Cultural perspectives on the Hopewell Rocks: Investigating community values in a geotourism context

Abstract

Our research explores human connections to shoreline rock formations at Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park, New Brunswick, and the ways in which people experience the site. The Hopewell Rocks are a group of sea stacks and arches on the shore of the Bay of Fundy that are visited by more than 250,000 geotourists annually. One of these formations, Elephant Rock, is well known in the province as it is featured on the New Brunswick health card.
 Sea stacks are freestanding columns of rock created by shoreline erosion. These striking formations are dramatic and mysterious; many are consequently popular tourist destinations worldwide. Sea stacks are unstable by nature and visiting them poses some risk. This research represents an initial attempt to formally characterize the perceptions, beliefs, and connections that humans hold to these rock formations.
 This study involves a publicly advertised research survey and interview series to collect quantitative and qualitative data, reaching beyond a single research method to capture a comprehensive result. The survey is a multiple-choice and short answer questionnaire administered through Qualtrics, an online survey platform, which covers topics of connection to the land, safety, aesthetics, and education. We received 248 survey responses that present diverse perspectives ranging from the pragmatic to the spiritual. Preliminary data analysis shows support for the idea that New Brunswickers have a strong positive connection to the Hopewell Rocks. The results of this study will inform future related research on evaluating the risk to public safety posed by geotourism at this and similar sites.