Occurrence pattern of landscape experience during forest recreation

The visitor-employed photography method was used to investigate temporal occurrence patterns of landscape experience while recreational users were walking in a forest. The stud y areas were two trails in Asiu experimental forest, Kyoto University. Subjects who visit Asiu for recreation were given a single-use camera and instructed to take photographs of what they viewed as positive landscapes and to record the time that the picture was taken. As the result of analysis, about half of our subjects' temporal distribution of picture-taking was judged as random; the other half showed clustered distribution. The process of taking pictures consists of repetition of bout period and non-bout periods. Furthermore, the subjects took photographs at a regular pace or reduced pace along their hike. In discussion, a schematic model of landscape appreciation during recreation activity was developed from these results. The model consists of two alternate stages. One is the previous stage of landscape consciousness level, which fluctuated with interaction between visitor's activity and their environment. As the result of changing landscape consciousness level, the next stage will begin to work on their appreciation of the landscape they see. For the application of landscape planning or management in recreational forest, it is supposed that a viewpoint with sequential patterns of landscape experience in mind is important for planners and managers.