Rural People's Knowledge and Perception of Landscape: A Case Study From the Mexican Pacific Coast

Local knowledge and land use practices, along with the multiple visions of landscapes of local actors, can provide information complementary to that of conventional scientific appraisals. The goal of this study is to understand how local people actually recognize and use different landscape units and the environmental goods and services provided by the units. For this purpose we created a Landscape Perception Unit Type Importance Value Index (LPTIVI) that responds to the need to evaluate landscapes from a cultural standpoint. Our contribution provides a methodological approach that indicates that it is possible to analyze and evaluate how local people as experts perceive and use their landscapes. Additionally, we discuss how this information can be the first step in facilitating the incorporation of local concerns into decision making related to landscape planning and management.