Research areas

Nature interpretation as a form of communication plays important roles in environmental governance and management, for instance nature interpretation as management tool in protected areas and in nature-based tourism, as well as in other natural resource management such as forestry, agriculture, and landscape architecture.

Hvengaard G. T., Shultis J., Butler J. R. (2009). The role of interpretation. In Dearden P., Rollins R. (Eds.), Parks and protected areas in Canada: Planning and management (pp. 202–234). Oxford University Press.

Mackintosh B. (1986). Interpretation in the National Park Service: A historical perspective. https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/mackintosh2/index.htm

Derrien, M. M., & Stokowski, P. A. (2016). Discourses of Place: Environmental Interpretation about Vermont Forests. Environmental Communication, 11(2), 276–287. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2016.1211160

Vanclay, F., & Enticott, G. (2011). The role and functioning of cultural scripts in farming and agriculture. Sociologia ruralis, 51(3), 256-271.  https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9523.2011.00537.x

It is widely agreed that nature interpretation is an arena and meeting place for people to build, form, strengthen, and reflect on their relationship with the natural and cultural environment, as well as a communicative practice that carries out certain themes and messages that present certain ideas of human-nature relations at large. How interpretation is approached, practiced and evaluated in relation to human-nature relations is a topic in several research fields, such environmental psychology, human geography, environmental humanity, AI and digitalisation studies, as well as theology and spirituality studies. Even though the term ‘nature interpretation’ is not always explicitly used, these different perspectives can be useful for nature interpreters to broaden their views in their approach and planning of nature interpretation activities.

Head, L. (2016). Hope and Grief in the Anthropocene: Re-conceptualising human–nature relations (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315739335

Restall, B., Conrad, E., & Cop, C. (2021). Connectedness to nature: Mapping the role of protected areas. Journal of Environmental Management, 293, 112771.

Fischer, A., & Eastwood, A. (2016). Coproduction of ecosystem services as human–nature interactions—An analytical framework. Land use policy, 52, 41-50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2015.12.004

Schweitzer, R and Glab, H and Brymer, E (2018) The human-nature relationship: a phenomenological-relational perspective. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00969

Macaulay, R., Johnson, K., Lee, K., & Williams, K. (2025). Assessing different levels of psychological engagement with nature: A scoping review of experimental studies. Journal of Environmental Psychology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102623

Powell, R. B., Vezeau, S. L., Stern, M. J., Moore, D. W. D., & Wright, B. A. (2018). Does interpretation influence elaboration and environmental behaviors? Environmental Education Research, 24(6), 875–888.

Earlier research has examined whether nature interpretation can support democratic debates on issues of natural resource management or help to create space for discussing sensitive issues about nature. 

Caselunghe, E., Bergeå, H. & von Essen, E. (2019). Public Spheres for Deliberation on Nature? Democratic Qualities of Visitor Centres in Sweden. Journal of Public Deliberation. 15 (1).  https://doi.org/10.16997/jdd.316 

Caselunghe, E. (2018). Deliberations on nature: Swedish cases of communication and democracy within nature conservation. Diss. Uppsala: Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Acta Universitatis agriculturae Sueciae 2018:68.  https://pub.epsilon.slu.se/15756/ 

Ablett, P. G., & Dyer, P. K. (2009). Heritage and hermeneutics: towards a broader interpretation of interpretation. Current Issues in Tourism, 12(3), 209-233.

Stern, M. J., & Powell, R. B. (2020). Taking stock of interpretation research: Where have we been and where are we heading? Journal of Interpretation Research, 25(2), 65–87.

Lisberg Jensen, E. (2011). Humanekologiska perspektiv på barns naturkontakt. In: Mårtensson, F., Lisberg Jensen, E., Söderström, M., & Öhman, J. Den nyttiga utevistelsen? Forskningsperspektiv på naturkontaktens betydelse för barns hälsa och miljöengagemang. (p. 25-50). Naturvårdsverket. Rapport 6407. https://www.naturvardsverket.se/Documents/publikationer6400/978-91-620-6407-5.pdf

Lisberg Jensen, E. & Ouis, P. (2008). Contested construction of nature for city fringe outdoor recreation in southern Sweden: The Arrie case. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 4(7). p. 171-182. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2008.02.003  

Natur guides role in nature-based integration projects

Benedict Singleton at SLU wrote 2020 a research article with the title Interpreting taskscapes: the rituals of guided Nature-Based (Dis)Integration in Sweden. The article presents results from a study about guides' role in nature based integration projects. The author lifts for example how guides with different methods offers meeting places for persons with different backgrounds and guides' roles when it comes to tensions and conflicts. 

Singleton, B. E. (2021). Go to the forest! Exploring the orderings of Swedish nature-based integration. Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space, 4(4), 1560-1582.

Nature Interpretation is often seen as an environmental educational approach in visitor management at nature-based tourism destinations. 

Blye, C., Hvenegaard, G., & Halpenny, E. (2023). Are we creatures of logic or emotions? Investigating the role of attitudes, worldviews, emotions, and knowledge gain from environmental interpretation on behavioural intentions of park visitors. Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership, 15(1), 9–28.

Cook, K. J., Hvenegaard, G. T., & Halpenny, E. A. (2021). Visitor perceptions of the outcomes of personal interpretation in Alberta’s Provincial Parks. Applied Environmental Education & Communication, 20(1), 49–65.

Ham, S., & Weiler, B. (2007). Isolating the role of on-site interpretation in a satisfying experience. Journal of Interpretation Research, 12(2), 5–24.

Hvenegaard, G. T. (2017). Visitors’ perceived impacts of interpretation on knowledge, attitudes, and behavioural intentions at Miquelon Lake Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 17(1), 79–90.