Program on the Environment

Technology is dominating many aspects of our day to day lives, so much so that the average American spends over 5 hours on their phone daily. As a result, folks are spending increasingly less time in nature and developing higher levels of ecophobia. While the environmental sector has slowly adopted technology into its framework, many argue that technology and nature are inherently opposed, and that technology has no place in nature. The aim of this study was to identify best practices for using technology in nature. I did this by analyzing different naturecentric mobile apps and conducting a literature review to understand how technology can be leveraged in outdoor settings to increase folk’s engagement with nature. To accomplish this, I interned with Friends of Discovery Park to make two interactive ArcGIS story maps that served as self-guided tours throughout the park as a means to engage folks with nature. Users took a self-administered survey after using the story maps and recorded their experience. Findings show that in order to utilize technology effectively in nature, apps must i. include multimedia components, particularly audio ii. limit text iii. remind folks to periodically disengage with technology, and iv. give users incentives to go outdoors. By using technology properly to engage folks with nature, humans will inherently benefit from their relationship with the natural environment as nature is vital for our physical and psychological wellbeing. If utilized properly, technology use in nature can lead to enhanced biophilia, increased health benefits, and more environmental stewards.