Visual perception of the rural landscape: a study case in Val di Chiana aretina, Tuscany (Italy)

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to assess the perceived visual quality of the rural landscape in the Valdichiana aretina, Italy, through a survey conducted on a sample of ordinary people. The research comprises of three steps. First, the territory under study is divided into homogeneous landscape units through the implementation of GIS-based methodologies. Second, a photo-sampling of the area is carried out and a direct survey is conducted using the photographic material collected. Lastly, the information gathered is processed with the Multiple Factor Analysis technique. The results reveal that the visual quality of the landscape units is perceived differently according to the sets of variables summarized by the extracted components: composition and structure, stewardship and individual experience.