Shannon Crain
Moved Beyond Words: Natural Bridges Park

Perhaps it was being born to two hippy children or the fact that Santa Cruz has been my heart's home my whole life but I find myself making excuses to trek over Highway 17 just to spend hours of my time taking in all the wonders of nature the town holds. One place that I have found that holds so many of the wonders is Natural Bridges State Park. From the trails, the natural bridges and tide pools, down to the monarch sanctuary, the park holds a plethora of nature's precious delights.

The trails that wind through this park are breathtaking in many ways. Natural Bridges sits on 65 acres of coastal land in Santa Cruz, California. As the trails wind, the untouched beauty of wetlands and meadows are exposed within the park's interior. Many coastal birds and other creatures find sanctuary from the harsh surrounding environments while giving visual pleasure to bird watchers and natural scientists of the like. The trails are gracefully laid out around the land in order to maintain the harmony between human beings and nature. Moore Creek runs peacefully through the wetlands and under the trails as it makes it course to the sea. Taking these trails is one of the best ways to catch all the hidden secrets that exist inside the park.

Once you make it down to the ocean, a spectacular natural bridge greets you as it wades in the waves below. As the tide flows out, amazing sea stars, sand dollars, and other shore dwellers become visible in the remarkable tide pools. This is one of the main ways children can learn about plants and animals hands on. If timing is right and you look out at the ocean you might catch migrating whales or seals playing with each other while searching for a meal. There is no end to the mystical creatures that pass through the parks perimeters.

Another wonder of nature that I find most enchanting is the monarch butterfly. These migrating butterflies fly to this Natural Preserve, the only one in California, to take shelter from the harsh winter. They nestle in the eucalyptus trees in huge clusters to stay warm. They usually arrive in October and are off again in March. The park knows how important it is to protect these butterflies and they have constructed a beautiful viewing area that allows you to get an intimate view without damaging their habitat. There is nothing so breath-taking as standing right underneath the trees and looking up at 150,000 butterflies resting peacefully together. Viewing this wonder is a lifetime experience.

Nature is one of the most precious and mysterious things on this earth and is the basis for all existence. Natural Bridges Park brings you into this world of wonders to share in an intimate gather between humankind and nature. Samuel Johnson said, "the use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things, may be, to see them as they are" (quoted in Boynton, 1997, p. 18). Tourists have the amazing ability to still see wildlife in its natural state, protected yet untouched by human destruction in this park. The people who visit this park leave with not only memories, but knowledge and amazement about the natural world around them. The reasons that they come are of great importance to the future of natural tourism.

In this Age of Mobility, tourism has become a billion dollar business. Extreme hotels with roller coasters litter the market while amusement parks sponsored by corporations infiltrate suburban communities. We have seen a lot of tourism revolve around these human-made oddities or down right genius, but I feel that I must focus on the visual delights that nature herself has given us to awe at. For my research project, I am going to study the Natural Bridges State Park in Santa Cruz. Specifically, I want to study what type of people visit these delights and why they choose nature's creations over human creations in order to create my own theory about ecotourism and the environment.

Because of the environmental destruction that has been produced by this industry, the popularity of ecotourism has risen in the last couple decades. As Nicholson-Lord (1997) notes, "Throughout much of the world...tourism underpins the survival of wildlife" (p. 4). The connection between the two must be examined closer to understand the significance of their relationship. First, I must define the term ecotourism to best articulate my research question and findings. I will be gathering examples of ecotourism and comparing it with my research site. After I have established a standard definition I will create a theory that has not been previously expressed in academic research. The theory involves the use of ecotourism to feed and satisfy people's conscience because of their neglect of environmental concern and/or their own personal destruction of it.

The goal of this project is to find a new wave of environmental concern in tourism. I will attempt to collect enough data to firmly establish my theory about the human conscience in relationship to their natural habitats in order to create more awareness in individuals when interacting with their environment. Most of my findings will be used in future research that I will be carrying out after the completion of my undergraduate work. We must now review other scholarly works to understand a multitude of research perspectives.

Many scholars and members of NGO's have taken the growth of ecotourism as a new phenomenon in human mobilization. It has created a lot of awareness among many people. Within this research project, academics and scholars have used the terms ecotourism and ecotravel quite frequently. First, I feel it is important to lay a framework for these terms. We will then look at the use of ecotourism to raise the consciousness of travelers. Lastly, we will examine how this industry is trying to promote people to get involved. To conclude the discussion, I will present my own theory as an extension to the previous research.

The term ecotourism has become a very common but poorly defined term in modern times. Some will argue that it has been around for centuries. The Ecotourism Society has defined an ecotourist as someone engaged in "responsible travel to natural areas, which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of local people" (Time, 2000, p. 4). This definition concentrates more on being mindful of the places people travel to. I would like to argue that it holds a little more then just responsible travel. The definition must include more individual involvement and concern within this context. Another term that I think is part of this new mentality is Green Traveler. Grotta & Grotta (1991) explain, "Green Travelers include, in addition to those interested primarily in nature and the environment, individuals concerned with humanitarian matters, cultural interchange, and intellectual enrichment" (p. 20). This term holds more subjective elements that are needed to fully examine the interaction between the human consciousness and nature. I find that this project is best articulated by combining both terms to fully understand its focus. We shall refer to this definition as "green ecotourism" to differentiate the term for our purposes here.

The use of green ecotourism has said to be an attempt to raise the consciousness of travelers. "The World Tourism Organization has estimated that ... tourism overall has been growing at an annual rate of 4%, nature travel, also known as ecotourism, is increasing at an estimated annual rate of 10-30%" (Chepesiuk, 2000. p.211). In order for there to be a market, we must see a demand for such a product. Its continued annual growth shows its popularity as well as its influence on the market. In a review of the book, Ecotourism: Impacts, Potential and Possibilities, W. Hillman (2000) states, "the authors argue that ecotourism itself is not just another trend but a basic move toward nature being viewed and engaged with by all people" (p. 104). This is the consciousness rising. It is not just fashionable to be a green ecotourist but an intellectual and spiritual move on the part of these travelers. Another aspect of creating a higher consciousness is the desire for more education. Grotta & Grotta agree, "we now realize that the very act of learning is in itself a pleasure, something to seek for its own sake" (p.145). People are wanting to learn more about the natural world around them. What results are masses of individuals wanting more out of life in terms of growth and spirituality and using tourism to fill that desire.

Through this growth, we see individuals being compelled to be more involved with the conservation of nature. This affects governments as well as travelers. Lisa Gosselin (2000) found in an interview with Megan Eplerwood, president of the International Ecotourism Society, "Many ecotourism companies encourage their guests to donate...the International Ecotourism Society also works with governments to convince them of the importance of using funds earned from tourism for conservation" (p.105). This push is needed to promote and continue the growth of such great awareness. It is also the goal of many institutions of ecotourism to instill the need for action in their own clients. "A goal of many ecotourist outfitters is to send their clients back home caring enough to consider supporting the cause of protecting these animals and their surroundingsÑemotionally and financially" (Time, 2000, p. 5). This has become a great market and opportunity not to sell just a vacation but to buy human compassion. Individuals have found a new industry to express their new need for social action.

The growth of green ecotourism has been quite beneficial to nature as well as to the conscience of human kind. With it, it has brought awareness, appreciation and much needed attention to a neglected but vital component of our existence. But this does not answer why the conscience of humankind is being satisfied in such ways. In order to answer this question we must pose my theory that human conscience is being pacified because of the individual's own neglect or their participation in the destruction of it. I will try to show that a majority of travelers are turning to green ecotourism because they have come to a realization that they or the generations before them have turned ignored nature for too many years. Their actions are now motivated by the absence of concerned shown for decades by them and their forefathers. To prove this theory, I will collect various data through various methodologies.

The data for this research will be collected in three ways. First, I will conduct a survey of people who have previously visited Natural Bridges State Park. The data that will be collected via survey will revolve around ten general questions about tourist experiences at my site. This will be distributed randomly to individuals who have visited the park at least one time in recent history. This will serve as background information on tourist activity at the park. This will allow people to recall past experiences for the purposing of remember the value of such an event.

The questions are:

1. How often do you visit Natural Bridges State Park?
2.What is your main purpose of visiting this park?
3. What do you hope to bring away from this experience?
4. How would you describe your feelings while visiting this park?
5. Why do you feel this park is important?
6. How do you feel about ecotourism?
7. How often do you participate in any form of nature conservation?
8. Do you value attractions of nature over human-made tourist attractions?
9. Are you concerned about the future state of this park and others like it?
10. What is the most valuable element of this park?

The data will be categorized according to their response of why they choose these places over human-made attractions. It will also take into account how often they participate in natural tourism. This will provide a general overview for my analysis.

Secondly, I will conduct interviews with six tourists at Natural Bridges Park. The interviews will provide me with more detailed data for analysis. In these interviews I will first look for a variety of demographics. I will look at families, elderly and youth as my subjects. This will allow a wide range of responses to insure a larger representation of the general public. I will then find six samples, equally distributed through the subject categories. The questions will be more subjective to their visit to the site but will still try to answer the main research question of why they chose nature sites over the human-made sites. I will use their responses to form my theory of human conscience with nature tourism.

The last method of research I will use is ethnographic observation of the tourist's interactions with that of the specific tourist site. I will evaluate how they communicate their experiences at the site. Two ways of observing this are by evaluating the emotionality of their communication as well as other forms of interaction such as taking photos, sharing feelings with others, and length of visit. This will be hard to measure because of the differences in personalities but will allow me to identify some repeated characteristics among the visitors to form a general understanding of the experiences.

After conducting the research, many common themes were exposed. I used the participant's answers to evaluate my original question and establish general categories of opinions. I compiled and condensed the results of the survey, interviews and observations and I was able to answer three main questions. Based on these common themes, I am able to generalize: what kinds of people come to the park, why people come, and how they express their experience.

The first answer was the easiest to find just by looking around at the people who came to the park. It was almost immediately evident that every kind of person comes to the park. No one fits one personality or class. Although a lot of the tourists were families with small children, there were also plenty of young couples, older couples and family members. There was no way to group the types of people because all demographics had almost equal representation. A majority of the interviewees mentioned that they came to see the diversity and I think that diversity includes the tourists as well as the wildlife. The tourists came from all parts of the globe. There was a married couple from Israel and another from Marin County but many local residents had also come to visit. They all shared one aspiration. Every single one of them wanted to see the beauty that the natural world holds. This proved that there is no way to categorize individuals when it comes to visiting natural tourist sites, accept for the very fact that they want to experience the beauty of nature firsthand. This also shows the social awareness of these tourists, the fact that their need to see beautiful things is being satisfied by nature and not by any human-made attraction.

The question of why people come to natural tourist sites might have been an obvious one for some. The answers developed around two general themes. The first dominant theme was that people came to appreciate nature. They want to come and see nature at work in their own backyard. One male I interviewed said, "I work a half a mile away, so I get to come here all the time." This is not just a one-stop tourist spot but rather a place of enjoyment to experience over and over. Another interviewee acknowledged that she "drives by all the time" to take a look at the beautiful site. It seems that this site is one that people have such deep appreciation that they find it necessary to refresh their memories with multiple experiences. A second theme that appeared was the concern that many people take nature for granted. A local couple explained that they are "upset that it is taken for granted."

One way to avoid that guilt is to come experience what others miss or neglect. This theme of "taken for granted" was also observed through people's reactions to the enormous beauty of the natural bridge. People stood in awe at its overwhelming presence. Viewing such a relic can create such intense feelings in a person. Löfgren (1999) shows how such objects can "amplify the sublime feeling of the mightiness of Nature and the insignificance of human beings" (p. 45). One female held a deep gaze for over three minutes. It turned out she had lived here her whole life and had never known that the park was here. Perhaps, it is due to the lack of time or interest. What both themes reveal to me is that people hold the value of nature highly in their lives. These travelers are not here to indulge in some superficial entertainment. They are here because of the deep values and love for the environment and all the treasures within it. These visitors know that they are not just consuming a capitalist commodity but rather a mysterious creation that holds so much power without being touched by human hands.

The last question of how people express their experience with such natural power is answered through their modes of non-verbal communication. The most prominent form of communication was just stopping at a site and staring. Numerous people would not speak to their own company while looking at the particular elements of the park. They would stand together in silence. This was one of the quietest places I have been. There were a lot of people at the park at the time I was observing yet the only sound I heard was the sound of waves crashing on the sand. Many tourists would sit down right in their places to stare at this massive rock formation in the ocean or at the butterflies flying above. It was obvious that these tourists had been moved beyond words by the nature surrounding them. This told a lot about the impact nature has on human emotions and the relationship humans have with nature. One of the most beautiful forms of non-verbal expression I witnessed was between a mother and daughter as they gazed up at the butterflies in the preserve. There were no words between them but their close grip on each other's hand as they observed these angelic insects showed their deep love and involvement with nature. They were moved by what they were witnessing and kept their silence even after they had exited the park. As I approached them about their experience, they simply said, "Nature will do what it's going to do, we just get to watch." This non-invasive approach is a main element in the philosophy of green ecotourism. There is interaction without disruption, verbally or physically. It is purely in the moment.

A last form of non-verbal communication that captures the moment is the act of taking photographs. Photographs were being snapped every second at the site. From amateurs to professionals, they had all wanted to capture the beauty permanently. Sontag (1999) sums this phenomenon up perfectly by illustrating tourists and photography "Unsure of other responses, they take a picture. This gives shape to the experience: stop, take a photograph, and move on" (p. 177). In order to remember their history, they can always reference a photograph. The other use of the photo is to express their personal values for them. People don't have to tell you how beautiful the butterflies or pelicans were, they can simply show you. Thus, photography brings these meaningful moments back into discourse to illustrate their significance.

Throughout this project, I have learned more about the significance of nature to the lives of humans. The chance to collect my own data and learn from scholars before me has given me the vital edge needed to complete such a project. I have answered my proposed questions and have also left with my own greater appreciation for natural tourist sites such as Natural Bridges State Park. From the research, I have been able to show that all types of people enjoy the wonders of nature. No one fits into a category of an ecotourist, instead they define themselves by their actions. Just like in nature, the greatest strength comes from the vast diversity around us. Their reasons for coming are genuine and sincere and focus on the appreciation and connection with nature. They come to enjoy their Earth and experience its speech stopping power. They come to witness, to share and to participate in the great mystery of Mother Nature. It is consumed with respect and compassion without even trying to make a spectacle of itself. People then try to hold on to these moments of emotionality by holding back simple talk and just taking in all the visual delights. They are forever changed and prove it through beautifully subjective photos of their experiences. These images are what will continue the discourse of the importance of conservation. It holds the past but cannot promise the future.

One element that has gone un-answered and unproved is my theory of what drives people's conscience: neglect or guilt towards the environment. I have begun to see that many people do not act out of guilt but out of concern. Although I still believe that the theory is worthy of investigation, it is still too premature to make any concluding judgments about human motivation. I have collected a large amount of research that will allow me to analyze the human conscience a little further in the future. I feel I will need to conduct more research around psychological studies and literature to continue progress with this theory. I must also keep track of the growing trends of ecological policies and human actions to take their motives into a deeper analysis. I am planning to continue this study in the near future. My main devotion is to the environment and that is where my post-scholastic career will take me. I will be using this theory to guide my activism to develop more environmental education and conservation around the globe.

By harboring a deep love for nature, I was able to see this beautiful park for its educational value. I pondered over its natural appeal and designed a way to analyze it. I discovered the answer to why people prefer to engage with nature as opposed to their fellow human creations. The answer was not found by looking through years of research but by talking with the tourists one on one. They come to simply enjoy, respect and pay tribute to such a valued piece of their existence. Like me, they want to relax and savor the moments they are given. These moments are possible because of the protected environment that ecotourism tries to sustain. Perhaps, one day all of natural life will be protected and flourishing from the respect formed by witnessing it in its untarnished state. These growing trends in ecotourism allow such pipedreams to be conceivable and achievable. Conservation seems like the only future of our planet. "In the best philosophical sense, choosing between humans and nature is a non-sequitor" (Flores,1998 p. 36). The power has been placed in the hands of the tourists as they negotiate the future of their next vacation and the future of their children.

Works Cited