Perceptions of nature and its non-material contributions to people at Mount Kilimanjaro

Titelangaben

Degano, Eugenia M. ; Kwaslema, Sophie Augustino ; Böhning-Gaese, Katrin ; Hemp, Andreas ; Lehnen, Lisa ; Martín-López, Berta ; Pearson, Jasmine ; Mueller, Thomas ; Arbieu, Ugo:
Perceptions of nature and its non-material contributions to people at Mount Kilimanjaro.
In: People and Nature. Bd. 7 (2025) Heft 7 . - S. 1697-1712.
ISSN 2575-8314
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.70079

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Abstract

Non-material Nature's Contributions to People (NCP), such as spirituality and aesthetic enjoyment, arise from interactions between people and entities of nature. However, their intangible and context-specific nature makes them challenging to identify and quantify.
We analysed Twitter posts (now known as ‘X’) from tourists across different habitats at Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, using a mixed-method approach. Based on the terms and expressions used by tourists, we identified the non-material NCP and entities of nature they perceived. We then assessed cross-habitat differences and investigated factors associated with the number of non-material NCP perceived.
Tourists perceived 15 non-material NCP, four of which were previously not described in the literature: Sense of Achievement, Affective Experiences, Sensory Experiences and Iconic Places & Charismatic Experiences. Tourists used a wide range of terms to describe nature, which we grouped into 15 types of entities of nature. These included generic biotic and landscape entities (e.g. ‘wildlife’, ‘wilderness’), as well as specific abiotic entities like geological ones (e.g. ‘volcano’). These entities of nature were associated with perception of more non-material NCP than specific biotic entities (e.g. ‘chameleon’, ‘monkey’, ‘flower’).
Importantly, non-material NCP perception did not align with the mountain's most biodiverse habitats. Instead, it peaked at the high- and low-elevation habitats, and it was lowest in the biodiversity-rich mid-elevation. Moreover, perception of biotic entities increased towards low-elevation habitats. Our findings suggest a priming effect on biodiversity perception, driven by the type of nature engagement: summit-focused activities may overshadow tourists' attention to biodiversity along the trail, whereas other experiences at lower elevations may foster greater appreciation of it.
Synthesis and applications. Our fine-grained, context-specific approach reveals important details about people's interactions with nature. By understanding where and how people interact with nature, we can provide guidance on interventions that strengthen biodiversity awareness and engagement, enhance nature connectedness and ultimately support conservation efforts.