Teaching wildlife tourism management: reflections on culture, nature, and wildlife

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article describes of an elective wildlife tourism management course at the University of Lapland. This teaching/learning course focused on blending theories used in place-based education to help students better grasp and explore their philosophical understanding of culture, nature, and wildlife and how these affect management actions. The research used arts-based methodologies as a tool to document and facilitate individual and group reflection. Experiential learning was used to explore how managers can help to create sustainable places to live, work, and visit through the co-creation of more ethical management practices that benefits local communities, incorporates a sense of place, and protects the ecosphere. The main outcomes of the course were to inspire further learning about environmental philosophy outside of the classroom and to help students push the boundaries of their own philosophical understanding of culture, nature, and wildlife.