Attitudes and Views of Citizens Regarding the Contribution of the Trail Paths in Protection and Promotion of Natural Environment

Apostolos Kantartzis, Panagiotis Lemonakis, Chrysovalantis Malesios, Christodoulos Daoutis, Spyridon Galatsidas () and Garyfallos Arabatzis
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Apostolos Kantartzis: Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, 193 Pantazidou St., 68200 Orestiada, Greece
Panagiotis Lemonakis: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Thessaly, 38334 Volos, Greece
Christodoulos Daoutis: Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, 193 Pantazidou St., 68200 Orestiada, Greece
Spyridon Galatsidas: Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, 193 Pantazidou St., 68200 Orestiada, Greece
Garyfallos Arabatzis: Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, 193 Pantazidou St., 68200 Orestiada, Greece

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 9, 1-17

Abstract: In recent decades, large sections of trail paths throughout Greece have been maintained, revived, and marked, creating a wide network with a total length of approximately 3500 km. The trail paths are one of the main levers of tourism development as they contribute to the preservation, protection, and promotion of the countryside, cultural heritage, and tradition, to the more effective protection and management of areas of exceptional natural beauty and sensitive ecosystems with wildlife. This paper investigates the view of the citizens of the regional unit of Evros, Greece, on the contribution of the trail paths to the protection and promotion of the cultural and natural environment. The research was conducted with the use of a structured questionnaire and through personal interviews. The data were collected and analyzed with the use of descriptive statistical methods as well as multivariate analysis techniques. The results of the research show that the attitudes of citizens to the contribution of paths in the protection and promotion of the cultural and natural environment are directly or indirectly influenced by various factors. In particular, age directly affects the view of citizens towards the trail paths, with the younger ones having more positive views. Other important predictors of citizens’ views were the type of activity in the trail path, with citizens using them for leisure activities or using the easy roots having more positive views towards them.

Keywords: trail paths; structural equation model; natural environment; cultural environment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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