Nature routes as a digital experience

With its rich diversity, nature provides many kinds of experiences that invigorate, inspire and calm us. In addition to sustaining life, the reserving of nature and experiencing it are important for people’s wellbeing. However, the destructions caused by climate change and other natural catastrophes, as well as people’s potential limitations to moving freely in nature brings its challenges. Could we make nature more accessible and expand our experiences with the help of technology while simultaneously strengthening our relationship to nature?

The development of technology and digital media has brought along many opportunities. Therefore, even more travelers use mobile devices when researching their potential destinations. Those looking for hikes and camping research the paths and read reviews while planning their future adventures. If there was a possibility to research and learn about the destinations beforehand within a virtual environment, it could lead to increasing the interest towards said destination. Virtual environments also provide the opportunity to look back on the destination and add value to travelers even after the trip is over. Virtual destinations would bring many other benefits, if traveling to the destination isn’t a viable option.

The benefits and opportunities of digital nature

We have long known the health benefits of immersing oneself in nature, but according to research carried out by National Resource Institute Finland in December 2022, the effects of digital nature are very similar to those of real-life visits. Thus, virtual nature visits can be used in making nature more accessible with different techniques, such as XR-technology. This is beneficial as it can be used for quick relaxing breaks during a workday, but the biggest advantage comes to those who are unable to visit nature due to mobility or other issues.

In digital form, nature can be captured and elements impossible in real nature can be added, achieving a desired and immemorial experience. By adding gamification and other interactive elements people can be educated about the region’s history, ecosystem, animals and everyman’s rights etc. in an entertaining way.

Digital travel to destination in advance enables minimizing encumbrances caused by actual travel so that the traveler can get acquainted with the destination and its’ etiquette well before the actual trip. Should the traveler however find the destination not worth an actual visit, they could be provided with a trip based on their individual preferences in the future. Even if an actual visit is not taking place, the traveler has an opportunity to join social communities and share their experiences of virtual travel while comparing it to those of others’ individual experiences. For entrepreneurs, virtual travel could hereby offer new business opportunities, for well-made digital travel contents are highly beneficial to companies from a marketing viewpoint.

A digital memory of nature

The digital archive of nature will be possible to utilize also for future needs: climate change and other catastrophes are constantly shaping our environment, part of which is happening or has already happened irreversibly. It is essential to archive these experiences for the use of e.g. museums in the future so the elderly can go back in time to the views of their youth, and the new generations are able to see what the nature was like before the vast destruction caused by climate change. Let us wish that these vast destructions won’t happen.

Digitalization as a promoter for sustainable nature travel – Digital routes Northern Savo -project focuses on new ways to create digital nature experiences and on how to use them in various ways. We will capture naturetrails at Puijo, Tahko and Tiilikkajärvi using 360 cameras and laser scanners. The project began in February 2023 and will last up until January 2025.

Writer:
Kalle Sievänen, RDI Expert, Digital Routes of Northern Savo, Savonia UAS, kalle.sievanen@savonia.fi

Sources:
https://youtu.be/x1cPBdooXl0
https://www.luke.fi/fi/tutkimus/tutkimusinfrastruktuurit/virtulab-tutkimusta-virtuaaliluonnosta#luonnon-terveysvaikutuksia-sisatiloissa
https://blogs.tuni.fi/tamkblogi/hanketoiminta/virtuaalimatkailu-lisatuloa-liiketoimintaan
ChatGPT has been utilized in writing this article.