Doctoral Dissertation Research:The Social Construction of Nature and Health through Engagement with National Parks in Southeast Alaska

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Paragraph 1Alaska is commonly characterized as cold, remote, rugged and, above all, natural, and attracts over one million visitors per year. In parallel fashion, interacting with nature is widely viewed as healthy. With the explicit goal of "creating healthy outdoor recreation" opportunities, and as places where many people seek to experience nature, many parks function as a focal point where complex interpretations of the health-nature nexus play out. Tensions persist as to what constitutes an "authentic nature experience" and therefore what constitutes a "healthy nature experience." Few studies have engaged a comprehensive view of health as a platform for exploring human-environmental interactions. This research will further explore opportunities to improve health, as well as leverage existing outdoor programs for visitors and the general public. This work will produce important information that can directly improve public programming in national, regional, and potentially local outdoor destinations. By encouraging more inclusive views of engagement and the potential comprehensive health benefits, public engagement and experiences can be enriched and reach more diverse audiences. Paragraph 2This research will further a theoretical understanding of what factors influence a comprehensive perception of health and engagement with nature using an interdisciplinary social science perspective drawing on geography, anthropology, and health and behavioral science. Few studies have engaged a holistic view of health as a platform for exploring human-environmental interactions that incorporate the power dynamics embedded in socially-constructed views of nature and health. This project is a case study of an outdoor destination in Skagway, Alaska that examines how the perceived health of two primary visitor populations, cruise ship tourists and people attempting a 33-mile backcountry trail, is influenced by perceptions of nature. By exploring the complexity of health-nature relationships, this project seeks to expand the definition of who can participate and receive health benefits from the natural environment beyond the gendered, racialized, able-bodied, ideal of an outdoor enthusiast. This work will produce important information that can directly improve: programming for outdoor destination tourism and other visitors, as well as the general public; inform public interpretation and guidance given by park rangers, outdoor education staff, and local guides; and has the potential to inform marketing and recruitment materials used in public outreach.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.