Leisure and Nature: understanding the Interpretation Experiences or Visitors at Leisure in National Parks

Johnston, K. A.

Department of Conservation

1997

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The interpretation experiences on visitor in National Park visitor centres can be characterised as leisure. Through an existential process, the visitor centre is entered, interpretation explored, and both are placed into some context of visitor action. Leisure is part of his action, as is the creation of visitor meanings for nature. This research examined: the effectiveness of four different types of interpretation media (brochures, displays, audiovisual and staff), how these media might connect the visitor with nature, and the relationship between interpretation, environmental education and leisure in lands managed for conservation. The research built upon existing theory from leisure studies, environmental education, museum visitor studies literature and recreation, parks and leisure research. One qualitative and two qualitative research methods were used in a triangulated framework supported by unobtrusive observations to evaluate visitor perceptions, experiences and meanings for interpretation media. The triangulation of methods ensured greater validity and reliability of data. The combination of qualitative and quantitative methods helped to explain differing results from the study of the same phenomenon. The research paradigm demonstrated an effective means to better understand leisure behaviour. Findings show that media effectiveness is not solely determined by media type. Rather, it is a complex phenomenon of the interplay of: media impact in influence (the ability of media to attract and hold of visitors’ attention, transfer information and activate cognitive, affected and experiential triggers), visitor learning styles, and the meaning each individual attaches to the media in relation to their leisure activities. Conclusions are that the visitor interpretation experiences a social existential leisure process, and that visitor meanings for leisure and nature are based on social formations. The meanings of the Department of Conservation has assigned to nature through its interpretation media are not necessarily those of the Department’s visitors.

Keywords:

National Parks, perceptions, attitudes, usage patterns, experiences, evaluations

Unpublished, available from the Department of Conservation Library, Wellington

Social research

National

Outdoor Recreation

Outdoors

National Parks

Impacts- social, Participation, Performance

1323

July 12, 2012