Nature-based solutions (NBS) are promising strategies for protecting vulnerable coasts in the context of climate change, utilizing the coastal protection capabilities of natural ecosystems for engineering applications. The ability of coastal marsh vegetation to attenuate wave energy and prevent coastal erosion has been acknowledged for decades, however, consideration for their use in coastal protection strategies is presently limited, particularly in Canada due to a lack of engineering guidelines and limited available research considering region-specific variables. Physical modelling presents a useful tool for investigating the coastal protection function provided by marsh vegetation in a controlled, repeatable environment, which can ultimately inform the design of nature-based coastal protection strategies. To date, such studies have investigated the influence of plant biophysical parameters (stem flexibility, width, and height) and hydrodynamic conditions (wave height, wave period, and plant submergence) on wave attenuation. These studies have used either live vegetation, requiring full-scale wave testing, or surrogate vegetation, which allows simplified testing at either full- or reduced-scale. Overall, live vegetation studies have been limited in the variety of saltmarsh plants considered, with few studies considering plant species native to the Canadian coastline. Several physical modelling studies have been performed using surrogate plants, however, methods of surrogate development for flexible vegetation or reduced-scale testing are not yet well developed. This thesis aims to address knowledge gaps pertaining to the use of marsh vegetation in coastal protection strategies, particularly through the development of experimental methods with both live and surrogate plants. A full-scale flume study with live vegetation was performed to develop fundamental knowledge of wave-vegetation interactions for Spartina alterniflora and Spartina patens, two salt marsh species native to Canada’s Atlantic coast. S. alterniflora was observed to demonstrate a resistance strategy in response to hydrodynamic forcing, versus the avoidance strategy of S. patens, supporting complementary functioning of the two species if utilized together in coastal protection schemes. Observations of plant properties and stem bending from live plant tests were subsequently applied in the development of a small-scale flume study, which examined wave attenuation associated with a downscaled S. alterniflora meadow in the configuration of a “living dyke” structure. Wave damping induced by surrogate vegetation was observed to be minimal for the tested wave conditions (0.073 m < Hm0 < 0.225 m, 2.0 < Tp < 3.2 s, 1:4 scale) and beach slope (1V:20H), with wave height evolution dominated by wave shoaling and breaking. Several methods were considered for modelling the S. alterniflora meadow at reduced scale, and results demonstrated a sensitivity to surrogate diameter but not flexibility. The development of robust experimental methods for investigating the performance of nature-based coastal infrastructure is essential for the establishment of appropriate design conditions. The scale series approach of this thesis supports such methodological advancements and is expected to make preliminary contributions to design guidance on coastal marsh-based NBS and provide critical direction for future studies.

Urban areas worldwide, including Stockholm, face increasing environmental challenges such as rising temperatures and heatwaves exacerbated by climate change and urban heat island effects. In response, nature-based solutions (NBS) have been proposed as a planning tool for enhancing urban resilience. However, evidence on the fine-scale effectiveness of NBS in addressing extreme events, such as heatwaves remains limited. Furthermore, the inclusion of subjective measures to enrich objective measures for increased NBS benefits and thermal comfort assessments is needed. This study investigates the cooling effectiveness of NBS, hence strengthening the resilience of the Stockholm Royal Seaport against heatwaves. Mental mapping interviews were used to explore residents' and expert advisors' perceptions of the cooling effects of NBS. Key findings reveal the significant cooling effects of large natural areas such as parks and waterbodies, notably the Royal National City Park. However, smaller NBSs, while contributing to the green aesthetic and climate regulation of the neighborhood, were not perceived by residents as cooling. The study emphasizes the importance of the proximity and size of NBS to residential areas and highlights the subjective nature of neighborhood boundaries that influence residents' perceptions of NBS cooling effects. A comparison of residents’ and advisors’ perceptions reveals differences between theoretical expert and experience-based knowledge. These differences highlight the need for participatory planning processes that have the potential to complement advisor knowledge with resident perception and contribute to user-based planning. Overall, the study contributes to understanding the role of NBS in urban resilience, advocates for participatory approaches to urban planning, and demonstrates the value of mental mapping in capturing nuanced community perspectives for future planning efforts by revealing experiential knowledge that may remain hidden in a dialogue.

Despite global growth in the disability tourism market, tourism organisations have not realised the full potential of this market due to a lack of understanding of this market segment as well as the perception that PwDs do not travel. Most facilities remain inaccessible to people with both permanent and temporary impairments. Disability movements (like the American Association of People with Disabilities, Aspies for Freedom and Handicap International) have raised their voices but not loud enough to stir action. Workshops, seminars and conferences have been held but most were talk shows with no practical implications. To date, no research-based universal accessibility framework exists for national parks in South Africa and Zimbabwe and no practical standards have been formulated to ensure accessibility to all in these parks. This study aimed to design a universal accessibility framework for national parks in South Africa and Zimbabwe. To achieve this goal one of the study‟s objectives was a literature review on universal accessibility and tourism. This objective is achieved in Chapter 2. The second objective was to establish the extent to which national parks in South Africa and Zimbabwe are universally accessible. Interviews were conducted with park management in both countries to meet this objective. The study also sought to establish the accessibility expectations of people with disabilities; this was attained by administering a 10-page online questionnaire to people with disabilities from across the globe. Finally, the study aimed to formulate a set of recommendations and develop a framework for universal accessibility. Using SPSS, Exploratory Factor Analysis and ANOVAs were performed in order to analyse and interpret data. Descriptive statistics were also used. The Alpha values and mean inter-item correlations confirmed the reliability and internal consistency of the data. Eleven factors were identified from the factor analysis: transport; parking and entrance; the reception area; restrooms; bird watching and game drives; trails; information accessibility; interpretation; water-based activities; accommodation and dining as well as campsites. The results revealed that while people with disabilities want all areas to be accessible, specific facilities were singled out in line with particular disabilities. People with mobility impairments were more worried about transport and parking than people with other impairments. They were also concerned about the accessibility of bird watching and game viewing as well as accommodation and dining than were people with hearing and visual impairments. People with hearing impairments placed much high value on the accessibility of the reception area than those with mobility and visual impairments. Interesting to note was the fact that people with visual impairments did not regard accessible restrooms as very important. Most importantly, all people with disabilities were strongly against steps and staircases in all facilities since they are a serious barrier to accessibility regardless of type of disability. They also attach more value to how they are treated when they visit national parks. This was identified as more important than physical access. A universal accessibility framework was developed based on the literature and research findings. This framework will go a long way in assisting policy makers to address accessibility issues in national parks and the tourism sector in general. / PhD (Tourism Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The tourism industry is an extremely competitive industry which is mainly caused by the ever changing needs of tourists. However, despite the constant change in tourist behaviour, violent terrorist attacks on countries across the globe and the weakening of the world economies, the tourism industry showed significant growth over the last few decades. The fast growth rate of tourism has also lead to the tourist being more aware of ecotourism destinations and the key role these destinations play in conserving the natural and cultural environments in the midst of globalisation and urbanisation. The pressure on ecotourism destinations such as national parks is increasing as more and more natural land are being taken up for urban development. In the case of South African National Parks (SANParks), the decrease in government funding pressurizes the resources and national parks have to identify ways to generate their own income through tourism activities. SANParks manages 22 national parks across South Africa with the aim to conserve South Africa’s biodiversity, provide recreational activities for tourists and build long-term relationships with the local communities to enhance the communities’ quality of life. Hence, in order to remain competitive it is important to determine the parks' competitive advantages. Therefore the aim of this study was to develop a competitiveness model for SANParks by using the Kruger National Park as case study. The Kruger National Park is not only one of the largest and most recognised national parks in the world, but also boasts with a large variety of fauna and flora, variety of accommodation facilities such as bush lodges, chalets and camping facilities as well as various tourist activities. The literature review indicated that destinations differ from each other and therefore ecotourism destinations such as national parks would have a distinct set of competitive advantage factors. However, these factors can only be determined if the needs of tourists are anticipated and park specific products and services are developed to satisfy the needs of visitors to the park and ultimately lead to tourist loyalty. Once a competitive position has been established, a national park can obtain benefits such as an increase in tourist numbers and revenue delivery of high quality products and services at the park as well as trigger a higher quality of life for the local community. If managed accordingly, the park might experience sustainable growth as well as increased profit margins. The data for the study was collected by means of a questionnaire survey at four of the Kruger National Park's rest camps during the period 26 December 2013 and 4 January 2014 which is the festive season in South Africa. The rest camps that were included in this survey were Olifants (74 questionnaires); Skukuza (213 questionnaires); Lower Sabie (98 questionnaires) and Berg-&-Dal (51 questionnaires). A total of 436 completed questionnaires were administered and further analysed. Descriptive statistics were used to profile the respondents while two factor analyses were done on the competitive advantage factors and tourist motives for travelling to the Park. The factor analyses identified five competitive advantage factors of which Wildlife Experiences and Marketing and Branding were regarded as the most important factors. The other three competitive advantage factors were Accommodation and Retail, Visitor Management and Suprastructure and Amenities. Four motivational factors were identified namely Experience and Relaxation, Lifestyle, All-Inclusive Destination and Value. The identified factors were further used in an ANOVA analysis and the results showed that socio-demographic characteristics such as home language, province of residence, level of education and marital status have all significant differences based on the five competitive advantage factors as well as the four motivational factors The t-test analysis presented a few statistical significant differences between the independent variables or group of individuals. These differences were based on the respondents’ demographic and behaviour characteristics with regards to the competitive advantage and motivational factors. However, the strongest statistically significant differences were based on the behavioural characteristics of tourists travelling with children to the Park, Wild card holders, tourist reading magazines, previous visits to the Park and differences between tourists making use of chalets and camping facilities. A Structural Equation Model was applied to confirm the results that were obtained from the analyses. The SEM indicated that tourists’ motivations have a significant influence on the factors that tourists identified as competitive advantage factors for the Kruger National Park. This research made three distinct new contributions. Firstly, competitive advantage factors were specifically identified for ecotourism based destinations such as national parks from a demand side. Also, the tourists motivation for travelling proved to hugely influence these competitive advantage factors. Secondly, a competitiveness model was developed specifically for national parks within South Africa. The proposed model could assist national parks across South Africa to obtain a competitive advantage among its competitors based on park specific factors. Lastly, the concept of competitiveness has not yet been applied within the ecotourism and nature-based tourism destinations context. This study described the concept of competitiveness with the focus on national parks as ecotourism destinations and the aspects that need to be taken into consideration when analysing the concept in such a context. / PhD (Tourism Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Despite global growth in the disability tourism market, tourism organisations have not realised the full potential of this market due to a lack of understanding of this market segment as well as the perception that PwDs do not travel. Most facilities remain inaccessible to people with both permanent and temporary impairments. Disability movements (like the American Association of People with Disabilities, Aspies for Freedom and Handicap International) have raised their voices but not loud enough to stir action. Workshops, seminars and conferences have been held but most were talk shows with no practical implications. To date, no research-based universal accessibility framework exists for national parks in South Africa and Zimbabwe and no practical standards have been formulated to ensure accessibility to all in these parks. This study aimed to design a universal accessibility framework for national parks in South Africa and Zimbabwe. To achieve this goal one of the study‟s objectives was a literature review on universal accessibility and tourism. This objective is achieved in Chapter 2. The second objective was to establish the extent to which national parks in South Africa and Zimbabwe are universally accessible. Interviews were conducted with park management in both countries to meet this objective. The study also sought to establish the accessibility expectations of people with disabilities; this was attained by administering a 10-page online questionnaire to people with disabilities from across the globe. Finally, the study aimed to formulate a set of recommendations and develop a framework for universal accessibility. Using SPSS, Exploratory Factor Analysis and ANOVAs were performed in order to analyse and interpret data. Descriptive statistics were also used. The Alpha values and mean inter-item correlations confirmed the reliability and internal consistency of the data. Eleven factors were identified from the factor analysis: transport; parking and entrance; the reception area; restrooms; bird watching and game drives; trails; information accessibility; interpretation; water-based activities; accommodation and dining as well as campsites. The results revealed that while people with disabilities want all areas to be accessible, specific facilities were singled out in line with particular disabilities. People with mobility impairments were more worried about transport and parking than people with other impairments. They were also concerned about the accessibility of bird watching and game viewing as well as accommodation and dining than were people with hearing and visual impairments. People with hearing impairments placed much high value on the accessibility of the reception area than those with mobility and visual impairments. Interesting to note was the fact that people with visual impairments did not regard accessible restrooms as very important. Most importantly, all people with disabilities were strongly against steps and staircases in all facilities since they are a serious barrier to accessibility regardless of type of disability. They also attach more value to how they are treated when they visit national parks. This was identified as more important than physical access. A universal accessibility framework was developed based on the literature and research findings. This framework will go a long way in assisting policy makers to address accessibility issues in national parks and the tourism sector in general. / PhD (Tourism Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The tourism industry is an extremely competitive industry which is mainly caused by the ever changing needs of tourists. However, despite the constant change in tourist behaviour, violent terrorist attacks on countries across the globe and the weakening of the world economies, the tourism industry showed significant growth over the last few decades. The fast growth rate of tourism has also lead to the tourist being more aware of ecotourism destinations and the key role these destinations play in conserving the natural and cultural environments in the midst of globalisation and urbanisation. The pressure on ecotourism destinations such as national parks is increasing as more and more natural land are being taken up for urban development. In the case of South African National Parks (SANParks), the decrease in government funding pressurizes the resources and national parks have to identify ways to generate their own income through tourism activities. SANParks manages 22 national parks across South Africa with the aim to conserve South Africa’s biodiversity, provide recreational activities for tourists and build long-term relationships with the local communities to enhance the communities’ quality of life. Hence, in order to remain competitive it is important to determine the parks' competitive advantages. Therefore the aim of this study was to develop a competitiveness model for SANParks by using the Kruger National Park as case study. The Kruger National Park is not only one of the largest and most recognised national parks in the world, but also boasts with a large variety of fauna and flora, variety of accommodation facilities such as bush lodges, chalets and camping facilities as well as various tourist activities. The literature review indicated that destinations differ from each other and therefore ecotourism destinations such as national parks would have a distinct set of competitive advantage factors. However, these factors can only be determined if the needs of tourists are anticipated and park specific products and services are developed to satisfy the needs of visitors to the park and ultimately lead to tourist loyalty. Once a competitive position has been established, a national park can obtain benefits such as an increase in tourist numbers and revenue delivery of high quality products and services at the park as well as trigger a higher quality of life for the local community. If managed accordingly, the park might experience sustainable growth as well as increased profit margins. The data for the study was collected by means of a questionnaire survey at four of the Kruger National Park's rest camps during the period 26 December 2013 and 4 January 2014 which is the festive season in South Africa. The rest camps that were included in this survey were Olifants (74 questionnaires); Skukuza (213 questionnaires); Lower Sabie (98 questionnaires) and Berg-&-Dal (51 questionnaires). A total of 436 completed questionnaires were administered and further analysed. Descriptive statistics were used to profile the respondents while two factor analyses were done on the competitive advantage factors and tourist motives for travelling to the Park. The factor analyses identified five competitive advantage factors of which Wildlife Experiences and Marketing and Branding were regarded as the most important factors. The other three competitive advantage factors were Accommodation and Retail, Visitor Management and Suprastructure and Amenities. Four motivational factors were identified namely Experience and Relaxation, Lifestyle, All-Inclusive Destination and Value. The identified factors were further used in an ANOVA analysis and the results showed that socio-demographic characteristics such as home language, province of residence, level of education and marital status have all significant differences based on the five competitive advantage factors as well as the four motivational factors The t-test analysis presented a few statistical significant differences between the independent variables or group of individuals. These differences were based on the respondents’ demographic and behaviour characteristics with regards to the competitive advantage and motivational factors. However, the strongest statistically significant differences were based on the behavioural characteristics of tourists travelling with children to the Park, Wild card holders, tourist reading magazines, previous visits to the Park and differences between tourists making use of chalets and camping facilities. A Structural Equation Model was applied to confirm the results that were obtained from the analyses. The SEM indicated that tourists’ motivations have a significant influence on the factors that tourists identified as competitive advantage factors for the Kruger National Park. This research made three distinct new contributions. Firstly, competitive advantage factors were specifically identified for ecotourism based destinations such as national parks from a demand side. Also, the tourists motivation for travelling proved to hugely influence these competitive advantage factors. Secondly, a competitiveness model was developed specifically for national parks within South Africa. The proposed model could assist national parks across South Africa to obtain a competitive advantage among its competitors based on park specific factors. Lastly, the concept of competitiveness has not yet been applied within the ecotourism and nature-based tourism destinations context. This study described the concept of competitiveness with the focus on national parks as ecotourism destinations and the aspects that need to be taken into consideration when analysing the concept in such a context. / PhD (Tourism Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Stressrelaterad psykisk ohälsa är ett växande problem hos den svenska befolkningen och sjukskrivningarna för personer med stressrelaterad psykisk ohälsa har ökat under de senaste åren. Forskning har visat på att personer med stressrelaterad psykisk ohälsa som genomgått grön rehabilitering har haft goda resultat. De har fått minskade symptom som ångest, depression och utbrändhet. Grön rehabilitering bygger på delarna miljöpsykologi, landskapsarkitektur och arbetsterapi. Syftet med studien var att kartlägga tidigare forskning om miljöns betydelse för personer med stressrelaterad psykisk ohälsa som genomgår/genomgått grön rehabilitering. Examensarbetet var en scoping review där 19 artiklar inkluderades. Inklusionskriterierna var att studien innehöll personer med stressrelaterad psykisk ohälsa som genomgår/genomgått grön rehabilitering, arbetsterapeut som medverkat i studien, arbetsterapeutiska interventioner eller författande arbetsterapeut, deltagare som var över 18 år, samt att de blivit publicerade mellan 2008–2019 och skrivna på svenska eller engelska. Exklusionskriterier var personer som tidigare haft psykiatriska diagnoser som inte ingår i ICD10-SE klassifikationen för stressrelaterad psykisk ohälsa och personer med alkohol- och drogproblematik. Resultatet visade att personer med stressrelaterad psykisk ohälsa kan ha stor nytta av att genomgå grön rehabilitering och deltagarna upplevde att den stödjande miljön var en bidragande faktor till minskade stressnivåer, återgång i arbete och att få struktur på vardagslivet.

A satisfação dos consumidores vem sendo alvo de pesquisas acadêmicas ao menos desde a década de 1960. Entender os fatores que determinam a satisfação do consumidor pode ser crucial para o êxito do destino ou atrativo turístico. O interesse prévio pelo tipo de elemento turístico ofertado é um fator determinante na satisfação do visitante. No entanto, no caso dos destinos e atrativos turísticos naturais, essa relação é ambígua. Parece razoável supor que, quando visita um atrativo turístico natural conservado, o indivíduo mais interessado pela natureza ficará mais satisfeito com a visita do que o indivíduo que não apresenta grande interesse pelos elementos naturais. Apesar dessa relação entre o interesse pela natureza e a satisfação parecer óbvia, existe outro efeito possível. Indivíduos com maior interesse por elementos naturais podem ficar insatisfeitos com a visita a áreas naturais, quando estas apresentarem uma presença humana muito marcante. Tal incidência do elemento humano no ambiente pode se dar tanto por meio da infraestrutura quanto da visitação em larga escala. De um lado, há um efeito positivo, oriundo da relação direta entre os interesses do indivíduo e o tipo de ambiente visitado. Contudo, de outro lado, há um efeito negativo, decorrente do potencial excesso de infraestrutura e visitação. Se o efeito negativo for forte, supõe-se que ele poderá chegar a se sobrepor ao efeito positivo, fazendo com que indivíduos mais interessados pela natureza fiquem menos satisfeitos com a visitação da área natural. Para estudar essa relação ambígua, o objetivo geral deste estudo é analisar como o interesse por questões associadas à natureza influencia a satisfação do visitante de UCs. Para viabilizar a realização deste estudo, foi selecionado o Parque Nacional do Iguaçu (PNI), um atrativo turístico natural aberto à visitação, que recebe um considerável número de visitantes, que tem relevância internacional, que oferece contato com a natureza, mas também disponibiliza infraestrutura instalada e serviços aos visitantes. Seis hipóteses foram desenvolvidas e testadas por meio de um modelo de equações estruturais, estimado a partir de dados coletados em 434 entrevistas diretas com visitantes intercontinentais do PNI. Em especial, esta pesquisa estudou os efeitos da consciência ambiental do visitante sobre sua satisfação com a experiência da visita. Dentre os principais resultados 7 encontrados, constatou-se que, quanto maior a consciência ambiental, maior é a satisfação do visitante. Verificou-se, também, que, quanto maior a motivação e o interesse por turismo com base na natureza, maior a satisfação do indivíduo. Foi observado, ainda, que atributos como demasiada infraestrutura, trilhas estreitas, lojas de lembranças, lanchonetes e elevado fluxo de visitantes em alguns períodos, não reduzem o nível de satisfação dos visitantes ambientalmente conscientes / Consumers satisfaction has been the subject of academic research since the 1960s, at least. Understanding the factors that determine consumers satisfaction can be crucial to the success of the destination or tourist attraction. The prior interest in the type of touristic element offered is a determinant factor in the visitors satisfaction. However, in the case of natural tourist destinations and attractions, this relationship is ambiguous. It seems reasonable to suppose that when one visits a preserved natural tourist attraction, the individual most interested in nature will be more satisfied with the visit than the individual who has no great interest in the natural elements. Although this relationship between interest in nature and satisfaction seems obvious, there is another possible effect. Individuals with a greater interest in natural elements may be dissatisfied with the visit to natural areas, when they present a very marked human presence. Such an impact of the human element on the environment can occur both through infrastructure and through large-scale visitation. In one hand, there is a positive effect, arising from the direct relation between the interests of the individual and the type of environment visited. However, on the other hand, there is a negative effect, due to the potential excess of infrastructure and visitation. If the negative effect is strong, it is assumed that it may overlap with the positive effect, making individuals more interested in nature less satisfied with the visitation of the natural area. In order to study this ambiguous relationship, the general objective of this study is to analyze how interest in issues associated with nature influences the visitors satisfaction with the UCs. In order to make this study feasible, The Iguaçu National Park (INP) was selected, a natural tourist attraction opened to visiting, which receives a considerable number of visitors, has international relevance and offers contact with nature, but also provides installed infrastructure and services to visitors. Six hypotheses were developed and tested using a model of structural equations, estimated from data collected in 434 direct interviews with intercontinental INP visitors. In particular, this study studied the effects of the visitors environmental awareness on their satisfaction with the visit experience. Among the main results found, the greater the environmental awareness, the greater the visitor\'s satisfaction. It was also verified that the greater the motivation and the interest in tourism based on nature, the greater the satisfaction of the individual. It was also observed that attributes such as too much infrastructure, narrow trails, souvenir shops, snack bars and high flow of visitors in some periods do not reduce the level of satisfaction of environmentally conscious visitors

Many people in Western culture experience systemic separation from an intimacy with the natural world and as a result, suffer a disconnection from their own natures. As an educator, my interest in the epistemological and ecological implications of nature-based, reflective learning as a form of initiation into maturity and calling led me to explore how education might create the conditions for consciously turning around the whole human with potential for turning around the whole world. Drawing from insights and wisdom from depth psychology, ecopsychology, mythology, philosophy, the poetic traditions, literature, spiritual practices, and curriculum studies, and by adopting Jung’s psychology of individuation as a theoretical backbone for this body of work, I sought to fully flesh out and discover how we might reclaim and embody our original human wholeness (our individuated natures), and how education might be a catalyst for this. I have organized this study in such a way as to align with three central themes found universally in all rites of passage and that mirror my own heuristic research journey, namely: the separation, the threshold experience, and the return. In the separation stage, I offer an historical perspective for much of Western culture’s current incongruence with nature. In addition, I provide a critique of how contemporary educational practices with their overt focus on profit-making and careerism further reinforce this dualistic thinking. As a counterbalance, at midpoint of this study, I set forth on my own deep phenomenological threshold-crossing immersions into nature. This research became, in effect, a (re)search of self where surprisingly more of my own calling was revealed to me through the hermeneutics of powerful, wild teachings. At the conclusion, as I (re)turn “from the woods”, my findings are shared (in part) as pedagogical examples of life-enhancing, less codified and embodied practices designed with the whole person—body, mind, and soul—(and earth), in mind that may support students (and teachers) in discovering their particular and deeply fulfilling ways of belonging to and contributing toward a living ecology. A symbolic artifact (a ‘body’ of work) accompanies and completes this work (Figure 3). / Graduate / 0727 / 0525 / 0534 / hilaryjl@telus.net

A satisfação dos consumidores vem sendo alvo de pesquisas acadêmicas ao menos desde a década de 1960. Entender os fatores que determinam a satisfação do consumidor pode ser crucial para o êxito do destino ou atrativo turístico. O interesse prévio pelo tipo de elemento turístico ofertado é um fator determinante na satisfação do visitante. No entanto, no caso dos destinos e atrativos turísticos naturais, essa relação é ambígua. Parece razoável supor que, quando visita um atrativo turístico natural conservado, o indivíduo mais interessado pela natureza ficará mais satisfeito com a visita do que o indivíduo que não apresenta grande interesse pelos elementos naturais. Apesar dessa relação entre o interesse pela natureza e a satisfação parecer óbvia, existe outro efeito possível. Indivíduos com maior interesse por elementos naturais podem ficar insatisfeitos com a visita a áreas naturais, quando estas apresentarem uma presença humana muito marcante. Tal incidência do elemento humano no ambiente pode se dar tanto por meio da infraestrutura quanto da visitação em larga escala. De um lado, há um efeito positivo, oriundo da relação direta entre os interesses do indivíduo e o tipo de ambiente visitado. Contudo, de outro lado, há um efeito negativo, decorrente do potencial excesso de infraestrutura e visitação. Se o efeito negativo for forte, supõe-se que ele poderá chegar a se sobrepor ao efeito positivo, fazendo com que indivíduos mais interessados pela natureza fiquem menos satisfeitos com a visitação da área natural. Para estudar essa relação ambígua, o objetivo geral deste estudo é analisar como o interesse por questões associadas à natureza influencia a satisfação do visitante de UCs. Para viabilizar a realização deste estudo, foi selecionado o Parque Nacional do Iguaçu (PNI), um atrativo turístico natural aberto à visitação, que recebe um considerável número de visitantes, que tem relevância internacional, que oferece contato com a natureza, mas também disponibiliza infraestrutura instalada e serviços aos visitantes. Seis hipóteses foram desenvolvidas e testadas por meio de um modelo de equações estruturais, estimado a partir de dados coletados em 434 entrevistas diretas com visitantes intercontinentais do PNI. Em especial, esta pesquisa estudou os efeitos da consciência ambiental do visitante sobre sua satisfação com a experiência da visita. Dentre os principais resultados 7 encontrados, constatou-se que, quanto maior a consciência ambiental, maior é a satisfação do visitante. Verificou-se, também, que, quanto maior a motivação e o interesse por turismo com base na natureza, maior a satisfação do indivíduo. Foi observado, ainda, que atributos como demasiada infraestrutura, trilhas estreitas, lojas de lembranças, lanchonetes e elevado fluxo de visitantes em alguns períodos, não reduzem o nível de satisfação dos visitantes ambientalmente conscientes / Consumers satisfaction has been the subject of academic research since the 1960s, at least. Understanding the factors that determine consumers satisfaction can be crucial to the success of the destination or tourist attraction. The prior interest in the type of touristic element offered is a determinant factor in the visitors satisfaction. However, in the case of natural tourist destinations and attractions, this relationship is ambiguous. It seems reasonable to suppose that when one visits a preserved natural tourist attraction, the individual most interested in nature will be more satisfied with the visit than the individual who has no great interest in the natural elements. Although this relationship between interest in nature and satisfaction seems obvious, there is another possible effect. Individuals with a greater interest in natural elements may be dissatisfied with the visit to natural areas, when they present a very marked human presence. Such an impact of the human element on the environment can occur both through infrastructure and through large-scale visitation. In one hand, there is a positive effect, arising from the direct relation between the interests of the individual and the type of environment visited. However, on the other hand, there is a negative effect, due to the potential excess of infrastructure and visitation. If the negative effect is strong, it is assumed that it may overlap with the positive effect, making individuals more interested in nature less satisfied with the visitation of the natural area. In order to study this ambiguous relationship, the general objective of this study is to analyze how interest in issues associated with nature influences the visitors satisfaction with the UCs. In order to make this study feasible, The Iguaçu National Park (INP) was selected, a natural tourist attraction opened to visiting, which receives a considerable number of visitors, has international relevance and offers contact with nature, but also provides installed infrastructure and services to visitors. Six hypotheses were developed and tested using a model of structural equations, estimated from data collected in 434 direct interviews with intercontinental INP visitors. In particular, this study studied the effects of the visitors environmental awareness on their satisfaction with the visit experience. Among the main results found, the greater the environmental awareness, the greater the visitor\'s satisfaction. It was also verified that the greater the motivation and the interest in tourism based on nature, the greater the satisfaction of the individual. It was also observed that attributes such as too much infrastructure, narrow trails, souvenir shops, snack bars and high flow of visitors in some periods do not reduce the level of satisfaction of environmentally conscious visitors