Perceptions of Large Wood in River Corridors: Visual Cues, Risk, and Management Expectations in Brazil

Area of Science:

• River ecology
• Environmental psychology
• Geomorphology

Background:

• Public understanding of river ecosystems, especially the role of large wood (LW), often conflicts with scientific knowledge.
• Large wood plays vital ecological and geomorphological roles in river corridors, yet its perception by the public is frequently negative.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate societal and professional perceptions of large wood in Brazilian river corridors.
• To understand how different groups interpret the presence of large wood regarding naturalness, aesthetics, hazard, and the need for intervention.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a structured photo-questionnaire with 437 respondents evaluating river scenes with and without large wood.
• Assessed perceptions across four dimensions: naturalness, aesthetics, hazard, and need for improvement.
• Analyzed the influence of landscape context, image characteristics, and respondent's disciplinary background.

Main Results:

• Large wood was predominantly perceived as a hazard, causing flow obstruction and necessitating channel intervention, with limited recognition of its ecological functions.
• While statistically significant, the presence of large wood had modest effects on perceptions, heavily influenced by landscape context and image features.
• Respondents from environmental and natural resource sciences demonstrated a higher acceptance of large wood compared to other groups.

Conclusions:

• Public perception of large wood in rivers is complex and context-dependent, often misinterpreting its ecological significance.
• Findings highlight a gap between scientific understanding and public perception of large wood's role in river systems.
• Results can inform river management and restoration strategies by addressing public misconceptions and leveraging disciplinary insights.