School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, 105, Anheuser Busch Natural Resource Building, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA.
Environ Manage. 2019 May;63(5):615-628. doi: 10.1007/s00267-019-01142-1. Epub 2019 Feb 9.
Parks and protected areas can be ideal settings for climate change communication since many visitors have an affinity for natural and cultural settings, and an interest in resource protection. However, climate-based education efforts in the Midwestern United States may need a slightly different approach since this region lacks obvious indicators, such as sea level rise and melting glaciers. Interpretation, an informal communication process designed to transmit scientific information to visitors in leisure-based settings, could be a useful strategy for engaging visitors in climate change discussions. Few studies have assessed perceptions of interpreters on this topic, much less, their willingness to communicate such information. To address this issue, a mixed methods approach (surveys, interviews, photovoice) was used to examine interpreters' perceptions of climate change and its impacts in Missouri State Park and Historic Sites. Although nearly 70% of interpreters were either alarmed or concerned about climate change, many of them were unsure about its causation. Interpreters report observing impacts such as flooding, earlier plant blooming, high temperatures, extreme weather, and invasive species, but were uncertain about attributing these impacts to climate change. Interpreters did not believe that visitors would be responsive to climate-based education per se but thought the topic could be addressed in pre-existing programs and activities. Rather than discussing complex science with visitors, interpreters felt more comfortable with conveying the significance of resources at their sites. Implications from this study include acknowledging multiple viewpoints, framing strategic messages, and developing place-based educational materials.
公园和保护区可以成为气候变化交流的理想场所，因为许多游客对自然和文化环境有亲和力，并且对资源保护感兴趣。然而，由于美国中西部地区缺乏明显的指标，如海平面上升和冰川融化，基于气候的教育工作可能需要稍微不同的方法。解说，一种旨在将科学信息传递给休闲场所游客的非正式交流过程，可能是吸引游客参与气候变化讨论的有用策略。很少有研究评估过解说员在这个主题上的看法，更不用说他们愿意传达这些信息的意愿了。为了解决这个问题，采用混合方法（调查、访谈、摄影）来研究解说员在密苏里州立公园和历史遗址中对气候变化及其影响的看法。尽管近 70%的解说员对气候变化感到震惊或担忧，但他们中的许多人不确定其原因。解说员报告观察到洪水、植物提前开花、高温、极端天气和入侵物种等影响，但不确定将这些影响归因于气候变化。解说员不认为游客会对基于气候的教育本身做出反应，但认为可以在现有的项目和活动中讨论这个话题。解说员觉得，与游客讨论复杂的科学问题不如传达他们所在地点资源的重要性更舒服。这项研究的意义包括承认多种观点、构建战略性信息和开发基于地点的教育材料。
