By revealing deeper meanings and connecting the visitor to the resource, interpretation strives to accomplish a number of goals. Interpretation can increase knowledge of a program\'s topic, change the visitor's attitude toward something, change future behaviors, and increase appreciation for a place and its resources. While literature exists professing best practices for interpretation, little empirical support is present in the research literature to validate these practices' individual links to desired outcomes. This study empirically identifies attributes of the interpreter that statistically linked to visitor outcomes. We tracked 31 interpreter attributes and 10 intended outcomes of interpreters in 376 live interpretive programs in 24 units of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) and conducted visitor surveys immediately following the programs. This research addresses the following question: Which interpreter attributes most consistently lead to desired outcomes? Our research shows that the interpreter attributes most consistently associated with positive visitor outcomes were the interpreter's apparent degree of confidence and expression authentic emotion. The results can be used to inform interpretive training throughout the National Park Service. / Master of Science

¾Á¤B°ê®a¤½¶é¥­§¡¨C¤Ñ¦³¤W¸Uªº¹C«È¤H¦¸¡A¹C«È¦³·N¤ÎµL·Nªº¯}Ãa¦æ¬°µ¹¸Ó¦a¥ÍºAºc¦¨¬Û·íªºÀ£¤O¡CÓV´î³oÀ£¤Oªº¤èªk¤§¤@¡A¥i¯à¬Oµ¹¤©¹C«È¾A·íªº¸Ñ»¡¡CµM¦Ó¡AÁö¦³¾ÇªÌ±M®a»{¬°¸Ñ»¡¥i¥H´£¤É¹C«ÈªºÀô¹Òª¾ÃѤκA«×¡A´î¤Ö¥L­Ìªº¯}Ãa¦æ¬°¡A¦ý¤]¦³¾ÇªÌ±M®a½èºÃ¸Ñ»¡ªº®ÄªG¡C¥»¬ã¨sªº¥Øªº¬O¥HªÀ³»¦ÛµM¤½¶é¬°®×¨Ò¡A±´°Q¾Á¤B°ê®a¤½¶éªº¤á¥~¸Ñ»¡¯à§_§ïÅܹC«ÈªºÀô¹Ò»{ª¾¡]¥]¬AÀô¹Òª¾ÃÑ¡BÀô¹ÒÃö¤Á©MÀô¹ÒºA«×¡^¡B¹C¾ÍÅéÅç¤Î»PÀô«O¦³Ãöªº¦æ¬°·N¦V¡C¤èªk¬O¨Ì¾Ú¹w¬ù¸Ñ»¡ªº¦³µL¤Î¹C¾Íªº«e«á¡A±NªÀ³»¦ÛµM¤½¶éªº¹C«È¤À¬°¡u¥¼¹w¬ù¸Ñ»¡¡A¹C¾Í«e¡v¡B¡u¥¼¹w¬ù¸Ñ»¡¡A¹C¾Í«á¡v¡B¡u¥¼¹w¬ù¸Ñ»¡¡A¹C¾Í«e¡v¡B¡u¥¼¹w¬ù¸Ñ»¡¡A¹C¾Í«á¡v¥|²Õ¡A³z¹L°Ý¨÷½Õ¬d¨ÓÀË´ú¸Ñ»¡©M¹C¾Í¸gÅç¹ï¹C«Èªº¼vÅT¡C®Ú¾Ú¦U²Õ62¤H¡A¦@248¤Hªº½Õ¬dµ²ªG¶i¦æ¦hÅܶqÅܲ§¼Æ¤ÀªR¡]MANOVA¡^µo²{¡AÅ¥¹L¸Ñ»¡ªº¹C«ÈªºÀô¹Òª¾ÃÑ°ª©ó¤w¹w¬ù¦ý©|¥¼Å¥¨ú¸Ñ»¡ªº¹C«È¡C¦ý¦bÀô¹ÒÃö¤Á¤Î¦æ¬°·N¦V¤W¡A³o¨â²Õ¤§¶¡¨ÃµLÅãµÛ®t²§¡A¦Ó¥BÅ¥¹L¸Ñ»¡ªº¹C«Èªº¹C¾ÍÅéÅç§óÅãµÛ§C©ó©|¥¼Å¥¨ú¸Ñ»¡ªº¹C«È¡C¬ã¨sµ²ªG¤]Åã¥Ü¡A¹ï¨S¹w¬ù¸Ñ»¡¡]¦]¦¹¤]¨S¦³Å¥¸Ñ»¡¡^ªº¹C«È¦Ó¨¥¡A¦bªÀ³»¤½¶é¹C¾Íªº¸gÅç¨Ã¤£¼vÅT¥L­ÌªºÀô¹Ò»{ª¾¡B¹C¾ÍÅéÅç¤Î¦æ¬°·N¦V¡C

With visitation to natural areas increasing, the appropriate management of these areas is important. There are a number of management tools available which endeavour to minimise environmental impacts of visitors. One such management tool is interpretation. Interpretation is widely used as a management tool because: it is perceived to be the most cost effective method; it is a light-handed approach and allows visitors the freedom of choice; and it enhances visitor experiences and satisfaction. However, the ability of interpretation to bring about a reduction in the impacts of visitors to natural areas, has rarely been quantified. This study was designed to determine the extent to which an interpretive program reduced the environmental impacts of visitors to national parks. Fieldwork was undertaken in Lamington National Park, where 41 guided walks were examined. To measure the actual behaviour or resulting impacts of visitors in a national park, three appropriate environmental indicators were chosen: shortcutting of corners, picking up litter already on the track, and noise levels. Five interpretive programs were created, each with a different combination of environmental interpretation, role modelling and verbal appeals. For the shortcutting results, the interpretive program with the combination of environmental interpretation, role modelling by the guide and verbal appeals from the guide, was always the most effective in reducing shortcutting. Visitors in this interpretive program were always, statistically, less likely to shortcut than visitors on all the other interpretive programs. The programs with only environmental interpretation or no environmental interpretation, were always least effective in reducing shortcutting. The interpretive programs with environment interpretation plus role modelling, or verbal appeals, were always in the middle of these extremes. They were more effective than having neither role modelling or verbal appeals, but less effective than having both. Results for the amount of litter picked up found that the inclusion of verbal appeals in an interpretive program was the only factor that influenced whether visitors picked up litter. In addition, there was no difference in the amount of litter picked up, by the interpretive program with environmental interpretation only, and the program with no environmental interpretation. Results for the noise levels of visitors, found that no interpretive program reduced the amount of shouting and talking loudly of visitors. Although not statistically significant, it did appear that there were lower proportions of shouting and talking loudly, following a verbal appeal and/or role modelling. Additionally, there was no influence of the interpretive program on the proportion of time visitors were talking, or quiet, during their walk. Overall, this research found that interpretation can be an effective management tool in reducing visitor impacts. Interpretation is most effective in reducing impacts when those impacts are specifically addressed through verbal appeals, combined with positive role modelling of appropriate behaviours. However, interpretation did not reduce all the impacts studied and therefore is not the solution to all problems. Implications of this study are that those using interpretation as a means of reducing visitor impacts, must ensure that they have a high standard of interpretation, which specifically addresses the impacts that need to be reduced. It also highlights the importance of the role of the guide, and that those employed should be well trained and competent in their position.

This work endorses the need for environmental interpretation and education because of the threat to the natural environment as a result of the lack of understanding and knowledge of environmental issues. The writer's personal perspective on the environment is described. There is a strong advocacy for the use of the fine arts in interpretative programmes as a way of reaching audiences, and particularly those individuals who learn through an abstract/symbolic modality. The use of drama is explored as one of the fine arts media through which all visitors to natural sites can gain information , experience personal growth, and develop an understanding of their relationship to the natural world. A study was conducted in which a questionnaire, which posed 36 questions related to common practices and experiences, and the use of drama as a medium in environmental interpretation and education, was used in interviewing representatives of 18 organisations, 9 in Canada and 9 in Australia, involved in environmental education. The responses to the questionnaire are summarised and discussed. Of those interviewed, most of the Australian and Canadian respondents were aware of the need to use a variety of techniques when developing programmes, had used drama in their programmes, had all attended programmes where drama was used as the interpretative medium, and were positive about their experiences. More than two thirds of the respondents from Australia and Canada indicated that drama should be given a high priority in environmental interpretation and education in the future. Information on two children's eco-drama programmes and two workshops for adults on the use of drama in environmental interpretation and education is also included.

No município de Caraá, localiza-se a Área de Proteção Ambiental do Caraá (APA), representando 30% da área total do município. Nessa área, localiza-se a cascata e a nascente do Rio dos Sinos. Apesar de ser uma APA, existem conflitos em sua gestão, principalmente com o uso e manejo do solo. A legislação foi implementada sem um adequado processo de Educação Ambiental. O conhecimento da percepção ambiental da população desse município em relação à APA de Caraá é essencial para o desenvolvimento de programas de gestão e Educação Ambiental para a garantia da conservação desta. Assim, a presente tese tem como objetivo central compreender a percepção ambiental dos moradores locais, em relação à APA de Caraá, a fim de analisar os conflitos de uso da APA, confrontando com os critérios de uso estabelecidos pelos gestores da área e assim verificar se os conflitos, quanto ao uso da APA, decorrem de esta ter sido criada sem a participação da comunidade e desvinculada da Educação Ambiental. Considerando a abordagem da pesquisa qualitativa e quantitativa, com caráter exploratório-descritivo, o presente estudo foi dividido em duas grandes etapas. Primeira: caracterização ambiental da área de estudo; Segunda: caracterização da percepção ambiental dos moradores próximos à APA de Caraá, com ênfase na topofilia e topofobia, através dos seguintes instrumentos: entrevistas semiestruturadas e mapas mentais. Foram realizadas entrevistas com: cem moradores; o cacique da tribo Mbya Guaranis, bem como os professores (dezessete professores) e alunos das séries finais, da quinta à oitava série do ensino fundamental, das escolas participantes desse estudo (total de cem alunos). Para investigar a percepção, a topofilia e a topofobia e considerar qual o significado da APA do Caraá para seus moradores, foi realizado o mapa mental com três moradores entrevistados, de cada uma das comunidades citadas, tendo um total de trinta mapas; com os alunos e professores participantes desse estudo, bem como com cinco índios da tribo Mbya Guaranis. A metodologia de interpretação dos mapas mentais foi feita a partir das orientações de Kozel, de forma adaptada. Foram produzidos 144 mapas mentais, distribuídos nas cinco subcategorias criadas: Landmarks (com ou sem expressões linguísticas); Landmarks e Cascata (com ou sem expressões linguísticas); Landmarks, cascata e Antropismo (com ou sem expressões linguísticas); Landmarks e Antropismo (com ou sem expressões linguísticas) e Landmarks e Antropismo Negativo (com ou sem expressões linguísticas). A partir dos mapas mentais complementados através das entrevistas, foi construída a percepção ambiental dos moradores locais, em relação à APA de Caraá, revelando, em sua maioria, aspectos topofílicos para com a área da cascata do Rio dos Sinos (parte da APA) e aspectos topofílicos e topofóbicos para com o “lugar-vivido” (dentro ou próximo da APA). Os moradores não conhecem os critérios de uso e restrições da APA, o que demonstra a falta de envolvimento da comunidade na elaboração destes. Os conflitos quanto ao uso da APA decorrem principalmente do fato desta ter sido implantada sem um processo de Educação Ambiental adequado, sem a participação da comunidade local. / In the Caraa municipality there is the Environmental Protection Area (EPA), representing 30% of the total area in the municipality. In this area there is the waterfall and the source of Sinos River. Despite being the EPA, there are conflicts in its management, mainly due to the use and soil management. The legislation has been implemented without a suitable environmental educational process. The environmental perception knowledge in the population of such municipality in relation to the Caraa EPA is essential to the development of management programs in the Environmental Education to the guarantee of its conservation. Thus, this very thesis has as its main goal to understand the environmental perception of local residents in relation to Caraa’s EPA, in order to analyze the EPA conflicts of usage, confronting the established criteria usage by the managers in the area and hence verifying if the conflicts with the EPA usage are due to it had been created without the community participation and untied from the Environmental Education. Considering the qualitative and quantitative research approach, with exploitative descriptive character such study has been divided and two large phases: 1st Environmental characterization in the study area and 2nd Characterization of the environmental perception of the near residents of the Caraa’s EPA, with emphasis in the topofilia* and Topophobia through these instruments: Semi-structured interviews and mental maps. 100 interviews with residents have been made, the Mbya Guaranis chieftain tribe, as well as the teachers (17 of them) and junior-high school students- from 5th to 8th grades of junior-high schools form the participant schools in this study (total of 100 students). To investigate the perception, the topofilia and Topophobia and consider what the meaning of the Caraa’s EPA is for the its residents, central maps have been made with three residents from the mentioned communities, having a total of 30 maps; with participant students and teachers in such study, as well as 5 Indians from the Mbya Guaranis tribe. The central maps interpretation methodology has been done through Kozel’s orientations in an adapted way. 144 mental maps have been produced and distributed under 5 subcategories made: Landmarks (with or without linguistic expressions); Landmarks and Waterfall (with or without linguistic expressions), Landmarks, Waterfall and Settlement (with or without linguistic expressions) and Landmarks and negative Settlement (with or without linguistic expressions). Throughout the mental maps complemented through interviews residents environmental perception in relation of the Caraa’s EPA has been built, revealing in its majority, topofilia aspects in relation to the waterfall area in the Rio dos Sinos (part of the EPA) and the topofilia ones and Topophobic ones to the “lived place” (inside or near the EPA). The residents are not aware of the criteria of the use and restrictions of the EPA which shows the lack of community involvement in the elaboration of it. The conflicts due to the usage of the EPA are mainly related to the fact of it had been implanted without an adequate environmental education process, with the local community participation.

No município de Caraá, localiza-se a Área de Proteção Ambiental do Caraá (APA), representando 30% da área total do município. Nessa área, localiza-se a cascata e a nascente do Rio dos Sinos. Apesar de ser uma APA, existem conflitos em sua gestão, principalmente com o uso e manejo do solo. A legislação foi implementada sem um adequado processo de Educação Ambiental. O conhecimento da percepção ambiental da população desse município em relação à APA de Caraá é essencial para o desenvolvimento de programas de gestão e Educação Ambiental para a garantia da conservação desta. Assim, a presente tese tem como objetivo central compreender a percepção ambiental dos moradores locais, em relação à APA de Caraá, a fim de analisar os conflitos de uso da APA, confrontando com os critérios de uso estabelecidos pelos gestores da área e assim verificar se os conflitos, quanto ao uso da APA, decorrem de esta ter sido criada sem a participação da comunidade e desvinculada da Educação Ambiental. Considerando a abordagem da pesquisa qualitativa e quantitativa, com caráter exploratório-descritivo, o presente estudo foi dividido em duas grandes etapas. Primeira: caracterização ambiental da área de estudo; Segunda: caracterização da percepção ambiental dos moradores próximos à APA de Caraá, com ênfase na topofilia e topofobia, através dos seguintes instrumentos: entrevistas semiestruturadas e mapas mentais. Foram realizadas entrevistas com: cem moradores; o cacique da tribo Mbya Guaranis, bem como os professores (dezessete professores) e alunos das séries finais, da quinta à oitava série do ensino fundamental, das escolas participantes desse estudo (total de cem alunos). Para investigar a percepção, a topofilia e a topofobia e considerar qual o significado da APA do Caraá para seus moradores, foi realizado o mapa mental com três moradores entrevistados, de cada uma das comunidades citadas, tendo um total de trinta mapas; com os alunos e professores participantes desse estudo, bem como com cinco índios da tribo Mbya Guaranis. A metodologia de interpretação dos mapas mentais foi feita a partir das orientações de Kozel, de forma adaptada. Foram produzidos 144 mapas mentais, distribuídos nas cinco subcategorias criadas: Landmarks (com ou sem expressões linguísticas); Landmarks e Cascata (com ou sem expressões linguísticas); Landmarks, cascata e Antropismo (com ou sem expressões linguísticas); Landmarks e Antropismo (com ou sem expressões linguísticas) e Landmarks e Antropismo Negativo (com ou sem expressões linguísticas). A partir dos mapas mentais complementados através das entrevistas, foi construída a percepção ambiental dos moradores locais, em relação à APA de Caraá, revelando, em sua maioria, aspectos topofílicos para com a área da cascata do Rio dos Sinos (parte da APA) e aspectos topofílicos e topofóbicos para com o “lugar-vivido” (dentro ou próximo da APA). Os moradores não conhecem os critérios de uso e restrições da APA, o que demonstra a falta de envolvimento da comunidade na elaboração destes. Os conflitos quanto ao uso da APA decorrem principalmente do fato desta ter sido implantada sem um processo de Educação Ambiental adequado, sem a participação da comunidade local. / In the Caraa municipality there is the Environmental Protection Area (EPA), representing 30% of the total area in the municipality. In this area there is the waterfall and the source of Sinos River. Despite being the EPA, there are conflicts in its management, mainly due to the use and soil management. The legislation has been implemented without a suitable environmental educational process. The environmental perception knowledge in the population of such municipality in relation to the Caraa EPA is essential to the development of management programs in the Environmental Education to the guarantee of its conservation. Thus, this very thesis has as its main goal to understand the environmental perception of local residents in relation to Caraa’s EPA, in order to analyze the EPA conflicts of usage, confronting the established criteria usage by the managers in the area and hence verifying if the conflicts with the EPA usage are due to it had been created without the community participation and untied from the Environmental Education. Considering the qualitative and quantitative research approach, with exploitative descriptive character such study has been divided and two large phases: 1st Environmental characterization in the study area and 2nd Characterization of the environmental perception of the near residents of the Caraa’s EPA, with emphasis in the topofilia* and Topophobia through these instruments: Semi-structured interviews and mental maps. 100 interviews with residents have been made, the Mbya Guaranis chieftain tribe, as well as the teachers (17 of them) and junior-high school students- from 5th to 8th grades of junior-high schools form the participant schools in this study (total of 100 students). To investigate the perception, the topofilia and Topophobia and consider what the meaning of the Caraa’s EPA is for the its residents, central maps have been made with three residents from the mentioned communities, having a total of 30 maps; with participant students and teachers in such study, as well as 5 Indians from the Mbya Guaranis tribe. The central maps interpretation methodology has been done through Kozel’s orientations in an adapted way. 144 mental maps have been produced and distributed under 5 subcategories made: Landmarks (with or without linguistic expressions); Landmarks and Waterfall (with or without linguistic expressions), Landmarks, Waterfall and Settlement (with or without linguistic expressions) and Landmarks and negative Settlement (with or without linguistic expressions). Throughout the mental maps complemented through interviews residents environmental perception in relation of the Caraa’s EPA has been built, revealing in its majority, topofilia aspects in relation to the waterfall area in the Rio dos Sinos (part of the EPA) and the topofilia ones and Topophobic ones to the “lived place” (inside or near the EPA). The residents are not aware of the criteria of the use and restrictions of the EPA which shows the lack of community involvement in the elaboration of it. The conflicts due to the usage of the EPA are mainly related to the fact of it had been implanted without an adequate environmental education process, with the local community participation.

No município de Caraá, localiza-se a Área de Proteção Ambiental do Caraá (APA), representando 30% da área total do município. Nessa área, localiza-se a cascata e a nascente do Rio dos Sinos. Apesar de ser uma APA, existem conflitos em sua gestão, principalmente com o uso e manejo do solo. A legislação foi implementada sem um adequado processo de Educação Ambiental. O conhecimento da percepção ambiental da população desse município em relação à APA de Caraá é essencial para o desenvolvimento de programas de gestão e Educação Ambiental para a garantia da conservação desta. Assim, a presente tese tem como objetivo central compreender a percepção ambiental dos moradores locais, em relação à APA de Caraá, a fim de analisar os conflitos de uso da APA, confrontando com os critérios de uso estabelecidos pelos gestores da área e assim verificar se os conflitos, quanto ao uso da APA, decorrem de esta ter sido criada sem a participação da comunidade e desvinculada da Educação Ambiental. Considerando a abordagem da pesquisa qualitativa e quantitativa, com caráter exploratório-descritivo, o presente estudo foi dividido em duas grandes etapas. Primeira: caracterização ambiental da área de estudo; Segunda: caracterização da percepção ambiental dos moradores próximos à APA de Caraá, com ênfase na topofilia e topofobia, através dos seguintes instrumentos: entrevistas semiestruturadas e mapas mentais. Foram realizadas entrevistas com: cem moradores; o cacique da tribo Mbya Guaranis, bem como os professores (dezessete professores) e alunos das séries finais, da quinta à oitava série do ensino fundamental, das escolas participantes desse estudo (total de cem alunos). Para investigar a percepção, a topofilia e a topofobia e considerar qual o significado da APA do Caraá para seus moradores, foi realizado o mapa mental com três moradores entrevistados, de cada uma das comunidades citadas, tendo um total de trinta mapas; com os alunos e professores participantes desse estudo, bem como com cinco índios da tribo Mbya Guaranis. A metodologia de interpretação dos mapas mentais foi feita a partir das orientações de Kozel, de forma adaptada. Foram produzidos 144 mapas mentais, distribuídos nas cinco subcategorias criadas: Landmarks (com ou sem expressões linguísticas); Landmarks e Cascata (com ou sem expressões linguísticas); Landmarks, cascata e Antropismo (com ou sem expressões linguísticas); Landmarks e Antropismo (com ou sem expressões linguísticas) e Landmarks e Antropismo Negativo (com ou sem expressões linguísticas). A partir dos mapas mentais complementados através das entrevistas, foi construída a percepção ambiental dos moradores locais, em relação à APA de Caraá, revelando, em sua maioria, aspectos topofílicos para com a área da cascata do Rio dos Sinos (parte da APA) e aspectos topofílicos e topofóbicos para com o “lugar-vivido” (dentro ou próximo da APA). Os moradores não conhecem os critérios de uso e restrições da APA, o que demonstra a falta de envolvimento da comunidade na elaboração destes. Os conflitos quanto ao uso da APA decorrem principalmente do fato desta ter sido implantada sem um processo de Educação Ambiental adequado, sem a participação da comunidade local. / In the Caraa municipality there is the Environmental Protection Area (EPA), representing 30% of the total area in the municipality. In this area there is the waterfall and the source of Sinos River. Despite being the EPA, there are conflicts in its management, mainly due to the use and soil management. The legislation has been implemented without a suitable environmental educational process. The environmental perception knowledge in the population of such municipality in relation to the Caraa EPA is essential to the development of management programs in the Environmental Education to the guarantee of its conservation. Thus, this very thesis has as its main goal to understand the environmental perception of local residents in relation to Caraa’s EPA, in order to analyze the EPA conflicts of usage, confronting the established criteria usage by the managers in the area and hence verifying if the conflicts with the EPA usage are due to it had been created without the community participation and untied from the Environmental Education. Considering the qualitative and quantitative research approach, with exploitative descriptive character such study has been divided and two large phases: 1st Environmental characterization in the study area and 2nd Characterization of the environmental perception of the near residents of the Caraa’s EPA, with emphasis in the topofilia* and Topophobia through these instruments: Semi-structured interviews and mental maps. 100 interviews with residents have been made, the Mbya Guaranis chieftain tribe, as well as the teachers (17 of them) and junior-high school students- from 5th to 8th grades of junior-high schools form the participant schools in this study (total of 100 students). To investigate the perception, the topofilia and Topophobia and consider what the meaning of the Caraa’s EPA is for the its residents, central maps have been made with three residents from the mentioned communities, having a total of 30 maps; with participant students and teachers in such study, as well as 5 Indians from the Mbya Guaranis tribe. The central maps interpretation methodology has been done through Kozel’s orientations in an adapted way. 144 mental maps have been produced and distributed under 5 subcategories made: Landmarks (with or without linguistic expressions); Landmarks and Waterfall (with or without linguistic expressions), Landmarks, Waterfall and Settlement (with or without linguistic expressions) and Landmarks and negative Settlement (with or without linguistic expressions). Throughout the mental maps complemented through interviews residents environmental perception in relation of the Caraa’s EPA has been built, revealing in its majority, topofilia aspects in relation to the waterfall area in the Rio dos Sinos (part of the EPA) and the topofilia ones and Topophobic ones to the “lived place” (inside or near the EPA). The residents are not aware of the criteria of the use and restrictions of the EPA which shows the lack of community involvement in the elaboration of it. The conflicts due to the usage of the EPA are mainly related to the fact of it had been implanted without an adequate environmental education process, with the local community participation.

Wildlife ecotourism is becoming a well-established industry due to its ability to contribute to local economies and the growing tourist demand for opportunities to observe endangered or rare species. Wildlife ecotourism is also recognized for its ability to provide free choice-learning settings for visitors, through the use of environmental interpretation programs. The process of environmental interpretation is a communication phenomenon thought to hold the potential to contribute to conservation by educating and raising awareness amongst tourists about environmental issues. Using a qualitative phenomenological research design, this research examined the environmental interpretation programs of great white shark ecotourism operators in Gansbaai, South Africa, from the perspective of tourists. Findings indicated that while tourists did not primarily choose to embark on shark tourism excursions to learn more about the species, many participants became slightly more informed about great whites and the surrounding environment after their experience. It was also found that most participants did not experience nervousness or fear when in the water with great whites, but instead felt an emotional connection and appreciation for the animal, causing a shift towards pro-conservation attitudes.

Interpretation has the potential to play an important role in involving the general public in the dialogue about sustainability, and what this may mean for the future of humans on the earth. Yet interpreters often fail to address this issue. In fact, it can be argued that much interpretation fails to truly engage its audiences or provoke serious thought about our relationship with the rest of nature or our future lifestyles. How can interpretation be made more engaging and provocative, and contribute to the dialogue about sustainability? How can it reach this potential? Some educators and interpreters advocate the use of drama to help people connect with natural and cultural heritage. Powerful dramatic experiences can become embedded in the emotions and leave enduring impressions. Drama is used as an educational tool around the world. Can it be used by interpreters to expand visitors’ conceptions of the human-nature culture milieu? This study addresses the paucity of empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of dramatized interpretation. Ten practitioners of dramatized interpretation were interviewed to explore the current use of drama in interpretation in Queensland, Australia, and in particular, the practitioners’ perceptions of these practices and their effectiveness. Current practice was evaluated according to the drama, interpretation and education literature, particularly recent theoretical developments. Practitioners displayed a strong understanding of the importance of engagement in interpretation, using a variety of drama forms and strategies to create resonant experiences and strengthen visitors’ connections with natural, historic and cultural heritage. In addition, they designed their programs to provoke thought and foster deep understanding of environmental and conservation issues, and obtained evidence of provocation and conceptual enhancement. Notwithstanding this, it is concluded that dramatized interpretation could have a greater impact on conceptual enhancement if practitioners designed their programs according to constructivist, group learning and sociocultural perspectives. Practitioners could also make a greater contribution to general environmental education if they explicitly addressed the issue of sustainability, using drama to tell stories that encapsulate the concept of sustainability and provide a vision of sustainable living. A checklist is provided to assist practitioners in the design and evaluation of dramatized programs. Recommendations are also given for interpreters wishing to explore the application of drama to their interpretive setting.

The Environmental Education and Interpretation are view as a important mean to develop the consciousness in the academic field and in our day-by-day actions. Practical activities, are one of the techniques used to help the learning process to be more dynamic and participative. Through these activities, the students are guide to know and to discover the world that many times, is known only by the science books. This contact allows the development of values, such as; friendship, charity, respect and citizenship. The Reserve Refúgio do Sauá, located in the city of Campos do Jordão, represents an area where learning, conservation process and leisure are developed, by the focus of Environmental Education. Using the analyses IAPI Attractively Indicators of Interpretation Points ( FREIXEDAS and MAGRO, 1998) the principal points were selected a long the wood trail in its 1.315 meters, inside a patch of Araucária and Podocarpus wood, where the didactic material was concepted. Using Fichas didáticas (didactic files), special elaborate for students enrolled at the 5a to 8a grades of elementary school, contents pictures, maps, activities, games and information about the natural elements that the students can find in the ecosystem, Mata de Araucária e Podocarpus, belong to the Reserve Refúgio do Sauá. Extra information will be given at the Educational Center, where the visitors will learn through broads, pictures and natural elements, such as, stones, leaves, branches, etc. Using these files and walking a long the trail, this paper try to guide the development of environmental conscience among the students that will visit the area, as a powerful tool to help the learning process and to encourage the youth to preserve the nature. For a better evaluation of Fichas didáticas, science and ecology teachers from public and private school from Campos do Jordão, were invited to go to the Reserve and know the material. Teachers were selected according Chizzotti (2001), classified as random simple samples, qualitative type sondagem. At the end of the visit the teachers answered a questionary and made references about the applicability and facility to use the material that has the contents developed in the classes, witch promote the creativity, curiosity and integration with the environment and the development of environmental conscience. / A Educação Ambiental e a Interpretação Ambiental constituem-se em importantes meios para se desenvolver a conscientização ambiental tanto no âmbito acadêmico quanto na prática da cidadania. As técnicas mais difundidas na Educação Ambiental, passíveis de tornar o aprendizado mais dinâmico e participativo são as atividades práticas, nas quais os estudantes são levados a conhecer e a desvendar um mundo, que muitas vezes foi apenas mencionado nos livros de Ciências, na sala de aula. Esse contato permite o despertar de valores como companheirismo, solidariedade, respeito e cidadania. A Reserva Refúgio do Sauá, localizada no município de Campos do Jordão, representa um palco perfeito para a implementação da Educação Ambiental, onde aprendizado, conservação, conscientização e lazer são colocados em prática. Através da aplicação da metodologia IAPI Indicadores de Atratividade de Pontos Interpretativos (FREIXEDAS e MAGRO, 1998) identificou-se os pontos de maior relevância da Reserva ao longo de uma trilha de 1.315 metros de extensão, no interior de um remanescente de Mata de Araucárias e Podocarpus, que serviu de inspiração para o desenvolvimento do material didático proposto. O material didático composto por fichas especialmente preparadas para estudantes de 5a a 8a séries do Ensino Fundamental e de material visual de apoio (placas e folder), que se pretende despertar a consciência ambiental nos visitantes da Reserva Refúgio do Sauá. Informações complementares serão passadas aos visitantes no momento de visita ao Centro Educacional, que deixará em exposição elementos (galhos, pedras, folhas, moldes de pegadas, etc) e painéis explicativos sobre a fauna e flora da Reserva. Para que melhor se pudesse mensurar a validade das fichas didáticas seus méritos e deficiências -, foram convidados professores da rede pública e de escolas particulares de Campos do Jordão, nas disciplinas de Ciências, Ecologia e Educação Ambiental, aos quais foi dado conhecer a área de estudo e o material proposto. A escolha dos professores obedeceu a amostra aleatória simples, classificada como pesquisa qualitativa do tipo sondagem, segundo Chizzotti (2001). Ao final da visita os professores foram convidados a responder uma questionário de avaliação. Através do questionário pode-se constatar a praticidade e aplicabilidade do material dentro do conteúdo abordado em sala de aula, com destaque ao incentivo a criatividade, investigação, integração com o meio e a conscientização ambiental.