Connectedness in the Wildernes Experience: Interpretation of Sense of Place During a National Outdoor Leadership School Instructor Course

This study explored the concept of sense of place during a 30-day National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) extended wilderness experience in a mountain range in the western United States. Sense of place is not a fixed concept, but may be best understood as a moving force that touches people\u27s emotions on a variety of levels through the bonds they form with places (Tuan, 1974). The term has been utilized in such fields as geography and architecture since the early 1970s (Williams & Stewart, 1998). Scholars of leisure, recreation, and outdoor education are increasingly utilizing this concept because it holistically captures the value people place on resources, lands, landscapes and ecosystems (p.20)

The Significance of Place in John Muir’s Writings about Wilderness

Abstract John Muir was a prominent figure in the North American conservation movement who advocated for the preservation of wilderness throughout his life. Muir’s writings depict a wealth of assigned values to some of North America’s most wild places. The topic of “place” is one area of contemporary research that can be applied to Muir’s writings on wilderness to examine how his ideas might hold currency in modern times. It is from a conceptual framework of place that this study responds to the following research questions through a qualitative approach utilizing text analysis: What are the connections and disconnections between Muir’s writings on wilderness and contemporary place attachment literature? How might contemporary place attachment literature benefit from John Muir’s writings? Results of this study highlight the historical and contemporary importance within Muir’s writings on preserving and exploring wilderness areas to encourage place attachment. Implications are discussed

Foreword

The article offers information related to papers that were published in the publication Research in Outdoor Education Volume 16, as well as how others might contribute to the publication in the future

Foreword

The article offers information related to papers that were published in the publication Research in Outdoor Education Volume 13, as well as acknowledging the efforts of all who contributed to the publication

Resource Review

Dynamic Horizons: A Research and Conceptual Summary of Outdoor Education. Written by Chloe Humphreys, Kingston, ON, Council of Outdoor Educators of Ontario, 2018, 77 pp., CDN $20.00 (paperback), ISBN 978-1- 988127- 01-

Foreword

The article offers information related to papers that were published in the publication Research in Outdoor Education Volume 17, as well as how others might contribute to the publication in the future

Perceptions of Outdoor Recreation Professionals Toward Place Meanings in Natural Environments: a Q-method Inquiry

The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions of outdoor recreation professionals toward place meanings in natural environments. The study describes the views of outdoor recreation professionals with varied backgrounds and professional experiences toward the ways they find meaning in outdoor settings of personal significance. Participants in the study included 15 men and 15 women who either work or worked in various areas of the outdoor recreation profession. Q methodology was utilized to illuminate the ways this group thinks about meanings in outdoor places. Each participant completed a sorting procedure (called a Q-sort) according to the following condition of instruction: "How do you find meaning in a place in the out-of-doors?" Analysis consisted of statistical procedures including correlation of the sorts and factor analysis for computation of the factor scores. Varimax rotation was performed on a three-factor solution, which best represented statistical and theoretical significance. Z-scores were calculated for each item on each factor to interpret each of the theoretical factor arrays along with distinguishing statements, demographic information, and exit question. The three views toward place meanings were interpreted as: 1) Relational, 2) Natural, and 3) Spiritual. The findings from this study show three distinct views toward place meanings among a group of outdoor recreation professionals. Additionally, the affective domain of attachment to nature was a defining phenomenon within each perspective. These findings delineate some of the ways that place meanings in the out-of-doors operate. Further, these findings can help the outdoor recreation profession in clarifying perceptions of place meaning views, which may potentially be used to promote intentional use of environmental values and beliefs.Electrical Engineering Technolog

A case study on environmental perspectives of boulderers and access issues at the Niagara Glen Nature Reserve

Abstract Currently, there are concerns about access restrictions to bouldering, a form of rock climbing, and other outdoor activities practiced at the Niagara Glen Nature Reserve located near Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. The Niagara Parks Commission is currently in the process of exploring ways to balance protection of the natural area with sustainable recreational use. The purpose of this study was to describe setting perceptions of a husband and wife climbing partnership toward the Niagara Glen using a case study approach. This approach was used to analyze the couple's experiences and reflections using a placebased conceptual lens to highlight interactions with the Niagara Glen over 12 years. Four major themes were identified with respect to setting perception including: 1) Specific rock memories, 2) Community and friendship, 3) Setting location and 4) Environmental degradation. Implications for environmental perspectives and policy are discussed

A qualitative exploration of sense of community through reflective journals during wilderness outdoor education curricula

There has been repeated encouragement in the literature for researchers to examine the various mechanisms that make up group experiences in outdoor education contexts. As a result, positive sense of community is often one of the implicit or explicit goals of programs and organizations that utilize outdoor settings to deliver educational and/or therapeutic programs. The purpose of this study was to understand how participants understand and experience sense of community formation during participation on outdoor education curricula (OEC) programs. Qualitative data, in the form of 124 participant trip journals, were analyzed and revealed two core themes illuminating sense of community structure and process. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discussed

Manganese Superoxide Dismutase: Guardian of the Powerhouse

The mitochondrion is vital for many metabolic pathways in the cell, contributing all or important constituent enzymes for diverse functions such as β-oxidation of fatty acids, the urea cycle, the citric acid cycle, and ATP synthesis. The mitochondrion is also a major site of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the cell. Aberrant production of mitochondrial ROS can have dramatic effects on cellular function, in part, due to oxidative modification of key metabolic proteins localized in the mitochondrion. The cell is equipped with myriad antioxidant enzyme systems to combat deleterious ROS production in mitochondria, with the mitochondrial antioxidant enzyme manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) acting as the chief ROS scavenging enzyme in the cell. Factors that affect the expression and/or the activity of MnSOD, resulting in diminished antioxidant capacity of the cell, can have extraordinary consequences on the overall health of the cell by altering mitochondrial metabolic function, leading to the development and progression of numerous diseases. A better understanding of the mechanisms by which MnSOD protects cells from the harmful effects of overproduction of ROS, in particular, the effects of ROS on mitochondrial metabolic enzymes, may contribute to the development of novel treatments for various diseases in which ROS are an important component