ABSTRACT

Conservation areas face growing visitor numbers and heightened biosecurity risks from vectors such as bushwalkers and mountain bikers. For mountain areas, such pressures, with climate change, may be increasing in vulnerability to invasive species. Strategies to manage these risks include encouraging visitors to undertake biosecurity hygiene practices such as cleaning footwear at trailhead cleaning stations. However, limited social science biosecurity hygiene research has been undertaken. We address the issue by using a survey based on a social marketing approach to assess footwear cleaning practices among walkers in Kosciuszko National Park in south-eastern Australia. We identified perceived barriers and benefits to footwear cleaning among walkers, finding a low level of cleaning but that most walkers identified addressing biosecurity risks as a benefit from cleaning. Barriers to cleaning included queues and station maintenance. We use elements from the Theory of Planned Behaviour as a heuristic to reflect on walker behaviour and responses. Outcomes suggest strategies for station installation and design, and the value of further research into visitor norms and behaviour. We reflect on the use of social marketing and what it asks of both visitors and managers.

摘要

保护区面临着越来越多的游客，丛林徒步旅行者和山地自行车等媒介的生物安全风险也越来越高。对于山区，随着气候变化，这种压力可能会增加其对入侵物种的脆弱性。管理这些风险的策略包括鼓励游客采取生物安全卫生措施，例如在步道清洁站清洁鞋类。但是，已经进行了有限的社会科学生物安全卫生研究。我们通过基于社会营销方法的调查来评估该问题，以评估澳大利亚东南部Kosciuszko国家公园步行者的鞋类清洁习惯。我们发现了助行器清洁鞋类的障碍和益处，发现清洁水平较低，但大多数步行者都认为解决生物安全风险是清洁带来的好处。清洁的障碍包括排队和维修站。我们使用计划行为理论中的元素作为启发式方法，以对步行者的行为和反应进行反思。结果表明了车站安装和设计的策略，以及对游客规范和行为进行进一步研究的价值。我们反思社交营销的使用以及它对访客和管理者的要求。