APPLICATION OF QUANTITATIVE SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACHES IN LANDSCAPE PLANNING

Landscape and its inhabitants represent an inseparable unit. Landscape is formed by the needs of the local society, while inhabitants are shaped by the landscape they live in. However, in contemporary landscape planning practice there is only limited attention paid to the needs of the local inhabitants within the landscape. The aim of this study was to focus on a possible application of sociological approaches outlined in two case studies and to get information about how to meet the local landscape inhabitants’ needs as a starting point for landscape planning. Information dealt with in this study stems from a quantitative questionnaire survey that addressed 10% of inhabitants from the micro-regions Br?na Vyso?iny and ?dol? Lidického potoka aging over 15 years. The data obtained were statistically evaluated using frequency and correlation analyses of an SPSS program (Version 17.0, 2010). Because of the low return rate of the questionnaires an additional qualitative survey was held (focus groups, interviews, workshops), and thus the quantitative data provided by the questionnaires were complemented and deepened. We can state that local inhabitants of given micro-regions exploit the offer of local landscape to satisfy their needs. However these needs are very specific and differ depending on the place of residence (landscape character), age, education, and occupation. The participation of local inhabitants in landscape planning enabling them to project their needs into local landscape seems to be crucial.