Researcher(s):
Rebecca Kidder
ENVS course(s): 220 Initiated: September 2013 Completed: December 2014 Go to project site
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Focus Question: How does the distribution of Hedera spp., English Ivy, throughout Tryon Creek State Natural Area correspond to the public’s desire to spend time participating in recreational activities in the area?
English Ivy, Hedera spp., is an extremely invasive vine in the Willamette Valley. It overtakes native plant palettes and degrades the quality of the land. We examined how the diversity of a landscape affects people’s desire to participate in recreational activities. Through collecting data of percent ivy cover throughout Tryon Creek State Natural Area, we quantifiably determined how ivy is distributed throughout the park. We then qualitatively compared this to the tendency of people to spend time in degraded landscapes as opposed to intact landscapes. Our findings indicate that aesthetics, rather than perceived health, is the deciding factor in landscape preference. Users of Tryon Creek prefer high ivy concentrations rather than eradicated areas.