Shum, Edith, Adams, Vanessa M., and Gurney, Georgina G. (2025) Species as placemakers: the role of species in place attachment. Applied Geography, 182. 103697.

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Abstract

Our connections to places are formed on the basis of bonding routes defined by the meanings and values that shape our own identity. In the context of global environmental change, the meanings and role of specific features of a place - such as the species living there - are shifting and redefining people-place relationships. Here we conduct a systematic review to explore the current literature on the interplay between people, species, and place attachment. Our review identified 30 peer-reviewed studies which suggests this is an emergent area of research. Drawing from our findings, we illustrate the relationship explored between species and place attachment and highlight its connection to the multidimensional construct of place attachment. Based on the person-process-place framework, we describe six roles that species played in place attachment evident in the literature: 1) identification, 2) association, 3) interaction, 4) knowledge, 5) kinship, and 6) actors. With foreseeable impacts of environmental change, we call for place attachment scholars to consider the changing role of species in people-place relationships. By using species as a focal point in conservation strategies, the six roles described builds on existing frameworks and highlights important processes in shaping intentional behaviours in management practices.

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