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Abstract
In most countries, protected area management agencies provide formal outdoor learning opportunities for a wide range of educational groups. For high-quality formal outdoor learning programmes that provide a range of experiences to be effectively delivered, specific resources and infrastructure are needed. Using the case study of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), this study sought to explore issues surrounding the planning and delivery of outdoor learning programmes in outdoor settings. Semi-structured qualitative interviews with education officers employed by five Scottish heritage agencies were undertaken. Based on the interview data, a set of criteria were developed that need to be met to effectively deliver outdoor learning in protected areas such as SNH National Nature Reserves (NNRs). The criteria can also be used to strategically identify and prioritise areas or sites for formal outdoor learning purposes. These criteria were then applied to SNH NNRs to identify and prioritise reserves for formal outdoor learning. The study identified a range of factors that need to be addressed in the planning and delivery of formal outdoor learning programmes and a set of criteria that need to be met to effectively deliver formal outdoor learning programmes in outdoor settings such as protected areas.
Acknowledgements
The author would like to thank Jill Crowley for her valuable feedback on early drafts of the paper and the three anonymous reviewers whose comments have greatly improved the paper.