Evaluation of Interpretation and Experiencescape Strategies for Mitigating Risk

Managers of parks and protected areas use numerous strategies to mitigate risk. We investigated two of those in the context of an actual risk mitigation challenge at the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Big 4 Mountain Ice Caves trail: signage strategy and a broadened range of activity options along the trail (i.e., an expanded experiencescape). Signage is a very widely used strategy (Mason, 2005) for managing risk and visitor behavior. The expanded experiencescape strategy was recommended by USDA Forest Service professionals who managed the trail and was intended to redirect visitors’ attention and behavior away from the high-risk feature of the trail (ice caves) by attracting them to other features and activity options (e.g., a beaver pond, varying ecological zones). We created simulated hikes under different interpretation and experiencescape scenarios to evaluate effects of five specific strategies a) new terminus design (experiencescape strategy), b) signage telling the story of the formation of an ice cave (signage strategy), c) a new loop trail (experiencescape strategy), d) death and injury statistics posted at the trailhead (signage strategy), and e) interpretation of trail features other than the ice caves (signage strategy). We evaluated the five strategies by systematically varying the presence or absence of each strategy across simulation videos. After viewing the simulated hike video to which they were randomly assigned, participants (two samples of adult outdoor recreationists, N=406) reported their probability of approaching, entering, or climbing on the ice caves. Effects of new terminus design, posting injury death statistics at the trailhead, and expanded interpretation were significant. Findings suggest that interpretation and experiencescape strategies may promote visitor safety. Recommendations to managers of the Big Four Mountain Ice Caves trail may generalize to other risk-prone sites.