Definitely nature. For me personally, being in the woods around where I can live can either trigger a shift or not, but whenever I'm in northern forests or in the mountains, I shift like crazy. I'm not exactly sure why it mostly occurs up there, but it's happened time after time, so there's definitely a correlation at least with me.

No, that's not a Therian trait. I can't imagine a Theran enjoying live in a city like Atlanta, but there actually are some who do. In fact there are the Lord only knows how many Therians in Atlanta - somewhat greatly in excess of a hundred. I had a friend who decided to contact all the Therians in Atlanta but the Bears made it a rather solid point that they had no interest in taking part in his plans and to leave them the heack alone - so he decided that "the better part of valor" and all that stuff.....

I prefer nature, but sadly, the woods nearby cannot be accessed because I have to go through property that I don't own to get in the woods, plus I'm deathly frightened of snakes.

You know, that very well could be... It's interesting, because that has tended to be the pattern I've come across with a lot of therians, there does seem to be that divergence there of reacting in one extreme or the other.

Personally, I know that I could never live in a big city, and regardless of whether I live near a smaller city or not, I absolutely have to live in a place surrounded by woods. One thing that I do know is that someday I've got to have a house where I can't see anything else. That's just who I am, I'd go nuts if it were any other way.

I think maybe a little bit more therians prefer nature than city settings. Some therians may live in the city but love the wild.

WolfVanZandt wrote:

That's why I like towns lke Selma and even the much larger Great Falls, Montana. There's plenty of trees preserved in the urban area. They're practically cities built in forests.

As backward as Alabama has the reputation for being, the state has retained an unusually large amount of wilderness for an eastern state. If only they could install air conditioning.....

That's exactly how a feel about Tallahassee. Of course, folks always compare us to Alabama (or call us Lower Alabama), so it doesn't really surprise me that it's the same.

LycanJayBoy wrote:

Cities, towns, forests, lakes, all have been ruined. Especially in America. So, for me it'd have to be urban where there's at least an attempt for city parks to be 'beautiful'.

I disagree. There are some areas in the US that aren't that nice anymore, but the majority of our natural areas are still nice. Also, I don't understand the, "Especially in America," qualification. We have more untouched wilderness than a lot of other westernized countries, thanks to the national park movement and the national forests, wilderness areas, ect.

Moonlit Hunter wrote:

LycanJayBoy wrote:

Cities, towns, forests, lakes, all have been ruined. Especially in America. So, for me it'd have to be urban where there's at least an attempt for city parks to be 'beautiful'.

I disagree. There are some areas in the US that aren't that nice anymore, but the majority of our natural areas are still nice. Also, I don't understand the, "Especially in America," qualification. We have more untouched wilderness than a lot of other westernized countries, thanks to the national park movement and the national forests, wilderness areas, ect.

Okay, maybe not ALL of America, but you ever been to North Dakota? It's a gently caressing bore!
Not to mention, the only thing you see is the color of wheat, and the skyline meeting the land, a straight horizontal line 360 degrees around your person.

It's Ugly.

To answer the original question, I don't see a preference for nature as a Therian specific trait. Though I could see Therianthropy influencing (though not dictating) an individuals personal preference. 

As for myself, I would choose a more natural setting over an urban one any day. I feel more at home, and able to breath when I disappear in the mountains and forests. I really do think that my being a Therian has influenced those feelings, as it really does seem that in nature the world makes more sense, when the cities are just noise and chaos.  I know for sure that I would never be able to live in the larger cities, especially as I find SLC (which isn't large at all in comparison to others) to be too large of a city.

Find another area of woods?

That was just speculation since I don't shift.

Kind of odd that woods are consistently occupied by people? I don't know many people other than myself who have any interest in veering off a pre-set path, and I rarely see people who do when I am off said path in woods.

O.o

Hmmm....really? Around here, it's the decent people who like to stray off the path. The lowlifes are usually too lazy to take a walk in the woods.

Are you sure that your shifting is that noticeable? I've noticed that young Therians tend to worry a lot more about shifting than they need to. In most areas I've been in (and I've been around), people tend to rather pointedly ignore shifters. In gatherings, I will usually howl lustily just to show the Therians with me how determinedly others try to ignore Therian activity.