CLIMATE CHANGE COMMUNICATION USING VIRTUAL PLACE ATTACHMENT AT GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, MONTANA, USA

This study evaluates the use of place attachment in communicating climate change online. A number of environmental studies suggest that place attachment—the notion that people are emotionally and cognitively connected to specific landscapes—is a useful tool in conservation efforts including raising awareness about climate change. The purpose of this project is to evaluate if online, virtual environments can use place attachment to generate concern about climate change. Through the creation of a digital, interactive website that emphasizes anthropogenic climate change with particular attention to Glacier National Park in Montana. The website includes repeat photography of glaciers at the park and clearly illustrates that glaciers are melting rapidly. The study surveys online visitors’ perceptions of climate change concern at Glacier National Park, locally in their backyards, and globally, on a planetary level. Survey results show significant differences between climate change concerns before and after viewing the website, with concern increasing for Glacier National Park and global climate change. Visitors also expressed a greater likelihood to want to visit Glacier National Park after viewing the website. These results suggest that using place attachment online is an effective tool for climate change communication, especially in the context of public resources like national parks.