Best practice principles for communicating safety messages in national parks

Saunders, Rob; Weiler, Betty; Scherrer, Pascal; Zeppel, Heather

doi:10.1016/j.jort.2018.01.006

Cited by 52 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…The best way to define non-compliant behavior is the violation of protective regulations through deliberate engagements performed in anticipation of some consequence linked with the deviance, where "other visitors are observed failing to comply with no apparent consequences" (Saunders et al, 2019, p.136, line 67). For example, visitors choose to ignore safety warnings and get injured in adventurous activities due to relaxed attitudes about compliance (Brady & McIntyre, 2007;Saunders et al, 2019). Visitors non-comply due to various reasons such as overcrowding (Sim et al, 2018), unrealistic goals (Chamarro et al, 2019), and seeking sensation (Marengo, Monaci & Miceli, 2017).…”

Section: Reasons For Noncompliancementioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the depreciative behavior of walking off-trail is a key compliance problem faced by park management as visitors place themselves and other people at risk (Goh, 2019;Goh, Ritchie & Wang, 2017;Saunders et al, 2019), and damage park vegetation (Leung et al, 2011;Park et al, 2008). This risky conduct is usually a state of naivet e rather than malicious motivations and presents opportunities for potential accidents and fatal misadventures.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This research question is crucial in understanding visitor noncompliance in national parks. Research in this space is limited, where a paucity of previous studies have investigated non-compliant motivational behaviors (such as Goh 2019; Parkin & Morris, 2005;Saunders et al, 2019). These studies tend to be observational and qualitative in nature, which may indeed provide reasons behind visitors' noncompliance behavior.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Walking Off-Trail in National Parks: Monkey See Monkey Do

Goh

2020

Leisure Sciences

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This study extended the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to embrace the pro-environmental construct in predicting visitor off-trail behavioral intentions at national parks. Quantitative questionnaire items were developed through an elicitation study and empirically tested among 325 respondents. Empirical results revealed overall predictive variance of 21.7 percent (R 2) in predicting visitor off-trail intentions. Behavioral beliefs predicted most of behavioral intentions followed by normative beliefs. The contribution of control beliefs and proenvironmental values had the weakest predictive power. Among the behavioral beliefs, visitors had the strongest belief that walking off the trails would lead to a shorter route. Friends as a reference group were the strongest normative belief that influenced off-trail intentions. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

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Section: Reasons For Noncompliancementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Walking Off-Trail in National Parks: Monkey See Monkey Do

Goh

2020

Leisure Sciences

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“…We attempted, by design and placement, to make our experimental sign both conspicuous and salient. Of interest is the fact that it incorporated many of the features that were recommended in a recently published article on “best practice principles for communicating messages in national parks.” (Saunders et al 2019). This approach is further supported by the fact that compliance was assessed via objective measurement in a real world setting.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating a novel sign’s impact on whether park visitors enter a dangerous river

Girasek

2019

Inj. Epidemiol.

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BackgroundBetween 1972 and 2015, 56 visitors to the two national parks that border the Potomac River Gorge experienced fatal drowning. In 2016, the George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP), and the Chesapeake and Ohio National Historical Park (CHOH) partnered with a researcher to see if enhancement of their risk communication strategies could reduce behaviors that contribute to these deaths.MethodsAn experimental sign, which informed visitors that water entry was illegal and could result in a fine exceeding $200 was developed, and displayed on alternating weekend days from July 30 to September 11, 2016. Those signs were displayed at each park’s entrance, on restroom doors, at trailheads, and at both shorelines of the Potomac. At other times the experimental signs were covered, but a standard safety sign was always present. Cameras were used to record water entries.ResultsCameras captured 1441 images. Approximately 2% of the images in CHOH and 1% of the images in GWMP showed a visitor in the water. Our multivariate analysis revealed that air temperature, beach count, and sign condition were significantly associated with water entry. When our experimental sign was displayed, the odds of an image showing someone in the water was reduced by 63%.ConclusionsA sign alerting park visitors to the fact that water entry is illegal, and could potentially result in a considerable fine, was associated with significantly reduced risk-taking. While intuitive, this finding is a reminder to consider whether warnings that focus on non-health consequences might be more salient to at-risk populations.

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“…obs. on Hawai‘i Island’s west coast by RD and AP), they do not conform to the practice of making signs obvious to the target audience [ 27 – 29 ]. Because the signs lack a reasonable detailed rationale for the law they describe, they are less likely to incentivize compliance with the law [ 30 , 31 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Better educational signage could reduce disturbance of resting dolphins

2021

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Spinner dolphins on Hawai‘i Island’s west coast (Stenella longirostris longirostris) rest by day in protected bays that are increasingly popular for recreation. Because more frequent interactions of people with these dolphins is likely to reduce rest for dolphins and to explain recent decline in dolphin abundance, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) proposed stricter rules regarding interactions with spinner dolphins near the main Hawaiian Islands and plans to increase enforcement. Simultaneous investment in public education about both interaction rules and their biological rationale has been and is likely to be relatively low. To test the hypothesis that more educational signage will reduce human-generated disturbance of dolphins, a paper questionnaire was distributed to 351 land-based, mostly unguided visitors at three dolphin resting bays on Hawai‘i Island’s west coast. Responses indicated that visitors wanted to see dolphins, were ignorant of interaction rules, were likely to read signs explaining rules and their biological rationales, and were likely to follow known rules. Therefore, investment in effective educational signage at dolphin resting bays is recommended as one way to support conservation of spinner dolphins on Hawai‘i Island’s west coast and similar sites in the Hawaiian archipelago.

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Best practice principles for communicating safety messages in national parks

Cited by 52 publications

References 26 publications

Walking Off-Trail in National Parks: Monkey See Monkey Do

Walking Off-Trail in National Parks: Monkey See Monkey Do

Evaluating a novel sign’s impact on whether park visitors enter a dangerous river

Better educational signage could reduce disturbance of resting dolphins

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