Ecotourism Visitor Experiences in Aotearoa/New Zealand: Challenging the Environmental Values of Visitors in Pursuit of Pro-environmental Behaviour

<p>“People protect what they love” - Jacques Cousteau It’s unavoidable that the next generation will be faced with resolving our current and future environmental issues. It is suggested that children must first care about the environment before they are asked to save it, however, a more indoor childhood is forming a disconnect between child and the natural world. Rooted in the theory that a connection to nature (i.e. our affective and experiential relationship with the natural world) influences a willingness to protect it, this thesis aims to unearth the relationships between connection to nature and environmental attitudes and behaviours of children in Aotearoa New Zealand. To do so this study will: 1) Explore the underlying dimensions of children’s connection to nature, 2) Identify the factors that are related to children’s connection with nature, 3) Investigate the variables that best predict children’s willingness to act for the environment, 4) Investigate the variables that best predict children’s household pro-environmental behaviour. Findings from a quantitative questionnaire suggest that a child’s (n = 450) connection to nature is related to a plethora of variables; most notably exhibiting a strong relationship with their willingness to act for the environment. Furthermore, children’s experiences in nature best predict their household’s pro-environmental behaviour. These findings contribute to past research which suggest that positive relationships with nature, partially formed from time spent in nature, relate to pro-environmental attitudes. This study addresses gaps in Aotearoa New Zealand in regards to children’s connection to nature. It will benefit local policy makers and educators who are dedicated to strengthening the child and nature bond and/or conserving Aotearoa New Zealand’s natural environment.</p>

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Sense of Place and Belonging in Developing Culturally Appropriate Therapeutic Environments: A Review

10.26686/wgtn.13749838.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Bruno Marques ◽

Claire Freeman ◽

Lynette Carter ◽

Maibritt Pedersen Zari

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Human Health ◽

Indigenous People ◽

Environmental Values ◽

Landscape Design ◽

Culturally Appropriate ◽

Health And Wellbeing ◽

Aotearoa New Zealand ◽

Cultural Connections ◽

Significant Health

The connection the Māori, the Indigenous people of Aotearoa-New Zealand, have to the land is threatened by the effects of colonisation, urbanisation and other factors. In particular, many Māori suffer significant health and wellbeing inequalities compared to the non-Māori population. In an effort to reduce such inequalities, there is a growing consciousness of the need to better understand the cultural and place-specific determinants that affect the health and wellbeing of population groups in different environments. This article explores how environmental and cultural connections to land enable the development of place-specific and culturally-driven principles that promote the health and wellbeing of Māori populations. It argues that concepts of place, belonging, landscape and wellbeing play an important role in linking environment and culture as well as in contributing to creating therapeutic spatial environments that promote both human health and ecosystems. A set of principles is developed that allows for the landscape design of such therapeutic environments while accommodating the socio-cultural and environmental values that promote health and wellbeing of both Māori and non-Māori people.

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Sense of Place and Belonging in Developing Culturally Appropriate Therapeutic Environments: A Review

10.26686/wgtn.13184423.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Bruno Marques ◽

Claire Freeman ◽

Lynette Carter ◽

Maibritt Pedersen Zari

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Human Health ◽

Indigenous People ◽

Environmental Values ◽

Landscape Design ◽

Culturally Appropriate ◽

Health And Wellbeing ◽

Aotearoa New Zealand ◽

Cultural Connections ◽

Significant Health

The connection the Māori, the Indigenous people of Aotearoa-New Zealand, have to the land is threatened by the effects of colonisation, urbanisation and other factors. In particular, many Māori suffer significant health and wellbeing inequalities compared to the non-Māori population. In an effort to reduce such inequalities, there is a growing consciousness of the need to better understand the cultural and place-specific determinants that affect the health and wellbeing of population groups in different environments. This article explores how environmental and cultural connections to land enable the development of place-specific and culturally-driven principles that promote the health and wellbeing of Māori populations. It argues that concepts of place, belonging, landscape and wellbeing play an important role in linking environment and culture as well as in contributing to creating therapeutic spatial environments that promote both human health and ecosystems. A set of principles is developed that allows for the landscape design of such therapeutic environments while accommodating the socio-cultural and environmental values that promote health and wellbeing of both Māori and non-Māori people.

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Sense of Place and Belonging in Developing Culturally Appropriate Therapeutic Environments: A Review

Societies ◽

10.3390/soc10040083 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 83

Author(s):

Bruno Marques ◽

Claire Freeman ◽

Lynette Carter ◽

Maibritt Pedersen Zari

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Human Health ◽

Indigenous People ◽

Environmental Values ◽

Landscape Design ◽

Culturally Appropriate ◽

Health And Wellbeing ◽

Aotearoa New Zealand ◽

Cultural Connections ◽

Significant Health

The connection the Māori, the Indigenous people of Aotearoa-New Zealand, have to the land is threatened by the effects of colonisation, urbanisation and other factors. In particular, many Māori suffer significant health and wellbeing inequalities compared to the non-Māori population. In an effort to reduce such inequalities, there is a growing consciousness of the need to better understand the cultural and place-specific determinants that affect the health and wellbeing of population groups in different environments. This article explores how environmental and cultural connections to land enable the development of place-specific and culturally-driven principles that promote the health and wellbeing of Māori populations. It argues that concepts of place, belonging, landscape and wellbeing play an important role in linking environment and culture as well as in contributing to creating therapeutic spatial environments that promote both human health and ecosystems. A set of principles is developed that allows for the landscape design of such therapeutic environments while accommodating the socio-cultural and environmental values that promote health and wellbeing of both Māori and non-Māori people.

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An Exploration of Children’s Connection to Nature: Aotearoa New Zealand

10.26686/wgtn.17058032 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Sara Abigail Stuart-Currier

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Environmental Attitudes ◽

Strong Relationship ◽

Past Research ◽

Natural World ◽

Local Policy ◽

Connection To Nature ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Environmental Behaviour ◽

Aotearoa New Zealand

<p>“People protect what they love” - Jacques Cousteau It’s unavoidable that the next generation will be faced with resolving our current and future environmental issues. It is suggested that children must first care about the environment before they are asked to save it, however, a more indoor childhood is forming a disconnect between child and the natural world. Rooted in the theory that a connection to nature (i.e. our affective and experiential relationship with the natural world) influences a willingness to protect it, this thesis aims to unearth the relationships between connection to nature and environmental attitudes and behaviours of children in Aotearoa New Zealand. To do so this study will: 1) Explore the underlying dimensions of children’s connection to nature, 2) Identify the factors that are related to children’s connection with nature, 3) Investigate the variables that best predict children’s willingness to act for the environment, 4) Investigate the variables that best predict children’s household pro-environmental behaviour. Findings from a quantitative questionnaire suggest that a child’s (n = 450) connection to nature is related to a plethora of variables; most notably exhibiting a strong relationship with their willingness to act for the environment. Furthermore, children’s experiences in nature best predict their household’s pro-environmental behaviour. These findings contribute to past research which suggest that positive relationships with nature, partially formed from time spent in nature, relate to pro-environmental attitudes. This study addresses gaps in Aotearoa New Zealand in regards to children’s connection to nature. It will benefit local policy makers and educators who are dedicated to strengthening the child and nature bond and/or conserving Aotearoa New Zealand’s natural environment.</p>

Download Full-text

Sense of Place and Belonging in Developing Culturally Appropriate Therapeutic Environments: A Review

10.26686/wgtn.13749838 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Bruno Marques ◽

Claire Freeman ◽

Lynette Carter ◽

Maibritt Pedersen Zari

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Human Health ◽

Indigenous People ◽

Environmental Values ◽

Landscape Design ◽

Culturally Appropriate ◽

Health And Wellbeing ◽

Aotearoa New Zealand ◽

Cultural Connections ◽

Significant Health

The connection the Māori, the Indigenous people of Aotearoa-New Zealand, have to the land is threatened by the effects of colonisation, urbanisation and other factors. In particular, many Māori suffer significant health and wellbeing inequalities compared to the non-Māori population. In an effort to reduce such inequalities, there is a growing consciousness of the need to better understand the cultural and place-specific determinants that affect the health and wellbeing of population groups in different environments. This article explores how environmental and cultural connections to land enable the development of place-specific and culturally-driven principles that promote the health and wellbeing of Māori populations. It argues that concepts of place, belonging, landscape and wellbeing play an important role in linking environment and culture as well as in contributing to creating therapeutic spatial environments that promote both human health and ecosystems. A set of principles is developed that allows for the landscape design of such therapeutic environments while accommodating the socio-cultural and environmental values that promote health and wellbeing of both Māori and non-Māori people.

Download Full-text

Sense of Place and Belonging in Developing Culturally Appropriate Therapeutic Environments: A Review

10.26686/wgtn.13184423 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Bruno Marques ◽

Claire Freeman ◽

Lynette Carter ◽

Maibritt Pedersen Zari

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Human Health ◽

Indigenous People ◽

Environmental Values ◽

Landscape Design ◽

Culturally Appropriate ◽

Health And Wellbeing ◽

Aotearoa New Zealand ◽

Cultural Connections ◽

Significant Health

The connection the Māori, the Indigenous people of Aotearoa-New Zealand, have to the land is threatened by the effects of colonisation, urbanisation and other factors. In particular, many Māori suffer significant health and wellbeing inequalities compared to the non-Māori population. In an effort to reduce such inequalities, there is a growing consciousness of the need to better understand the cultural and place-specific determinants that affect the health and wellbeing of population groups in different environments. This article explores how environmental and cultural connections to land enable the development of place-specific and culturally-driven principles that promote the health and wellbeing of Māori populations. It argues that concepts of place, belonging, landscape and wellbeing play an important role in linking environment and culture as well as in contributing to creating therapeutic spatial environments that promote both human health and ecosystems. A set of principles is developed that allows for the landscape design of such therapeutic environments while accommodating the socio-cultural and environmental values that promote health and wellbeing of both Māori and non-Māori people.

Download Full-text