectives at the same location. I would also recommend taking these groups to each location during different seasons during the year. Seasons can cause a significant amount of visual variation in the landscape, and it would be interesting to see how people’s preferences in the landscape differ based on the season. Recent research using brain scanning imagery has involved understanding what activates the default mode network in people (Biederman & Vessel, 2006). I believe it would be interesting to analyze how the default mode network is affected in each person, in each landscape they were taken to.
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APPENDIX A
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APPENDIX B
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Participant Responses Index
Hikes: 1. Abbotts Lagoon, Point Reyes National Seashore 3 Participants
2. Sacred Cove, Palos Verdes 3 Participants
3. Vivian Creek Trail, San Gorgonio Wilderness 1 Participant
4. Strawberry Peak, Angeles National Forest 2 Participants Journal Entries
5. Mount Baden Powell, Angeles National Forest 1 Participant Journal Enrty
6. Mosaic Canyon, Death Valley National Park 1 Participant
7. South Coast Botanic Garden 1 Participant
8. Loch Lomond Recreation Area 2 Participants
9. Mount San Jacinto State Park 2 Participants Journal Entries
1 Hike 1 - Abbott’s Lagoon
2 Point Reyes National Seashore
Photos taken by the author
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4 5 6
7 8 9
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4 Participant 1 Responses 1. Where do these plants get their nutrients from?
2. I thought the dry log and wet sand could create a nice texture in the image
3.I liked the contrast of the nature and something man made like the bridge
4.I wanted to capture as much of the landscape as possible
5. I liked seeing the transparency of water in contrast to the shadows coming from the plants
6. I wanted to capture the bird flying through the landscape. I was excited to see that I was able to capture that moment because often times images with motion come out blurry
7. Photo caption: me taking a picture of Cristina taking a picture of a crane
8. I wanted to see if using flash would expose more depth in the log. The picture turned out better than my imagination
9. I was surprised to find sun bleached oysters on a ledge
10. I wanted to show vastness
5 6 What did you think of the hike?
“It was a very cool experience. It has been a long time since I used a disposable camera. I had forgotten the appeal of a disposable camera; they create unique photos that are very difficult to recreate with a digital camera. The picnic at the end was very rewarding. I enjoyed good company and snacks.”
-Participant 1
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8 Participant 2 Responses
1. I like taking pictures of backdrops that make people look small.
2. Carcasses are always fun to take pictures of. It’s kind of gross and interesting to look at, especially when they’re intact. It always makes me wonder how it seems like the animal dies sort of picture perfectly and nothing else seemingly messes with it after it’s dead.
3.I thought this looked kinda gross and it kinda smelled at the time, so I took a picture of it.
4.Shorelines in general are pretty reminiscent of home. It reminded me a lot of going to the beach and hanging out there during my summers in middle school and high school.
5. If I recall correctly, I think this string was used to fence off a restoration area. I remember thinking “this is a pretty long string”, and wanting to take a picture with the camera on the string.
6.I like taking pictures of alive animals too. They were looking straight at us and I wanted to snag a picture of them. They seemed pretty curious at the time, glad we got to hang out with them for a bit.
7. These two beetles were having what I thought was sex. When I passed by them, I thought “good for you two”. Thought it’d be fun to capture the very steamy moment.
8.It looked like everything was so neatly colored in. The separation of colors and landscape looked appealing.
9.I wanted to take a picture of this thing taking off, but I got impatient so I settled for this.
10. I remember seeing a path with some inclination and elevation and wanted to take a picture from a bit higher up. I ended up taking a picture with my phone too and I like the contrast between the two photos
9 10 What did you think of the hike?
“It was a nice short hike. I hadn’t really considered places to hike more north of SF. After hiking there I started to look for more places up in Marin and up further so thanks for that! I liked the snacks when we stopped to hang out for a bit. Also, I really appreciate the motivation for wanting to hike and gather pictures!” -Participant 2
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12 Participant 3 Responses 1. I really liked the contrast of the yellow poppies and the green plants. I think when it comes to landscape, I am very drawn to the colors and the contrast of colors all together.
2. I thought these plants were pretty unique. The orange and purple colors were different than the other plants. The end hook reminded of sea horses and I though them all together were pretty cool. Made me wonder how they got this way.
3. The bright colors drew me in, especially with the contrast of the darker surroundings.
4. I really liked capturing Cristina taking a picture of the bird in flight. There is something very majestic to see a bird take off near the water and capturing the moment when it is very close to the water.
5. While I appreciate and enjoy the landscape and nature around me, I gravitated to taking pictures of the group I was with and how they fit in the landscape around them. You will see this trend in a few other photos. This photo (as many others) is a candid of some people in transit, with the vast landscape behind them.
6. I liked the landscape with the bridge here. It fits perfectly with the surrounding nature and landscape. I also liked the color tones in this scenery with the grey clouds and water.
6. I like how the colors turned out in this photo. The spotty white with the hill in the background was a pretty cool combination.
7. I like capturing movement in a photo, and these close-up grasses clearly shows that there was some wind moving the grass around. I could look at this picture for a while.
8. I like how the colors turned out in this photo. The spotty white with the hill in the background was a pretty cool combination.
9. I really liked the composition of this photo. The perfect line of the water stretching like a ‘U’ and everyone intensely looking at something different. Also, how the log is positioned in a way as if it is part of the people looking into the water. While I was appreciating the water, I noticed the interest in the water by the other people and I wanted to capture that moment. 10. I liked the composition of everything in this setting. The water, log, sand, and person all work very well together.
11. This photo captures everyone in the group taking a photo of what they thought was interesting in that moment. Although you can’t see what they are taking a picture of, your imagination starts to wonder what they are looking at. Also, the composition turned out pretty well, where two people were squatting, and the other person is standing. It captures stillness and concentration of the task at hand.
13 14 What did you think of the hike?
“Overall, I think the hike was very enjoyable and the scenery was beautiful. I realized I appreciated things a lot more when I needed to take pictures. I noticed more things and liked the interactive aspect I had with nature. Sometimes I would seek out a cool scene or play with the composition instead of just snapping whatever first caught my eye. Although, there were a lot of moments where I took pictures of things that would catch my eye. It was a great hike and I loved having a change in the way I hiked, it made me appreciate the landscape much more.”
-Participant 3
15 Hike 2 - Sacred Cove
16 Palos Verdes
Photos taken by the author
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18 Participant 1 Responses 1. It’s like looking into a dark abyss because you don’t really know what’s down there.
2. I also wanted to capture more sea urchin life here. Not impressed with the sea urchins itself but I like the dark tones of the rocks and the stream of water that is produces in between the crevices of the rocks.
3. I wanted to capture more sea urchin life but this photo did not come out too impressive
4. My thoughts on taking this photo was to capture the man-made interruptions to nature here with this sign in particular. I also wanted to capture the “danger” of this photo, and I like how the sign came out in this photo, almost exactly how I envisioned it. At first I didn’t like how Cathy came up in my photos (haha sorry Cathy), but I think it adds to the photo in the sense that we (humans) still defy the laws around us. This area had a clear warning that it was closed off due to potential falling rocks, but we still ignore them and drive to the ends of our curiosity, even if it means getting killed in the process. (Curiosity killed the cat[hy]). The more I think about it, this is probably one of my favorite photos.
5. If you look closely, you can kind of see the fuzzy horizon in the background. I like how this photo came out. I just wanted to capture more of the horizon/sky/sea in the back.
6. I wanted to capture an action shot of the waves and this came out decent but not a favorite.
7. I really like how this photo came out showing the circular designs and sedimentation of the rocks.
8. I wanted to capture the purple sea urchin. I think it provides a nice/soft contrast of colors and life between all the neutrals of the rocks.
9. I wanted to capture the seal in all of its glory when it was out of the water. And there it is!
10. Nothing really special of this photo that sparks joy. I think I just wanted to capture the puddles that formed in the midst of all the rocks.
11. I wanted to capture all of the pretty broken mussel shells scattered throughout the rocks because it provided that nice calming blue, but somewhat shiny, color. Wish it came out a little clearer but maybe it was because I took the photo too closer up.
12. I wanted to get a close up of one flower admist the rest and was kind of hoping it would focus on the front flower and blur out the background but I think how it came out is pretty cool too with just this single flower being a blur.
19 13 14 15
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19 20 21
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20 Participant 1 Responses 13. I wanted to capture the baby mussels growing in process and was amazed how there are just so many of them stuck along all the rocks. But I don’t like how this picture came out so blurry. Again, that was probably just me taking the photos too up close.
14.Starfish!! That was the main attraction and reason for this photo. The starfish came out nice. I like how clear the water looks in this photo. It looks like as if we are on another beach.
15. I wanted to try some vertical shots of the cave but I don’t really like how this turned out.
16. Just wanted another wide screen type of scenic photo. Not particularly fond of this photo.
17. I wanted to capture the mass abundance of all the grown mussels. There is just so much life in this photo!! Didn’t expect to capture the sea urchin at the bottom too but that’s cool.
18. I wanted to get a cool photo of the cave and the waters but I also don’t like how this photo came out because you can’t really tell what it is.
19. I wanted to try another vertical shot of the cave area. Not particularly a fan of this photo. But I guess it’s cool in the sense that you can see the height of the cliffs in these photos.
20. This photo reminds me of a farm, kind of like bushels of wheat because of the tan colors. Nothing too special about this photo sparks joy to me. But I guess it does give like a calm semi-autumn feel to it.
21. I intentionally was trying to take photos without any people in it, so this may have been like an oops kind of photo since I got Jasmine in it. But I think it’s nice how it came out anyways because you can feel the “escaping” type of feel from it.
22. I just wanted another wide screen view of the scenery but I like how the yellow flowers came into focus here.
23. I just wanted to capture the abundance of the yellow flowers (as you may be able to tell from the other yellow flower photos). But this photo doesn’t really strike much “wow” from me.
24. Hahaha as mentioned earlier, I was not trying to capture people in my photos but I really like how Cristina came out in this photo with the wave. It’s like a small “Find Waldo” type of feel.
21 22 “It’s a sea urchin family!! The whiter one in the center really sticks out because it’s lighter in color than the rest (and I think it adds to this photo, also because it’s quite large looking here). I wonder what sea urchins think about. Do they even really have thoughts? What if they’re not a family here? What if they’re enemies? Anyways, I like how clear the water is here. And how the rock peaks up above the water at the top showing even more clarity.”
- Participant 1
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24 Participant 2 Responses 1. I wanted a photo of the scenery before diving deeper into the plants because you really couldn’t see beyond these flowers. The fields looked so dense, it was hard to believe that there was some kind of path in there that led to the beach.
2. This was honestly just a warm-up shot for me. I don’t really have much to say besides the fact that I liked the view from our campsite and how clean and calm the water looked from here.
3. This little pool had a lot of little anemone-like animals that I thought were really interesting and wanted to capture myself with them. I tried to utilize the water as a mirror and make the most of the glare I was seeing when trying to take photos of the tide pools.
4. The disposables weren’t able to capture the detail I wanted but this tidepool had a lot of little snails and small crabs moving around that I was watching for awhile.
5. We all had to climb down this steep hill to get down to the shoreline. I wanted to take a photo of it to document some of our travel to the beach. It looks a lot more steep in this photo than it did when we actually climbed it.
6. I realized I had another chance to take a better picture of the sea lions we saw earlier, so this was my attempt at getting that shot.
7. I don’t think I took this photo but I really love how it shows off a completely different texture of the landscape besides the beach. I didn’t really explore the side of the beach where the cacti were growing.
8. I feel like this photo came from the same place as #3 but I wanted to get more of the tide pools in the photo to capture more of the environment.
9. I don’t think I took this photo! But I like how it focuses on the flowers themselves.
10. I took this photo because I really enjoyed watching how the water flowed in and out of the cave. The water level was extremely low when the current pulled away but raised significantly when the water pushed inward again. It was mesmerizing. The movement of water in nature makes me feel very calm. I wanted to get a more direct shot inward to get a view through the cave itself, but was limited to this perspective because of the lack of solid ground. I was also hoping to get a little more color from the water because it was much more blue and clear to me in this area.
11. I took this photo to document our campsite and the starting point of our hike.
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18 19 20
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26 Participant 2 Responses 12. This was one of the only starfish we were able to see, so I felt like it deserved it’s own photo.
13. I remember traveling through this forest of flowers being equally beautiful and annoying because the stalks kept hitting me in the face and I was having a hard time keeping up with Cristina. I’ve never really walked through a field of flowers that were taller than me before so it was a cool experience and I wanted to try taking a photo that would depict how it felt.
14. The rocks were such an interesting feature of this beach. They were all very unique and had different textures, sizes, colors, and shapes. It made we wonder where they all came from and how they got here.
15. I don’t think I took this but it definitely shows how dense the flowers were when we were walking through them.
16. After taking #14, I remember wanting to tie together the journey down with this destination so I tried taking a similar photo but with some of the flowers we had to travel through in the foreground
17. I guess this was sort of my first impression of the beach when we finally made it down and I wanted to get a good landscape photo of the cliff and it’s greenery along side it. It was very inviting and I really wanted to get closer and see what was over there-- especially the cave.
18. In this moment, I was really enjoying listening to the waves crash against the shore and watching the water fill in all of it’s empty pockets.
19. We saw a couple of sea lions here which was really exciting because they were really close. I kind of rushed this photo because I thought he was going to disappear after going underwater but they ended up staying for awhile.
20. I thought the formation of this cave was amazing and beautiful so I wanted to take a photo of it. Seeing structures like this is nature really encourage me to explore more.
21. Although the tide pools had an abundance of life in them, I felt I saw so many skeletons of dead sea urchins. It was surprising because the last time I had been here, there were swarms of them-- to the point I was afraid to walk through the water because I thought I’d step on one by accident. When I saw that this one was still alive, I felt like I needed to take a photo of it. It looked a little lonely haha.
22. Same as photo #10. I think the light reflected better off the rocks in this shot. You can see how calm the water was before the current pulled it back from the cave.
23. I think this was one of the men who walked past our camp when we initially came to the park. They were on their way down to the shore and carrying some fishing gear when we saw them. But besides that brief interaction, I thought this scene was a good depiction of man and nature at peace with one another. It seemed like he enjoyed the isolation that this area gave him. I didn’t see if he actually caught any fish or not, but either way it didn’t seem like the sole reason for coming here.
27 28 “The water was extremely tranquil here and the overcast sky blended in with the water so well that it looked like grey nothingness so I wanted to capture it.”
- Participant 2
29 Hike 3 - Vivian Creek Trail
30 Mount San Gorgonio Wilderness
Photos taken by the author
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32 Participant Responses Pine Cone 1. Pictured above is a very large pine cone (pinus coulteri?) that can only be found in some parts on the west coast; California (USA) and Baja California Norte (Mexico). Given the overwhelming size and symmetry this pine cone definitely stands out in the environment. This was the very first image taken on the hike and it speaks to me on a personal level. As someone who moved here from Europe, I am constantly surprised how much larger everything is in the United States. From larger portions, to spread out cities, bigger highways - even Nature seems to have gone a little overboard on this pine cone.
Beginnings 2. This picture was taken only few minutes into the hike. The start of a new adventure, it embodies the feeling of anticipation and excitement of going somewhere for the first time. The adventure is calling, inviting you on this winding trail, snaking up a steep and rocky mountain side. What this picture is hiding is a darker, colder side. Going down the same path later that night invoked almost the exact opposite feeling in the horrifying darkness of the surrounding wilderness.
The dangers of a night hike on this trail are not unwarranted, following excerpt is taken ad verbatim from the San Gorgonio Wilderness Association page with Frequently Asked Questions “Are there bears? … Yes, there are black bears in the San Gorgonio Wilderness, and there have been a number of bear-human confrontations. The following information is designed to help the visitor protect both person and property from the creatures of the wild. … ”
Vivian Creek 3. Pictured above is an obstructed part of the Vivian Creek. First part of the hike up the mountain happens to follow cross this creek all the way up to the Vivian Creek campsite. Completing the hike requires one to successfully cross this creek several times, water shoes are recommended. Fallen trees and branches have taken over, obstructing the creek - it’s hardly visible in the picture. Often times life feels the same way, too many things are in our way; preventing us from getting where we want to be. Drawing inspiration from this creek we should realize that even though it may seem to be hindered - water still flows and life goes on.
4. Lost Feather This feather belongs to a bird, but what kind of bird? And where was it headed? Migrating South? Can we keep the feather? So many questions! I took this picture to look up the type of bird later and in an attempt to answer these questions found the Feather Atlas provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife services. According to the service it is against the law to pick up feathers in nature: “Feathers are beautiful and remarkable objects. If you find feathers in nature, appreciate, study, and photograph them, but leave them where you found them. It is illegal to take them home.”
Soft and Spiky 5. Soft, fuzzy looking mountain slope pictured above appears to be like a carpet covering the earth. Where most of the hike is rocky, it is a pleasant change of pace to see the hills covered in low bushes and moss. The bushes pictured in the foreground are not as fuzzy. They are extremely sharp and oneshould be cautious not to brush against them by accident while following the trail.
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34 Participant Responses
Perspective 6. These gorgeous views open up as you keep climbing up the San Gorgonio mountain. The calm and quiet serenity of nature can hardly be described in this picture. Not to mention the soft murmur of the wind whispering with trees and the quiet waterfall nearby. We reach out to nature to get away from the manousha of everyday life, and it is in these moments - that we can truly pause, take a deep breath and gain some perspective on life.
Contrast 7. In this picture I’ve tried to capture both the contrast between the bright green pine needles and the clear blue sky in the background; as well as the juxtaposition of the pine tree in the foreground and the peak of San Gorgonio mountain in the distance. What appears to be a common pine tree, there is a notable contrast in size of pine cones with the first picture taken on this hike. Perhaps this particular tree values quantity over quality.
Dead Trees? 8. One of my favourite pictures in this album, this tree stood out from others as it was growing on a rocky side of the mountain. It looks deceased, without any foliage to cover its naked branches. This is a perfect example of the wood-wide web, an underground network connecting individual plants and allowing them to communicate. In his work on trees Peter Wohlleben describes how trees communicate and take care of each other providing the various nutrients and minerals necessary to survive. Perhaps this is how this tree was able to survive this long.
Reaching for the Light 9. These beautiful giants grow ever taller, reaching for the light. What’s interesting is how straight they turn out to be in the end. Much like the creek we crossed at the beginning the trees strive for the shortest path of least resistance to reach for the nourishing sunlight.
I love this picture because it perfectly summarizes the experience; it features the trail, the steep mountain side and the trees that make up the San Gorgonio wilderness. All of the beauty bathing in the golden glow of the dazzling sun setting over the pacific ocean. What a hike!
San Gorgonio 10. The beautiful slopes of San Gorgonio Mountain featuring a fascinating play of light. At this point the sun was starting to set and we decided to head back to avoid hiking in complete darkness - a wise decision as the hike took us more time than originally anticipated. People set goals in life to make it easier to navigate the choppy waters of our lives. That being said, we must remember that life is about enjoying the journey - not the destination.
35 36 37 Hike 4 - Strawberry Peak
38 Angeles National Forest
Photos taken by the author
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What did you think of the hike?
“I really enjoyed this hike, the weather was a little hot but not unbearable and the plants were thriving due to the amount of rain we received this winter, which really brought out a different side of the Transverse Ranges that I am not accustomed to. I was truly an exciting adventure for me because it was a challenging hike and I am not familiar with this part of the Transverse Ranges even though we extensively studied the tectonic history and associated deformation. Thanks for having me and I’m sorry my responses took so long!” - Participant 1
40 Participant 1 Responses 1. I took this photo because it was parallel to the valley and I also liked how many trees and plants there were. This ridge is right before the rain shadow so it makes sense why there is so much plant life here. This scene made me feel content about how much precipitation we received this last winter relative to previous ones.
2. I took this photo because I liked seeing how green the mountains were, not entirely sure why I decided to have the cactus trunk in the middle of the photo. Maybe to frame the photo?
3. I took this photo because it shows a nicely developed drainage gully that is full of plants. I framed this shot with the white flowers (maybe seed structures?) because I thought the contrast is nice
4. I took this photo because I like to look at rock outcrops. The white colored granite/ metamorphosed granite rocks has a nice contrast with the brown soil and multicolored plant life.
5. Ohhhhh you can totally see how the rocks have been subject to stress and has folded. It seems like the white colored rocks have been sheared and deformed along with the brown colored rocks around it (hiking poles for scale hahah).
6. I took this photo because these plants literally stood out from the many short shrubs and cacti that was found in the area. I attempted to take this photo parallel to the slope because I thought the green plants with the white cacti flowers against the blue sky had a nice contrast. It made me feel like I was looking at a strange alien forest and I enjoy sci-fi scenery like this.
7. I took a photo here because it has a nice overview of the mountain range, it’s just hard to imagine how these rocks were uplifted by the San Andreas fault. It makes me feel awe for the long term processes that form these terrains. We, as humans, only get to see a snapshot of these processes which will be unrecognizable in a few tens of thousands of years.
8. I believe I took this photo to show the rain shadow effect. You can see the ridges in the distance has a notable lack of plant life and are mostly brown, compared to the ridge we’re on which I used to frame the shot and is full of plants.
9. Once again I like to look at rock outcrops, possibly included the power line on purpose? Juxtaposition of manmade vs natural occurring. I think those two concepts together can work in harmony functionally and aesthetically.
41 Participant 1 Journal Entries
Beginning of Hike
There is much more plant life than I expected to see, I assume its due to all the rain we received this winter and spring. I like the views this hike has to offer because its high in the mountains and there is not a road or city in sight. The rocks here are pretty unique and are probably due to a mix of magnetic intrusions and fluids. I can see precipitation of metals in some of the magmatic intrusions. Giving dark colored rocks a nice sparkle.
42 End of Hike (Top of Strawberry Peak)
The grueling hike up to the peak was totally worth it. There is both a beautiful view of the city due to the clear skies and the inner valleys of the Transverse Ranges. The “forest” of Yucca Plants was quiet a sight to see and very cool. The rocks changed from ductile deformed magmatic rocks to granitic formation, making the climb to the peak much harder and slippery. One can see the rain shadow effect due to the development of green plants on the ridge closest to the LA Basin compared to the brown and grey colors of withering plants and rocks on the ridge to the north.
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44 Participant 2 Responses 1. I remember taking this photo because it felt like a peaceful moment to take everything in
2. And this was the other side that made me think how it was worth the trip
3. This mound of rocks I just couldn’t stop looking at
4. I remember driving on that road and not really noticing anything but up here it’s a whole different feeling
5. This was the view that I saw when I reached the top and it was breath taking
6. The path that leads up a grueling hill and in the picture it wasn’t bad but the feeling I do remember
7. Another view of how amazing things from high up can be
8. I felt that this scene and how everything was placed was serene
9. I thought the view was amazing and how far you can see
10. In this one the rock intrigued me
11. The other side of the mountain was flat and its beautiful to see the other side of the mountain
What did you think of the hike?
“The hike overall was great. Even though it was super hot and full of bugs. However it was worth every moment. I do remember how during the hike I wanted it to end, but ev- ery step of it made the end even more worth it. I would definitely want to do this again.”
- Participant 2
45 Participant 2 Journal Entries
Beginning of Hike
So lets see… After working night shift going on a hike is a good way to transition to a normal schedule. But these freaking flies are annoying the shit out of me now. But other than that it’s a nice and peaceful place to be.
46 End of Hike (Top of Strawberry Peak)
So I made it and its hot as hell. The view is amazing though. Can see the city of some kind. But really though. The fucking flies. Looking down you see all of the windy road and hearing all the bikes makes me want one. But yea a nice rewarding hike.
47 Hike 5 - Mount Baden Powell
48 Angeles National Forest
Photos taken by the author
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50 Participant Responses
1. The sun peaking through this pine tree was very majestic.
2. It was interesting to see the sap coming out of this pine tree. I accidentally touched it and regretted it instantly because it was hard for this sap to come off of my fingers.
3. We are almost there! I was feeling very grateful to have a friend who is always willing to go on long hikes with me!
4. I really liked taking this photo because it was like the trees were framing this perfect view. The trees almost looked like a doorway to the most perfect place!
5. We were almost at the top of Mt. Baden Powell. I was very excited to see what the view would look like from up there! I was also feeling very proud of myself.
6. This is the first break that we took on the hike. I was very relieved to be able to catch my breath and reflect. During this time, I was feeling a little emotional. I always get a lot of emotions when I get to see a view as amazing as this one here. I felt very grateful to be alive in this very moment.
7. This was one of my favorite views! I was feeling very proud of myself for not giving up, even though my legs were aching. Views like these make this hike worth it!
8. This might be my favorite photo! I took this photo because this pine brought back some of my favorite memories from my childhood. The smell of pine trees reminds me of when my family would take me camping. Some of my favorite memories are when I am surrounded by nature. Almost all of my favorite hikes have pine trees. Therefore, when I smell pine trees, even if I am in an urban area, the smell always brings me at ease because it reminds me of my favorite place, the mountains!
9. I really appreciated being surrounded by these pine trees since it was a very hot day!
10. I was very happy to see these ducks along the path. These rocks were stacked by another fellow hiker to show us “this is the way”! It gave me confidence to know that we were on the right path.
51 Participant 1 - Journal Entries
Beginning of Hike
July 6, 2019 Mt. Baden Powell I am very grateful to be on this mountain today! Yesterday I experienced an earthquake and I honestly wasn’t sure if it was the “big” one. I was very lucky to be around my family when it happened. During the earthquake I realized that there are still a ton of things I haven’t done so I am very happy to be here now in one of my favorite places ever with good company. I am very tired now and feel like giving up, but I can do it!
52 End of Hike (Top of Mount Baden Powell)
Three hours and eleven minutes later… WE DID IT! I am so proud of myself for not giving up! I always struggle with migraines when I go on long hikes and one of the things that keeps me going is the urge for the feeling of being on top of the world! The plants. Breeze and smells also help! Anyway, I am very grateful for being here and I am so lucky to see this amazing view! One of the biggest reasons for why I hike is because I like to get away or escape. It feels amazing to feel disconnected from civi- lization and technology and be totally present to nature and how my body is feeling.
53 Hike 6 - Mosaic Canyon
54 Death Valley National Park
Photos taken by the author
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56 Participant Responses
1. It was a bit overcast when the hike first started but I feel like the rocks looked way more red in this light, which I really admired. When the landscape tended to flatten out more, the ground turned into a more dark/black color which was really interesting.
2. I thought this texture of the rock was so interesting because of how abrupt the ridges are. The surrounding rocks seemed to have much smoother and longer surfaces.
3. I really liked the very distinct ridges in this area. I felt like it shows that the land here used to be underwater and the layers displayed the history of the Earth beautifully. It’s also how I imagine the surface of Mars to look like.
4. At first glance, it felt like there wasn’t that much plant life here but the more you looked around you could see there were little shrubs and flowers everywhere. I thought it was interesting how much they blended into their surroundings-- it was actually difficult capturing some of them on camera.
5. I think this is a good picture of showing the scale of the canyon (although I probably should’ve taken a portrait view). The rock formations were huge and it felt like we were on a different planet.
6. Again, I wanted to get some people in the photo to show the scale of the mountains. I think you’re really able to see the contrast of the different layers of rock here as well.
7. I believe this was right before we started traveling through the heart of Death Valley. I remember thinking the landscape was both beautiful and terrifying, as it seemed like we were so far from civilization and an unknown amount of distance to the next rest stop. I remember the clouds were so mesmerizing to look at and the sky seemed so much more blue here.
8. I took this picture to document me being able to navigate and climb over all of the rock formations. Usually the hikes I take are more green and seem to have much more fragile elements, but it was fun being able to climb on and through the rocks without being too afraid to disturb the existing nature.
9. I think my favorite part of the hike was walking through this section of the canyon. The trail narrowed here and had so many unique curves and textures. It looked like a river or current had carved out a path in this section and then had slowly dried out.
10. I remember being completely in love with how the clouds looked behind the layers of these red mountains. I thought the contrast was so amazing, and it made it seem like we were somewhere way higher than where we actually were.
57 58 59 60 What did you think of the hike?
“Overall I think the hike was very fun! I’ve never been to Death Valley so it was definitely a unique experience. I was a little uneasy when driving through the desert just because it seemed like there was no access to civilization for awhile but the scenery was gorgeous. I wish we had more time to make other stops but think Mosaic Canyon was a perfect intro hike to Death Valley.”
61 Hike 7 - South Coast Botanic Garden
62 Palos Verdes
Photos taken by the author
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64 Participant Responses
1. This was at the entrance of the garden and I already liked how the place was going to be based on the little white canopy. Also this reminds me of the movie Halloween town
2. This is such a genius idea because this platform was able to incorporate different plants on a vertical space which means there could be more room for the growing population. I’m happy that there are creative ideas on how to continue to feed people and our earth.
3. THIS IS MY ABOSULTE FAVORITE PHOTO. This road reminds me of road in the country side of Ethiopia. I have a horrible memory but I could see exactly where this is and who I was with. The last time I was there was almost 12 years ago. I just love this scene so much because it reminds me of my time in Ethiopia.
4. This makes me want to go back to this garden. The walk was so nice and easy I loved the way everything was set up!
5. The sky was very clear that day and the trees all looked so vibrant. It felt like it was fall, and there was some color in the garden. Which is not something you usually see in LA.
6. There were some nice smelling plants that smelled like fresh lemons.
7. I liked the open space in this picture. There was a lot of places like this and I think it would be perfect for a little picnic. I’ve never gone on a date before but I think this would be a nice place to have a date.
8. I liked this spot because it was the end of the track and this was the only spot that had a sitting area. Also there was a lot of shade. It reminds me a little house garden at my aunts house
9. This scene doesn’t look like anything natural to LA. To me this looks like something in Arizona (even though I’ve never gone) or maybe Palm Springs. If you were to just look at this picture with out any context you wouldn’t think this is LA.
10. This was near the lake and it was also towards the end of the walk. The little river was a nice added touch to the garden. I’m still amazed at the whole place being a man made thing. The whole place was cool because it doesn’t feel like I’m in LA.
65 66 What did you think of the hike?
“I’m so glad I was able to go on this trip and I want to bring my whole family. It was such a beautiful day and it wasn’t too far from my house. I will come back here again.”
67 Hike 8 - Loch Lomond
68 Santa Cruz
Photos taken by the author
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70 Participant 1 Responses - Loch Lommond Recreation Area 1. I was stoked to be in the shade because I was very sweaty.
2. baby pine tree getting ready for christmas
3. More weird stringy grass that I do not understand
4. I kept thinking how vertical everything looked from the water, this was a sheer cliff at times and trees against the flat plane of the water.
5. Its READYY
6. Looking at this photo I think about how there is many shades of green and blue and how in the middle it is lighter and almost white in the middle because of the trees or reflection of the water? I think of how the trees hold onto the moisture and maybe its just residual haze. Green, white, blue sandwich.
7. I think about how the trees may die between rains or crawl into the lake when it is dry.
8. I wonder if there are bunnies that come to drink out of the lake from those bushes
9.I took this photo because of the way the treeline looks against the water and how there is more mountain in the background to the right. It made me feel full and round, on top of being slightly motion sick because I was in a paddle boat at the time.
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72 Participant 1 - Loch Lomond Recreation Area
10. I want to know what kind of plant this is.
11. EVEN more vertical trees lining cliffs. I wonder about layering between eras in that cliff and if there was rushing water before the dam was put in? At least I think that a dam was put here to create the lake.
12. I think there was some fuzzy looking pollen on this tree. Either way I think of the trees trying to hug the lake and be close to the water. It was really hot out too like 85 degrees.
13. For some reason I think about how I slept near the railroad tracks in Santa cruz. It’s probably the way the branches hang low and hide stuff. The trees here always hide things but this one reminds me of that more for some reason. Everything that is light and dark just reminds me of that place. I guess that was camping? Cardboard and mexican blankets camp?
14. I will never not take photos of trees like this. Looking upward from down and the sun in the way. Smelling crushed cones and needles
15. Trio of trees dancing
16. this photo has the flash on and I think about how having the flash on doesnt help much now a days with most things. I think I took this photo because of the ground looking weird with that grass looking all lanky and straw like. I think about little bugs saying “hey turn out that light
17. I liked how these leaves looked like little hearts on the ground and I really want them to grow in my yard but they grow here instead.
18. This was an island in the middle of the lake that people were very fond of complete with the pier. People were so stoked on it, it made me want to fish there. I know my coworker fishes here sometimes after work with earthworms. I do not think he has told me that he has ever caught anything but theres fish that know how to rob the hook pretty well.
73 74 What did you think of the hike? “I had never been to this lake before this point in time. I live really close too and I just never went. Its kind of sketchy getting there and my car was doing all kinds of crazy shit up the hills. Its like some crackhead was like lets build all these houses really close and make the street really small and REALLY VERTICAL. I feel like being vertical was a gen- eral theme and thats what I can remember the most. It was a pleasant experience with the paddle boats too. I had also never been in a paddle boat either. I was really scared it was going to capsize because my bf weighs like 200 lbs and my sister and I weigh like 110 each. You can’t swim there so i wasn’t going to be that asshole who got dumped in the lake that is for people to drink. The sun was really strong there because of the lake reflecting it I think. I wanted to fish and see if I could get crawfish too.
I was really tired and hot afterward and I was stoked it was over. You could smell the red wood oils on our shoes for a little bit too after I bought a cactus cooler and water from the store boat house. I will come back sometime when I can. Maybe have a little lunch when I am off during the summer. “
- Participant 1
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76 Participant 2 Responses - Loch Lommond Recreation Area
1. Cluster of Babies. New Trees Coming!
2. Looks like another world. If we where as small as an ant it would probably feel like the forest…
3. I like how the person is the obvious thing that stands out from everything else in the picture, everything else blends in so well.
4. The Powerful sun penetrating thru...
5. A skirt of trees between two worlds. You can see the water thru the trees, what awaits on the other side.
6. Bigfoot Sighting!!! Why are they always so blurry?...
7. Where do we go from here?
8. Finding the right angle… this is not it.
9. A pocket of fresh air and sunshine.
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78 Participant 2 Responses - Loch Lomond Recreation Area
10. Why wouldn’t I take a picture of Rogue(Our Dog)!? Attempting to capture her curiosity.
11. What used to be.
12. So much green! Very evenly tall trees… they probably grew up together.
13. Trees can grow anywhere… They give no Fs…
14. I imagine Columbus saw something like this when he “discovered” America… ( There’s nobody here.... excuse me!)
15. Calm water, shade, sun and trees…
16. A very welcoming entrance. Little does it know, we are going to tear it down and build ugly shit on it…
17. Wonder what lurks in the shadows, kind of creepy.
18. Small Island. It has everything you need. Trees, grass, a whole lake by yourself, a painting of a fat kid licking a lollipop, Dan Cortez….
19. The Invisible spider… You can’t see it but it’s there, trust me.
20. A very nice 45-degree angle
79 80 What did you think of the hike?
“I like nature, makes you think about why you live the way you do. Working, paying bills, watching tv, going to the gym, going to a bar. None of that is necessary in life. We are cogs in a system that is not natural. Being there felt so peaceful, minimum stress. I mean of course if it was only nature you might be stress out about finding food, water and shelter. I don’t know. Its great to have a balance. Also, fuck Poison Oak…”
- Participant 2
81 Hike 9 - Mount San Jacinto Peak
82 San Jacinto State Park
Photos taken by the author
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84 Participant 1 Responses - Mount San Jacinto State Park
1. I took this because I wanted to show how far we came throughout the hike. I believe the barely green area was the meadow we were previously at a couple hours before
2. I thought it was cool how the trees were spaced apart
3. Cristina said she liked the rock so I wanted to document how much she liked the rock
4. Reminds me of that movie with corn stalks. I think these are called skunk cabbage and since I had never seen then let alone heard of it before I took a picture
5. After hike bliss. Thankful for the opportunity to hike to the peak and amazed I made it
6. Took a picture of the peak before the climb. It was a nice perspective to see what the goal was for the day
7. Took this because I had never seen a tree fall as a result of a natural phenomenon. This tree looked like it fell because of a recent storm maybe.
8. I took this picture because I thought it was cool looking. This was also the point that I thought we were almost to the top, but we were not even halfway yet
9. This is where I thought the peak was. At this point in the hike, it was getting extremely hot as we were not in the cover of trees anymore
10. I liked how green everything was. Hiking from a desert to a different kind of biome was interesting
85 Participant 1 - Journal Entries - Mount San Jacinto State Park Beginning of Hike
July 14th 2019 9:18 AM It was very hot from the bottom. Once we got to the top of the tramway, the weather was much more manageable. Very excited to begin the hike since I have yet to accom- plish a hike to the peak of a mountain. However, despite my fears of not making it, I am resilient and determined to try today!
86 End of Hike
July 14th 2019 4:54 PM Still very hot. My head and knees hurt the most. It wasn’t cool that I ran out of water on the way back down, but luckily with friends with me, I was able to stay calm and not pan- ic. View was amazing. Being able to see the peaks of other mountains makes me feel like there is more to accomplish. However, with baby steps it’ll be attain able in the future.
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88 Participant 2 Responses - Mount San Jacinto State Park
1. I took this photo because there was a nice size contrast between the tall skinny trees and the vibrant green short grasses. This is definitely a place I would love to camp in
2. I took this photo because you could imagine what this area would’ve looked like had it been devoid of trees. You can see piles of massive granitic boulders that formed in place from the weathering of granitic rocks.
3. I took this photo because you can see how the rocks fracture along cleavage planes and naturally tumble downslope due to mechanical weathering and gravity.
4. I took this photo because the landscape looks barren but there are trees that grow in the large cracks and fractures in the rock. It looked very conservative and minimalistic
5. I took this photo because you can see the trees peeking through the rocks in the foreground and the barren Transverse Ranges to the North. It’s almost surprising how resilient living organisms are
6. I took this photo because there was an even more intense contrast between the green shrubs and trees within the San Jacinto area when compared to the desert landscape of the background. This made me feel proud of the progress I made on this trail because I could see the tram station, which gave me an idea of how far I’ve hiked.
7. I liked the color contrast of the light color granitic boulders, green shrubs, and the blue sky. It makes me feel relaxed and this is the type of scenery I’d like to see in my yard.
8. I took this photo because the frame reminded me of a scene I took a picture of at Strawberry peak. This photo was taken at an upward angle and looked similar to the tall cacti flowers on the slopes of Strawberry peak.
9. I took this photo because the trees were so tall and the shrubs were so extensive that it looked more like a forest ( from a certain angle) rather than a desert landscape
10. I took this photo because it showed the rest of the mountain range that formed along the San Jacinto Fault (which should be on the south side of the pictured range)
11. I really wanted to just lie in the middle of this prairie and perhaps take a nap. The vibrant green vegetation along with a healthy amount of sunlight plus a nice breeze, really makes me relaxed and at ease.
12. I took this photo because I like the way high alpine forest look. Just like what you would see in Mammoth, Lake Tahoe, White mountains, Banff National Park, etc
89 Participant 2 - Journal Entries - Mount San Jacinto State Park
Beginning of Hike
The tram ride up was breathtaking, large jagged outcrops of granite and igneous rocks crisscrossed by magmatic sills was a sight to see. The weather up here is much cooler than strawberry peak and much greener. There is much more biodiversity here than I expected. This area reminds me more of the Pacific Northwest but slightly drier. I am super stoked for this hike and cant wait to see the different outcrops and sights that this area has to offer. Fingers crossed there is no seismic events on the San Jacinto Fault. Knock on wood.
End of Hike
Wow, that was great but extremely strenuous hike. I’m breaking in new boots which felt comfy first but now my feet are killing me. The view from the peak was outstanding and breathtaking. Large granite outcrops with sharp peaks were dotting the landscape. Fallen boulders the size of classrooms littered the peak, it was quite the scramble to get to the peak. Looking down the slope on the way back looked almost as nice as the way up.
90 What did you think of the hike?
“Overall, this was a fantastic hike that I would love to do again. It was challenging and strenuous but very rewarding in terms of scenery. I really like environments that have that high alpine forest look which I was surprised to find right next to palm springs. The tram right was also really nice because of the 360 view on the way up and massive cliff faces had a really interesting lithology. Although this hike was a little tougher to finish and cost a little bit of money, I would much rather hike in this environment rather than Strawberry peak. Strawberry peak was a good hike but its views and hiking conditions weren’t nearly as good as San Jacinto Peak. Thanks for bringing me along!” - Participant 2
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