State-of-the-art research on experiencing nature
CELTH researchers, together with several partners in nature management, heritage and destination marketing, have launched a special project: Experiencing Nature. A project where the technology of the BUas Experience Lab is deployed in the field.
In this project, we will investigate how tourists and local residents experience nature reserves -and especially built elements in them. To this end, we will use tried and tested but still state-of-the-art research methods.
The project aims to investigate how visitors (both tourists and residents) experience natural areas and the built elements therein, and what emotions a visit triggers. We also want to find out whether we can guide more environmentally aware behaviour.
The research
In two different nature reserves, we will interview 120 visitors but also measure their spatial behaviour and emotions during their visit with gps and biometric devices.
Partners
The research will be conducted by Breda University of Applied Sciences and NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences. Highly valued partners are Staatsbosbeheer, Zuiderwaterlinie, MarketingOost and Sallandse Heuvelrug.
Agenda Conscious Destinations
This project is relevant and a building block for CELTH's strategic research agenda: the Conscious Destinations Agenda. From a habitat perspective, it is about how best to preserve natural areas for future generations. From a leisure supply perspective, this project is interesting to explore how best to facilitate visits to natural areas.