Nudging visitors into pro-environmental behaviour: Assessing the use of a tidal information pillar for effective dynamic zoning

Abstract

In the past few years, more human-wildlife conflicts have occurred as a result of increased human visitations, particularly in areas where space is scarce and functions need to co-exist. Nature organisations are increasingly challenged to improve nature protection on the one hand, while offering visitors high quality nature experiences on the other hand. To encourage both go hand in hand, nudging has recently received more attention. Nudging is a tool to subtly change human behaviour without imposing strict rules. It is, however, hardly applied in nature areas. Currently, experiments are taking place in the Dutch part of the Wadden Sea with alternating signage (nudging message based on real-time data of the area) aided by a tidal information pillar to encourage dynamic zoning. At low tide the signage indicates: freely accessible, at high tide the advice: ‘do not enter’. The purpose is to address visitors' sense of responsibility, nudge pro-environmental behaviour and reduce human-wildlife conflicts by limiting access. This article assesses the effectiveness of the alternating nudging signage, and especially the effectiveness of the signage ‘high tide – do not enter’. The results show that the signage on the pillar is most effective when visitors stop at the pillar and read the advice. Among these visitors, about half turn around. Among the visitors who do not encounter the signage and the pillar, the majority goes on to access the area. With this study, we aim to contribute to the knowledge on nudging as a tool to promote pro-environmental behaviour in nature areas.