DOI: 10.12688/openreseurope.24198.1 ISSN: 2732-5121

Developing a place-based audio guide to support nature engagement: Intervention content and programme theory

Stine Bekke-Hansen, Sus Sola Corazon, Ulrika K. Stigsdotter
Show PDF Cite
Nature-based interventions may support health and wellbeing but contact with natural environments is in itself not always enough – the structure and quality of engagement with nature also shape outcomes. This is particularly relevant for people with mobility impairments, who often face physical and social barriers to nature engagement. This study aimed to develop and describe a place-based audio guide for accessible nature visits and to refine the intervention prior to further evaluation. The guide was developed within a complex intervention framework. Development was iterative, drawing on theory, empirical literature, evidence on mobility-related barriers to nature access and engagement and a feasibility pilot. The final guide consisted of three audio tracks delivered at predefined stops along an accessible nature route. The guide was structured around three components: present-moment awareness, biological interconnectedness and nature knowledge. Pilot findings suggested that the guide could support attentional orientation, sensory engagement and reflective meaning-making, while also identifying challenges related to pause uncertainty, sensory interference, route structure and prompt–context mismatch. These findings informed refinement of the content, delivery options and programme theory. This study provides a transparent, theory- and feasibility-informed basis for further process and outcome evaluation of a guided nature-based intervention.

More from our Archive