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When in the mountains, young people pay attention mainly to what they can see directly (e.g. glaciers) or to things that remind them of their own memories (e.g. vacations).
The young people hardly noticed that nature also performs useful functions for us (such as providing drinking water or helping to protect the climate).
Although they feel a personal connection to nature, they still don't fully understand how important the mountains are to the environment as a whole and to people.
The researchers were able to show that photos and short stories are very effective ways to highlight what young people value about nature.
Abstract of this study
The tangible and intangible benefits provided by mountain ecosystems intersect with and support the well-being and quality of life of both local communities and visitors. Climate change and increasing human-induced pressure are having a massive impact on these environments, underscoring the urgent need for change. To enable such change, diverse perspectives must be incorporated, and the multifaceted values of nature—particularly those of different user groups in mountain regions—must be recognized and integrated into the process.
Although the majority of nature’s values are receiving increasing attention in scientific circles, young people remain underrepresented in this area of research, particularly in their role as visitors to mountain regions. Therefore, this study applies the Nature Futures Framework to investigate how young visitors (ages 14–16) perceive and evaluate nature in the Gaisberg Valley (Austria). The participants collected 464 photographs and accompanying short narratives about their perceptions of nature. These narratives were coded and synthesized to visualize the distribution of intrinsic, relational, and instrumental values.
The results show that adolescent visitors predominantly emphasize intrinsic values (e.g., glaciers) and relational values (e.g., personal associations and memories), while instrumental values (e.g., water supply, energy production) remain comparatively underrepresented. This distribution suggests that young visitors’ value perspectives focus on the unique natural features of mountain regions and their personal connections to them. Furthermore, they may identify less with—or place less value on—the broader ecological and societal functions that support local communities and the population in the surrounding lowlands. These findings shed light on young people’s perceptions and appreciation of mountain nature and demonstrate an innovative, indirect application of the Nature Futures Framework.
Key Findings of This Study
- Intrinsic values: The majority of young people perceive the alpine natural environment primarily through its visible, distinct features, such as glaciers or rock formations.
- Relational values: Personal memories, as well as feelings of freedom and tranquility, play a significant role in how young people develop a relationship with the mountain environment
- Instrumental values: The direct benefits of nature to society—such as energy production or water supply—are significantly underrepresented in young people’s perceptions.
- Lack of systemic understanding: Important regulatory functions of ecosystems, including climate protection and protection against natural hazards, are rarely identified as valuable by the participants
- Focus on the Visible: Perceptions are heavily limited to immediately tangible landscape elements, which is likely due to a lack of long-term personal connection between visitors and the region
- Methodological effectiveness: The combination of photographs and narratives proves to be an effective tool for highlighting the diverse natural values young people perceive within the framework of the Nature Futures Framework