An evaluation of the impact of river guide interpretation training on the client's knowledge and interest regarding the environment.

Harrison, Mandy ; Banks, Sarah ; James, Joy 等

Context

This study assesses the impact of interpretation training on a river guide's client knowledge of and interest in the river environment. River guide interpretation training, in this instance, was through a Headwaters Institute (HWI) seminar. The Headwaters Institute is a nonprofit organization with a mission "to provide education that inspires individuals and communities to care for and connect with their watershed" (Hicks, 2006). The institute provides support to educators that host environmental education/ interpretation seminars across North America. These seminars are largely targeted towards whitewater raft guides, but fishing guides and environmental educators are also encouraged to be seminar participants. The two main objectives of a HWI seminar are (1) to educate and inform participants about the natural history and ecosystem in which they work and (2) to give them support to act as interpreters of this information. The ultimate intent is that they will then pass this information and ideally pass a better appreciation of the river environment on to their clients.

Previous research (Harrison & Banks, 2008) indicates that participants in a Headwaters Institute seminar show a significant (p< .005) increase in their perceptions of self-efficacy regarding both their ability to teach specific environmental information as well as their ability to motivate their clients to learn about the river environment. This research investigates the validity of those efficacy perceptions.

Study Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of river guide participation in a Headwater's Institute Seminar in increasing client's knowledge of and interest in the river environment.

Specifically, the following hypotheses were examined:

[Ho.sub.1]: There is no difference in pre- and post-rafting experience test scores of river guide client knowledge of and interest in the river environment.

[Ho.sub.2]: There is no difference in scores of river guide client knowledge of and interest in the river environment between groups who rafted with HWI trained guides when compared to non-HWI trained guides.

Background

Tourism is one of the largest and fastest-growing industries in the world, particularly nature-based tourism. One unfortunate by-product with this increase interest in nature-based tourism is environmental impact. The management and protection of these natural resources depends on how they are perceived and experienced by tourists (Daily, 1997; Vygotsky, 1978). Impacts to the natural environment are intensified by an individual's behavior, either knowingly or unknowingly. These behaviors are largely dependent on one's perceptions of and experiences in the environment (Petrosillo, Zurlini, Corliano, Zaccarelli, & Dadamo, 2007). Feelings or affective attachments for the environment can be determined through participation in outdoor recreation activities (Vygotsky, 1978; Novak, 1998). Nature-based interpretive programs offer tourists the opportunity to participate and learn more about an area.

Interpretation has a long history of educating tourists regarding a natural area's conservation objectives, and has been used as a tool to enhance the tourist experience (Sharpe, 1982; Orams, 1996; Ham & Krumpe, 1996). Ecotourism with an emphasis on environmental interpretation can prevent or reduce the inherent negative impacts with which it is associated (Kimmel, 1999). Previous research has also indicated that river guides may be an important and potentially underused source through which environmental interpretation can take place (Bange, 1984; Roggenbuck, Williams, & Bobinski, 1992; Harrison & Banks, 2008).

Methods

The study was conducted at a satellite site of the Nantahala Outdoor Center located on the French Broad River in western North Carolina, near Hot Springs. This particular site was chosen because of the relatively large number of guide employees (ten) who had participated in the HWI. The data was gathered in a convenience sample over the course of three high-use days in August 2007. Over the three-day period, the two authors gave an "interest and knowledge scale"--pre- and post-rafting experience--to all NOC river raft guide clients who agreed to participate. The questionnaires consisted of 18 Likert scale questions. The questions gauged both "interest in the environment" and "knowledge of the environment." Some sample questions include: "How much are you interested in protecting the river area?" and "How much do you know about the water quality of this area?" This resulted in 97 useable questionnaires. Group 1 (n=39) consisted of those clients whose guides went to the HWI seminar and Group 2 (n=58) were those clients whose guides did not attend.

The "interest and knowledge scale" was totaled and statistical analysis consisted of paired sample t-tests to determine change in client environmental knowledge and interest between pre- and post-rafting experience. Additionally, an ANOVA was conducted to determine if there was a difference between interest and knowledge scale score change with respect to groups (Group 1 = clients whose guides attended HWI seminar, Group 2 = clients whose guides did not attend the HWI seminar).

Results

Results showed that overall post scores were statistically significantly higher (p < .000) on the interest and knowledge scale for all clients following their river rafting experience, regardless of whether their guide had participated in the HWI seminar. Analysis indicated no significant difference between groups 1 and 2 regarding pre-test scores. However, differences between pre and post scores for clients whose guide attended the HWI seminar (Group 1) were statistically significantly higher (p < .005) than those of clients whose guide did not attend (Group 2).

Conclusions

All participants increased their interest in and knowledge of the river environment after the river rafting experience, whether or not their guides participated in the HWI seminar. This may indicate that just being exposed to the river environment can begin the process of influencing recreationists to become more aware and interested in the environment. However, increases in knowledge and interest in the environment were significantly higher for the group whose guides had participated in a Headwaters Institute seminar.

Implications

This study is limited by the small number of participants, as well as the fact that only one rafting company was involved. Additionally, it is also true that HWI participants may self-select, and so may have more enthusiasm regarding educating clients about the environment. However, even in this context, it is significant that the results of this study indicate that guide participation in the HWI seminar can influence clients' knowledge of and interest in the environment. There is tremendous potential to influence a "captured" audience through the training of guides in basic environmental knowledge and interpretive methods. This study indicates that the use of interpretive messages in settings that are not traditionally interpretation platforms can encourage interest in the natural environment in a wider population.

Past research has confirmed the value of interpretive messages in influencing people's attitudes regarding the environment (Ballantyne, Packer, & Beckmann, 1998; Madin & Fenton, 2004; Hughes & Saunders, 2005; Zeppel & Muloin, 2008). What makes the Headwaters Institute seminar unique is the focus beyond traditional raft guide training of reading the water, paddling skills, and safety of the client to a more robust educational experience. The results of this study suggest that other ecotourism and outdoor recreation providers should consider including specific area natural history, environmental information, and interpretive skills in their staff trainings, thus encouraging the embedding of interpretive messages within the recreational activity that they provide.

References

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Dr. Mandy Harrison

Assistant Professor

Appalachian State University

Department of Health, Leisure, and Exercise Science

Holmes Convocation Center

Boone, North Carolina 28608

(828) 262-6324

harrisonmb@appstate.edu

Dr. Sarah Banks

Assistant Professor

School of Health, Kinesiology, and Sport Studies

Costal Carolina University

Conway, South Carolina 29528

(843) 349-6611

sbanks@costal.edu

Dr. Joy James

Assistant Professor

Appalachian State University

Department of Health, Leisure, and Exercise Science

Holmes Convocation Center

Boone, North Carolina 28608

(828) 262-6303

jamesjj@appstate.edu