Forest disturbance by bark beetles and other insects is a global issue expected to increase with the warming climate. Visitor aesthetic appreciation of these forests affected by infestations is an important factor for land managers. Environmental education by land managers allows visitors to understand natural disturbances. We explored how the recent bark beetle-caused forest changes were perceived and understood by visitors at Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, in reference to the aesthetic model of scientific cognitivism. Visitors completed an on-site questionnaire that was analysed using factor analyses and ANOVAs. Visitors perceived the forest as beautiful, inspiring, and interesting. No direct relationship was found between knowledge and perceptions. Visitor reactions combined affective with less salient cognitive dimensions. These findings emphasise the need to instill primary affective connections to cognitive subject matter in conservation education using knowledge to ameliorate cognitive dissonance associated with naturally disturbed landscapes.

中文翻译：

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科罗拉多州洛矶山国家公园的树皮甲虫影响森林的游客感知

树皮甲虫和其他昆虫对森林的干扰是一个全球性问题，预计会随着气候变暖而加剧。访客对这些受侵扰影响的森林的审美欣赏是土地管理者的重要因素。土地管理人员进行的环境教育使游客可以了解自然干扰。我们参考科学认知主义的美学模型，探索了科罗拉多州洛矶山国家公园的游客如何感知和理解最近由树皮甲虫引起的森林变化。访客完成了现场问卷，并使用因子分析和方差分析进行了分析。访客认为森林是美丽，鼓舞人心和有趣的。在知识和知觉之间未发现直接关系。访客反应将情感与显着的认知维度相结合。