Nature or Nintendo: Understanding the Millennial Generation’s Perceptions and Experiences of Public Lands in Colorado

Barton, Karen; Brunswig, Bob

The primary goal of the Nature or Nintendo project is to aid Rocky Mountain National Park personnel in better understanding the “Millennial” generation’s views and attitudes toward U.S. public lands. Born between 1978 and 2000, millennials represent a demographic cohort of Americans who are often characterized as being detached from nature and disinterested in outdoor-based experiences. If true, these conceptions may create challenges for public lands as we move into the 21st century. This project focuses specifically upon perceptions and uses of Rocky Mountain National Park by millennial-aged students based at the University of Northern Colorado. The report provides the following: (1) the initial results of a focus group held with nine millennial-age student participants at the University of Northern Colorado; (2) eighteen “snapshots”, including photos and profiles, of a second set of millennial-aged students at UNC ; and (3) an annotated bibliography that highlights existing research on the millennial generation and its relationship to nature for reference use by park personnel. The purpose is to compare scholarly research to date on the millennial generation with the actual experiences and views of northern millennial-age Colorado students. The Appendices (A, B, and C) contain specific materials that are targeted toward seasonal park employees at Rocky Mountain National Park seeking to understand this new wave of visitors; a portable document file of the Appendix will be made available to RMNP. Emerging focus group and “snapshot” results suggest that UNC millennials possess a strong interest in visiting public lands, yet their ability to visit is challenged by competing responsibilities, scheduled activities, and the allure of passive entertainment such as videos and computers. Perceived cost and time of park visitation also factor heavily into (1) focus group discussions and (2) interviews with the eighteen students selected for individual snapshots. It is also evident that UNC millennials experience nature in a variety of ways that are now more mediated by technologies and “natural” consumer products. While millennials may supplement or substitute their nature experiences with videos such as Planet Earth or listen to music players while hiking or camping, these trends may have consequences for the more traditional sensory experience of nature. Park-based Citizen Science programs generated a strong level of interest and discussion that is worthy of further investigation. Focus group participants professed a desire to participate in Citizen Science programs in national parks or on other public lands, either independently or as part of the UNC curriculum. This may be one promising solution for involving and engaging students more directly in outdoor activities on public lands.

Nature or Nintendo: Understanding the Millennial Generation’s Perceptions and Experiences of Public Lands in Colorado

Collections