Visitors’ acceptance of negative ecological impacts in national parks: comparing the explanatory power of psychographic scales in a Norwegian mountain setting

Abstract

Even in protected areas, it is inevitable that any human use will produce some impact on natural resources. This study identifies visitors’ tolerance of potential negative ecological impacts from tourism activities and facilities in a Norwegian national park context, based on park visitors’ expressed degree of acceptance of negative effects on particular species of wildlife (wild reindeer and raptors) and on vegetation. Attitudes were analysed using psychographic scales, reflecting respondents’ nature orientations, their specific facility desires, their preferences in a wilderness setting and their concerns about human interaction with the natural environment. Fourteen research hypotheses were tested. Findings demonstrated that the psychographic scales explained more variation in attitudes than most social background and trip characteristics. Higher levels of education among visitors were strongly associated with increased ecological concern; age and gender were not. There was generally strong ecological awareness and eco-centrism among park visitors in general, with a small proportion of wilderness purists. Better trail conditions, signposting and interpretation were sought. But park visitors were also found to possess a complex mixture of needs and drivers. The study found significant potential for strategic alliances between tourism and conservation interests, and key value issues for park governance systems.

参观者对国家公园里负面生态影响的接受程度：在挪威山区设置下比较心理地理尺度的解释能力

甚至是在保护区域，不可避免的是，任何人为使用都将造成一些自然资源的影响。该研究根据公园参观者表达的对特定野生动物物种（野生驯鹿和猛禽）和植被产生的负面影响的接受程度，确认了参观者对在挪威国家公园中的旅游活动和设施产生的潜在的负面生态影响的容忍度。使用心理地理尺度，文章分析了参观者的态度，反映出回复者的自然取向，他们特定的设施需求，他们在野生环境里的偏好和他们对人为活动和自然环境的关系的关心。14种研究假设在文章中测试。结论显示出心理地理尺度解释了更多的在态度上的变量因素，而不是在社会背景或是旅行特点上。那些有着更高教育水平的参观者强烈地和提升的生态关注密切联系；年龄和性别却没有关系。总地来说，公园参观者中有着强烈的生态意识和生态中心主义，还有很小一部分的野生纯粹主义者。参观者们都在寻求更好的游步道条件，引路牌和解释性设施。但是公园参观者也有着复杂的需求和动机。研究发现在旅游和保护兴趣间战略合作的重要的潜力，和公园治理系统的主要价值。

Keywords:

• nature-based tourism
• national parks
• visitor attitudes
• psychographic scale
• ecological concern
• management policy

关键词:

• 自然为基础的旅游
• 国家公园
• 参观者态度
• 心理地理尺度
• 生态关注

Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the Research Council of Norway through the project “Sustainable tourism development in mountain park areas” (186891/110), under the NATURNAER programme, and through a strategic institute project (SIS) “Tourism in Norway” (200070/S30) at the Institute of Transport Economics. The authors are indebted to the editors and the three anonymous referees, as well as to Sjur Baardsen for his valuable comments.

Notes

1. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration gave the necessary permit and practical assistance.

2. Only two variables loaded on this particular dimension, which is at odds with the recommendation to require at least three components to represent one dimension (Thurstone, 1927). It was kept, however, due to the fact that the two variables in question were stable across the two data sets and also appeared with very distinctive scores.