Nature-based Recreational Activities Research Articles

Behavioral and cognitive factors influencing tick-borne disease risk in northeast China: Implications for prevention and control strategies

The growth in ecotourism and nature-based recreational activities in China has resulted in an increased frequency of visits to green spaces, thereby elevating exposure to ticks and the subsequent risk of tick-borne diseases. This study comprehensively investigate individual behavioral and cognitive factors associated with the risk of contracting tick-borne diseases to facilitate the development of effective prevention and control strategies, supporting public health initiatives in high-prevalence regions. We conducted an extensive questionnaire survey among 3000 residents from three northeastern provinces in China (Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning), where tick-borne diseases exhibit relatively high prevalence. The survey focused on gathering information regarding participants' tick bite history, perception of tick-borne disease risks, and outdoor activity patterns. Using structural equations analysis, we explored the pathways and strengths of the associations between these factors. Our findings revealed an average self-reported tick bite rate of 14% among the participants. Notably, tick-borne encephalitis exhibited the highest self-reported prevalence of infection (4%) among tick-borne diseases, while both Lyme disease and Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome had a prevalence of 2%. The average rate of tick bites among respondents' pets was 14%, with bites predominantly located on the ears, back, and abdomen. The strongest correlation was observed between tick bite rate and subsequent infections, emphasizing its role as the primary contributing factors to infectious status. Moreover, our results indicated that the causal structure of tick-borne disease infections varied across different cities, underscoring the significance of considering the ecological environment and regional knowledge on ticks. This study provides valuable insights into the current landscape of tick-borne disease infections in northeast China and identifies potential behavioral and cognitive factors, an aspect that has not been previously investigated. Our findings enable predictions on the future impact of knowledge dissemination efforts and improved urban facilities on mitigating tick bites and reducing tick-borne disease infections.

Gönüllü coğrafi bilgi kullanılarak Dilek Yarımadası’ndaki doğa temelli rekreasyonel aktivitelerin haritalanması

Korunan alanlar, açık hava rekreasyonu ve doğaya dayalı turizm için başlıca destinasyonlar haline gelmiştir. Korunan alanların sürdürülebilir ve etkin yönetimi için rekreasyonel aktivitelerin konumsal ve zamansal verilerine ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır. Günümüzde kitle kaynaklı platformlardan elde edilen gönüllü coğrafi bilgi, doğa temelli rekreasyonel aktivitelerin zamansal ve konumsal analizi için kullanılmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, Küresel Navigasyon Uydu Sistemleri (GNSS) tabanlı gönüllü coğrafi bilgiler aracılığıyla Dilek Yarımadası’ndaki doğa temelli rekreasyonel aktivitelerin konumsal modellerinin haritalanması amaçlanmıştır. Wikiloc’tan elde edilen 653 adet doğa yürüyüşü, 59 adet dağ bisikleti ve 22 adet yol bisikleti aktivitesinin GNSS izleri kullanılarak Dilek Yarımadası’nın rekreasyonel kullanımı analiz edilmiştir. Çalışmanın sonuçları, GNSS tabanlı gönüllü coğrafi bilgilerin, doğa temelli rekreasyonel aktivitelerin haritalanmasında etkili bir araç olduğunu ve geleneksel veri kaynaklarına alternatif veya tamamlayıcı bir kaynak olarak kullanılabileceğini göstermiştir.

Characterizing nature-based recreation preferences in a Mediterranean small island environment using crowdsourced data

ABSTRACT Nature-based recreation is a key ecosystem service that contributes to positive physical and mental welfare but, at the same time, nature-based recreational activities can increase human pressure and impacts on natural areas and biodiversity. Understanding people’s preference for visiting natural settings is challenging due to data and methodological limitations. Social media data can be used to map nature-based recreation. However, variation in popularity of platforms and limitations to data accessibility are highlighting the importance of exploring and using different data sources. We analyzed complementary crowdsourced data using an automated content analysis refined by manual identification to assess nature-based recreation ecosystem services across the Maltese archipelago. A content analysis of images uploaded to Flickr between 2015 and 2021 was performed using the Google Vision machine learning algorithm to identify nature-based interactions and nature visitation patterns were modeled based on landscape characteristics, environmental variables and socio-economic parameters. Flickr data were compared and complemented with publicly available geolocated data from the iNaturalist platform. Significant difference was found between the spatial distribution of Flickr and iNaturalist data. Generalized linear models identified coastal areas, protected areas, natural habitats and accessibility via the road network as significant predictors of nature-based recreational visits. Localities with a higher percentage of people receiving old age and unemployment benefits were also positively correlated with users’ preference for nature-based recreation. Finally, we discussed how the low resource methodology developed here to identify people’s nature-based recreational preferences can be used to assess which natural areas should be prioritized for ecological restoration efforts.

Small Recreational Boat Detection Using Sentinel-1 Data for the Monitoring of Recreational Ecosystem Services

Recreational ecosystem services are crucial for human well-being, and nature-based recreational activities often support local economies. However, tourism is very often one of many threads that contribute to the environment, and, therefore, data regarding its spatial patterns are necessary for the long-term sustainable development of a region. The present study describes a method for the detection of small boats (<10 m in length) in lake conditions based on Sentinel-1 radar images. Our two-step algorithm uses adaptive thresholding and math morphology operators to extract boat detections. The algorithm was validated on 14 images of different types of lakes in the Great Masurian Lake District, Poland. The detection accuracy was 88.17%. We also assessed the spatial and temporal distribution of tourist traffic and compared satellite data to field data. The correlation between the satellite-based map and field observations was 0.76.

Social acceptance towards person with mobility impairment participation in nature-based recreation activities based on the theory of planned behaviour

ABSTRACT Attitude, norm and perceived behaviour control were theorized as important concepts influencing intention. Understanding these concepts toward persons with disabilities (PWDs) simultaneously is essential in developing acceptance and achieving an inclusive society. This study utilizes the Theory of Planned Behaviour to gain insights that could help promote public acceptance towards the participation of people with mobility impairment (PWMI) in nature-based recreation. An online survey was distributed to Malaysian respondents using a non-random sampling approach (n = 275). Based on descriptive analysis, the Malaysian sample has a slightly positive attitude (M = 3.31), low subjective norm (M = 1.89) and slightly positive in their perceived behaviour control in assisting PWMI (M = 3.58). Regression analyses revealed norm had the most frequent significant interactions and had the strongest relationships relative to attitude and perceived control variables. Lack of perceived control affects respondent intention to help according to different types of recreational activities. These findings present a serious need to promote acceptance by improving public attitude and perceived control, as well as breaking any normative barriers. Future research could extend the current findings by investigating public acceptance of different types of disabilities and employing a more robust sampling approach.

Factors promoting nature-based outdoor recreation during the daytime and evening

Urban green spaces are the most common places for nature-based recreational activities. However, the issues on which landscape characteristics during the daytime and lighting features during the evening can encourage recreational activities, and how to enhance the diversity of recreational activity in a place are poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, 20 sites of urban green spaces were sampled. The same scene at each site was photographed during the daytime and evening. The suitability of 10 nature-based recreational activities was assessed, and 17 characteristics of daytime landscapes and five lighting features in the evening were quantified. For daytime landscapes, the study found that reducing the amounts of man-made elements and vegetation density could encourage walking, improving water quality and reducing aquatic plants could promote fishing, increasing the coverage of waterscape and vegetation promoted chanting, increasing the coverage of waterscape would encourage sightseeing, enhancing the accessibility of waterscape was beneficial to meditating, and reducing the intensity of maintenance encouraged both gathering and tree climbing, but no measures could be identified for jogging, sitting and barbecue. For evening landscapes, setting the lighting sources in the distance of visitors' vision and increasing brightness of lighting could promote walking and jogging, increasing the number of lighting sources encouraged fishing, chanting, sightseeing, sitting, meditating and tree climbing, and the mixture of warm and cold light colors promoted gathering, while no measures were found to encourage barbecue. Decreasing the vegetation coverage could promote the diversity of recreational activity during the daytime, and increasing the number of lighting sources and reducing the brightness of lighting enhanced the diversity of recreational activity during the evening. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to propose the concept “diversity of recreational activity” and explore its driving factors. For daytime landscapes, decreasing the amount of man-made elements and thinning the thick vegetation can encourage walking; improving water quality and reducing the aquatic plants growing on water are convenient for fishing; increasing the coverage of waterscape and vegetation are efficient measures to encourage chanting; increasing the coverage of waterscape and enhancing the accessibility of waterscape can promote sightseeing and meditating, respectively; and reducing the maintenance of vegetation can encourage the activities of gathering and tree climbing. For evening landscapes, setting the lighting sources in the distant view of visitors and increasing the brightness of a place will encourage walking and jogging; increasing the number of lighting sources and setting the lighting sources in the close view of visitors encourage fishing; setting the mixture of warm and cold light can promote gathering, and increasing the number of lighting sources can encourage chanting, sightseeing, sitting, meditating and tree climbing. Decreasing vegetation coverage can enhance the diversity of recreational activities in daytime landscapes, while for evening landscapes, increasing lighting sources and reducing the brightness of lighting will improve the diversity of recreational activities. Based on theoretical analysis, this study suggests that the positive elements for recreational activity in daytime landscapes should be illuminated during the evening and the negative elements could be concealed by the darkness.

An analysis of Amud Anan - A unique volunteered geographic information platform for nature-based recreation in Israel

Nature-based recreation activities are popular worldwide, yet traditional monitoring methods and their derived databases often limit spatial studies of these activities, partially due to the large area and remoteness of many open spaces. Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) from crowdsourced data could be used to study nature-based recreational activities. Most studies using VGI for recreation analysis are based on international English-speaking apps, and thus may miss information which is only available in local languages. Here we used a database from the Israeli unique VGI app and Hebrew website ‘Amud Anan’ (https://amudanan.co.il/) to study spatial patterns of recreation activity, using the points of interest's (POIs) density as the response variable, and several explanatory variables such as accessibility and attraction of the POIs. We also conducted in-depth interviews to study the motivations of users to share POIs. We found strong correlations between POIs' density and accessibility variables such as distance from roads and hiking trails, as well as with attraction variables such as distance from camping and picnic sites. We conclude that the Amud Anan database and VGIs in general can serve as effective tools for mapping nature-based recreational activity Israel and world-wide.

Surfing the waves: Environmental and socio-economic aspects of surf tourism and recreation

Marine ecosystems contribute to human well-being, e.g. through the promotion of nature-based recreational activities such as surfing, which is a benefit obtained from Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES). Our research objective is to identify the benefits and impacts associated to surfing, and who are the main affected subjects and/or objects, achieving a better understanding of the sustainability status of this recreational activity. To this end, a bibliometric study and systematic review was carried out for the period 1965–2021. Benefits and impacts were collated and grouped according to their dimensional focus and type of effects in 6 groups (3-dimensional focus × 2 type of effects). The results revealed that since the beginning of 21st century surfing research topics are growing and diversifying. This review shows that implications of surfing go beyond direct users (i.e., surfers) and has consequences in diverse dimensions (environmental, socio cultural and economic), involving many stakeholders (e.g., scientific, and local communities). Most of the pieces of evidence collated in this research were related with the people who practice the activity and its social implications (psychological benefits as main benefit and injuries as main impact). Following an interdisciplinary approach, we obtained a holistic understanding of the surfing activity, not only in terms of the different dimensions addressed but on the sectors of the society that obtain benefits or are impacted by the activity. All of them should be considered and integrated to guarantee the sustainable management of this CES benefit.

Using textual volunteered geographic information to model nature-based activities: A case study from Aotearoa New Zealand

A boom in volunteered geographic information has led to extensive data-driven exploration and modeling of places. While many studies have used such data to explore human-environment interaction in urban settings, few have investigated natural, non-urban settings. To address this gap, this study systematically explores the content of online reviews of nature-based recreation activities, and develops a fine-grained hierarchical model that includes 28 aspects grouped into three main domains: activity, settings, and emotions/cognition. It further demonstrates how the model can be used to explore the variation in recreation experiences across activities, setting the stage for the analysis of the spatio-temporal variations in recreation experiences in the future. Importantly, the study provides an annotated corpus that can be used as a training dataset for developing methods to automatically capture aspects of recreation experiences in texts.

Temporal activity shift in arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) in response to human disturbance

The rapidly growing interest for nature-based recreational activities threaten biodiversity values and increases the disturbance caused to wildlife. Several studies have demonstrated spatial and temporal activity shifts of animals in response to human disturbance. However, most studies investigate effects on how animals use an area of high tourism disturbance, such as a tourist resort or hiking trail, and not the effects of human disturbance at a key site for the animal, such as a denning or breeding site. In this study, we use photos from remote camera monitoring of arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) dens with the aim to investigate the effects of various levels of tourism disturbance on the diurnal activity pattern and vigilance of breeding adult arctic foxes at the den site. We find a temporal shift towards a higher daytime activity at the den in response to high intensity tourism (71 ± 3.9% in disturbed areas compared with 53 ± 6.2% in undisturbed areas), which stands in contrast to an increased nocturnality seen in studies of many other species, including another study of arctic foxes. We suggest that the difference could be explained by the higher cost of avoiding a key site for the animal, as in this study, compared with avoiding a more general human disturbance in an area within the distribution range of the animal, as in most other studies. Increased time spent avoiding the perceived threat of humans could compromise other important activities and have potential negative effects on e.g. hunting or provisioning for the juveniles. Human disturbance focused at a key site, such as a denning or breeding site, can thereby be expected to have larger consequences than what is observed in most studies of disturbance effects on wildlife. Based on observations of both tourists and arctic foxes during close encounters in an area of high intensity tourism, we also find that they both respond behaviorally to each other. The potential for positive or negative feedback mechanisms in such relationships between tourists and wildlife highlights the importance of considering both sides of the complex interaction to find a balance between preserving biodiversity and ensuring continued possibilities for recreation.

SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) Pandemic Lockdown Influences Nature-Based Recreational Activity: The Case of Birders.

The new corona virus infection SARS-CoV2 which was later renamed COVID-19 is a pandemic affecting public health. The fear and the constraints imposed to control the pandemic may correspondingly influence leisure activities, such as birding, which is the practice of observing birds based on visual and acoustic cues. Birders are people who carry out birding observations around the globe and contribute to the massive data collection in citizen science projects. Contrasting to earlier COVID-19 studies, which have concentrated on clinical, pathological, and virological topics, this study focused on the behavioral changes of birders. A total of 4484 questionnaire survey responses from 97 countries were received. The questionnaire had an open-ended style. About 85% of respondents reported that COVID-19 has changed their birding behavior. The most significant change in birdwatchers’ behavior was related to the geographic coverage of birding activities, which became more local. People focused mostly on yard birding. In total, 12% of respondents (n = 542 cases) reported having more time for birding, whereas 8% (n = 356 cases) reported having less time for birding. Social interactions decreased since respondents, especially older people, changed their birding behavior toward birding alone or with their spouse. Women reported more often than men that they changed to birding alone or with their spouse, and women also reported more often about canceled fieldtrips or society meetings. Respondents from higher developed countries reported that they spend currently more time for birding, especially for birding alone or with their spouse, and birding at local hotspots. Our study suggests that long lockdowns with strict regulations may severely impact on leisure activities. In addition, a temporal and spatial shift in birding due to the pandemic may influence data quality in citizen science projects. As nature-based recreation will be directed more toward nearby sites, environmental management resources and actions need to be directed to sites that are located near the users, e.g., in urban and suburban areas. The results can be applied with caution to other nature-based recreational activities.

Predicting Mountain Hikers' Pro-Environmental Behavioral Intention: An Extension to the Theory of Planned Behavior

Nature-based recreation activities play a major role in the tourism industry and have provided plenty of opportunities for the protection of natural areas. It is essential to study individuals' behavior during such activities to avoid further damage to natural resources. This study develops a robust model that provides a comprehensive understanding of the formation of individuals’ pro-environmental behavioral intentions among climbers of Mount Damavand national park in Iran. For this reason, we combined theory of planned behavior, value-belief-norm theory, and hierarchical model of leisure constraints to predict individuals’ pro-environmental hiking behavior in outdoor recreation. We used structural equation modeling to test the theoretical framework. A sample of 787 climbers was analyzed. Among the TPB variables, perceived behavioral control showed the strongest association with intention (β=.57). This relationship indicates that if people feel they can have less negative impacts on national resources while hiking, it will result in more environmentally acceptable behavior. Subjective norm has a moderate positive impact on intention. It shows the importance of other people on the individual's behavior. Attitude imposed a small positive effect on intention. Biospheric-altruistic values were not significantly associated with individuals’ ecological worldview while egoistic values had a weak negative influence on individuals’ ecological worldview. Moreover, ecological worldview positively influenced attitude and personal belief. Personal belief (Awareness of Consequences and Ascribed Responsibility) showed a positive association with the TPB variables. Although the data showed a high average score in Awareness of Consequences (Mean= 4.219 out of 5), evidence in Mount Damavand shows that there are a lot of environmental issues (e.g. tons of garbage). National parks' managers need to make sure that their solutions have resulted in the awareness of consequences that make people responsible for pro-environmental behavior. Findings support the hypothesized negative relationship between constraints and all TPB predictors. Providing proper restrooms in campgrounds, parking spaces, and strategies such as controlling the carrying capacity or solutions for removing waste from high altitudes are helpful to decrease the negative impact of structural constraints. In order to decrease intrapersonal constraints, managers should Provide techniques that can make individuals interested in environmental activities such as using environmental celebrations or make movies and documentary about environmental issues. To decrease intrapersonal constraints, national parks' managers should provide solutions that encourage people in activities such as environmental celebrations or making movies and documentaries about environmental issues. Moreover, promoting a culture of environmental protection in mount Damavand reduces interpersonal constraints. Overall, the proposed model improved the explanatory power of the TPB by predicting 64.7% of intention compared to the original TPB that accounted for 63.8% of the variance in intention.

Nature-based recreation associated with connectedness to nature and leisure satisfaction among students in Brazil

ABSTRACTThere is growing evidence that nature-based recreation (NBR) during childhood promotes connectedness to nature, which in turn fuels NBR during adulthood. In addition to providing a number of health benefits, NBR participation may enhance leisure satisfaction, an important predictor of happiness and life satisfaction. In this exploratory study, we tested these hypothesised links using a path model with a cross-sectional sample of 224 Brazilian college students, where NBR participation during childhood increases connectedness to nature and NBR participation during adulthood, which in turn promotes leisure satisfaction. The model fit the data well χ2 (2) = 1.924, χ2/df = 0.962 (N = 220, p = .38), CFI = 1.00, AGFI = .978, GFI = .996, and RMSEA = .00, with results showing an indirect positive link between NBR during childhood and leisure satisfaction, and a direct link between NBR during adulthood and leisure satisfaction. The indirect effect of connectedness to nature on leisure satisfaction was also significant: NBR during childhood fostered connectedness to nature, which motivated NBR during adulthood and higher levels of leisure satisfaction. Leisure practitioners can improve people’s leisure satisfaction by promoting engagement in NBR activities across life stages and emphasising connection to nature.

Mapping potential nature-based tourism areas by applying GIS-decision making systems in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran

ABSTRACTThe northern regions of Iran have a high tourism potential that is currently under-utilized, particularly by local tourists. This area is renowned for its cultural and historical type of tourism. However, its natural landscapes could be introduced as another source of tourism attraction, since its wide range of geographical spaces makes this area suitable for some nature-based recreation activities such as walking, climbing and camping. The authors seek to suggest a methodology for developing maps showing potential areas for nature-based tourism (NBT) based on the natural physical environments. In this paper, NBT is studied from a geographical point of view. NBT provides a break to everyday life by facilitating the enjoyment of nature. In our study, the approach integrates GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) and the analytical network process (ANP) through ordered weighted average (OWA) for mapping potential NBT areas in East Azerbaijan province, Iran. Relevant factors were selected, implemented as GIS datasets, weighted with ANP, and aggregated with OWA. The analysis produced a map identifying areas with a high potential for NBT, which is informative for tourism managers.

Research Note: Relationship between childhood nature play and adulthood participation in nature-based recreation among urban residents in Tokyo area

As urban areas and populations increase rapidly worldwide, experiences of nature play in urban green spaces would be a key for reconnecting people and natural environments. However, few studies have demonstrated the effects of childhood nature play on nature-related behavior among adults and its relative importance to sociodemographic factors. We conducted a retrospective questionnaire survey of 1030 adult residents in the Tokyo area, and found that the frequency of childhood play in green spaces was correlated positively with that of nature-based activities from gardening to international nature-based tourism, and even more strongly so than age, gender, and income. Given that participation in nature-based recreational activities reflects people’s interest in and appreciation of nature and can contribute to nature conservation, the creation and effective design of urban green spaces where children can interact with nature will not only improve local environments, but also contribute to global nature conservation.

Using social media to quantify spatial and temporal dynamics of nature-based recreational activities.

Big data offer a great opportunity for nature-based recreation (NbR) mapping and evaluation. However, it is important to determine when and how it is appropriate to use this resource. We used Scotland as a case study to validate the use of data from Flickr as an indicator of NbR on a national scale and at several regional spatial and temporal resolutions. We compared Flickr photographs to visitor statistics in the Cairngorms National Park (CNP) and determined whether temporal variability in photo counts could be explained by known annual estimates of CNP visitor numbers. We then used a unique recent national survey of nature recreation in Scotland to determine whether the spatial distribution of Flickr photos could be explained by known spatial variability in nature use. Following this validation work, we used Flickr data to identify hotspots of wildlife watching in Scotland and investigated how they changed between 2005 and 2015. We found that spatial and temporal patterns in Flickr count are explained by measures of visitation obtained through surveys and that this relationship is reliable down to a 10 Km scale resolution. Our findings have implications for planning and management of NbR as they suggest that photographs uploaded on Flickr reflect patterns of NbR at spatial and temporal scales that are relevant for ecosystem management.

Pilot Testing of a Sampling Methodology for Assessing Seed Attachment Propensity and Transport Rate in a Soil Matrix Carried on Boot Soles and Bike Tires

Land managers of natural areas are under pressure to balance demands for increased recreation access with protection of the natural resource. Unintended dispersal of seeds by visitors to natural areas has high potential for weedy plant invasions, with initial seed attachment an important step in the dispersal process. Although walking and mountain biking are popular nature-based recreation activities, there are few studies quantifying propensity for seed attachment and transport rate on boot soles and none for bike tires. Attachment and transport rate can potentially be affected by a wide range of factors for which field testing can be time-consuming and expensive. We pilot tested a sampling methodology for measuring seed attachment and transport rate in a soil matrix carried on boot soles and bike tires traversing a known quantity and density of a seed analog (beads) over different distances and soil conditions. We found % attachment rate on boot soles was much lower overall than previously reported, but that boot soles had a higher propensity for seed attachment than bike tires in almost all conditions. We believe our methodology offers a cost-effective option for researchers seeking to manipulate and test effects of different influencing factors on these two dispersal vectors.

A Rose by Any Other Name: Plant Identification Knowledge & Socio-Demographics.

Concern has been expressed over societal losses of plant species identification skills. These losses have potential implications for engagement with conservation issues, gaining human wellbeing benefits from biodiversity (such as those resulting from nature-based recreational activities), and early warning of the spread of problematic species. However, understanding of the prevailing level of species identification skills, and of its key drivers, remains poor. Here, we explore socio-demographic factors influencing plant identification knowledge and ability to classify plants as native or non-native, employing a novel method of using real physical plants, rather than photographs or illustrations. We conducted face-to-face surveys at three different sites chosen to capture respondents with a range of socio-demographic circumstances, in Cornwall, UK. We found that survey participants correctly identified c.60% of common plant species, were significantly worse at naming non-native than native plants, and that less than 20% of people recognised Japanese knotweed Fallopia japonica, which is a widespread high profile invasive non-native in the study region. Success at naming plants was higher if participants were female, a member of at least one environmental, conservation or gardening organisation, in an older age group (than the base category of 18–29 years), or a resident (rather than visitor) of the study area. Understanding patterns of variation in plant identification knowledge can inform the development of education and engagement strategies, for example, by targeting sectors of society where knowledge is lowest. Furthermore, greater understanding of general levels of identification of problematic invasive non-native plants can guide awareness and education campaigns to mitigate their impacts.

Birding blogs as indicators of birdwatcher characteristics and trip preferences: Implications for birding destination planning and development

Abstract Birdwatching has evolved into one of the most popular nature-based recreational activities and a significant niche tourism sector, yet literature on birding destination development has been limited. Through a four phase, mixed-methods approach, coupling thematic content analysis, word frequencies and applying the recreational specialisation framework, 200 birding blogs were analysed from five English speaking countries (UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) to determine birdwatcher characteristics and trip preferences. The study identified seven birder sub-populations, including previously overlooked segments, such as family and couple birdwatchers. The results also illustrate that birding is much more multi-dimensional than previously thought, requiring a strategic planning approach that incorporates all features required to make a birding destination a complete tourist experience. Four figures are provided that demonstrate the necessary components family, couples, friends and individual birdwatchers identify as the most important features of a birding destination.

Modelling preferences for nature-based recreation activities

This research contributes to a better understanding of visitors’ preferences and behavioural patterns in national parks and protected areas. A conceptual model is proposed to explain why visitors prefer particular nature- or culture-based activities. It integrates three components – outdoor recreation participation, expectancy-value and environmental attitudes. The New Environmental Paradigm is used to capture environmental attitudes, and the motivations for travelling to parks are based on the push and pull motivation factors. Structural equation modelling is used to test the proposed model using data from 401 domestic visitors to Portuguese parks and other protected areas. Results show that nature-based sports are influenced by motivation to do adventurous sports and by social norms; the pro-environmental attitudes, the motivation to enjoy nature and the influence of others affect the interest in interpretation activities; the model’s strongest impact on recreation activities is from culture-related motives.