Exploring multiple perspectives of urban nature and its symbolism in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This dissertation explores multiple perspectives on urban nature and its symbolic meanings. It compares and contrasts constructions of nature expressed by 20 environmental planning professionals and 32 individuals who live or work in Lincoln Village, a multi-cultural community on the south side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This dissertation uses a case study approach. The case study focus is the proposed enhancement of the Kinnickinnic River in Lincoln Village. Analysis of river planning for the Milwaukee and Menomonee Rivers provides a historical perspective on the social construction of nature in river transformation in Milwaukee.;The body of the dissertation is composed of three discrete but related articles. Each examines urban nature; however, they differ in emphasis, context, and research methodology. In the first article, "Transforming Milwaukee's iconic rivers by culturally reconstructing urban nature," I examine a series of planning documents for the Milwaukee and Menomonee Rivers to identify cultural reconstructions of nature, and their assigned purpose in the proposed river improvement strategy.;Article II, "Residents' perspectives on urban river transformation: A case study of Lincoln Village, Milwaukee Wisconsin," continues the inquiry into social nature by engaging citizens at a local level to gain a clearer understanding of the connection between their social values and aspirations and their conception of a "natural" river. Drawing upon the concept of "cultural naturalness," (Hull, Robertson, and Kendra 2001), I develop the theory of "social naturalness." Social naturalness provides a conceptual framework in which to understand the varied approaches to river enhancement, which community residents may perceive as "natural.";In Article III, "Perspectives on urban nature: Expanding conceptual boundaries," I contrast and compare ideas of urban nature expressed by environmental professionals with those voiced by Lincoln Village respondents. Commonalities and differences among respondents indicate the extent to which nature's symbolism is entangled in its material form.;Together, the three articles argue for the use of social nature and social naturalness as building blocks of an expanded and inclusive understanding of nature in an urban setting.