Examining Nature Experience Study Programs Considering Natural Condition and Human Perception

Focus on Learning Sites and Implementing Organizations

Abstract

  This study aims to investigate the effects of an integrated approach to evaluate the natural conditions and human perceptions related to nature experience study which utilizes multiple different ecosystems in the local area. Research focused on learning sites and implementing organizations for nature experience study and examined the effectiveness of the integrated approach in the case of Shiga Prefecture. All elementary schools in the prefecture were targeted, and the natural environment around the schools was analyzed using GIS and cluster analysis. As a result, these elementary schools could be classified into five groups. In addition, a questionnaire survey was conducted with all residents of the prefecture as the population, and analysis was performed using the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). As a result, it was shown that the Willingness To Pay (WTP) for nature experience study is about three times higher than the burden calculated from the current budget amount. From the results of the survey, four places of learning that citizens prefer were extracted and examined to see how to implement a learning program that utilized each location.