Awakening Place Awareness During a 30-day wilderness leadership program. International Journal of Wilderness. Volume 14, Number 3. December 2008

 BY GARRETT HUTSON and LUCY BAILEY
Abstract: Whereas much research has been conducted on the environmental perceptions of outdoor program participants, little research has focused on the experiences of outdoor professionals who facilitate wilderness education programs. The purpose of this study was to explore how outdoor leaders experienced initial person-place relationships as they began a 30-day instructor course with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). This study utilized qualitative measures to explore how 14 outdoor leaders understood place awareness during the experience. Data were collected through multiple in-depth interviews and participant observations throughout a 30-day wilderness immersion. This article focuses on the ways outdoor leaders described and formed their awareness of the setting. Two core themes emerged from outdoor leaders’ descriptions of place awareness: “a sense of the belonging” and “refining place memories.” Implications for wilderness leadership are discussed.

Full text article as published in the International Journal of Wilderness, 2008