What makes a great nature walk?

In 2014 NPWS ran a three month web and Facebook campaign asking the public to nominate their favourite nature walk in NSW. Over 200 responses were received from the public, and it was noted the most popular walks generally correlated with the popularity of “hits” for walks on the NPWS website. The full list of 22 Best Nature Walks is detailed on the NSW National Parks website.

NewScape Design were commissioned to develop an assessment criteria and methodology that would enable NPWS to review the selected walks and to ensure that the experience meets customer needs and expectations.

It was considered that Best Nature Walks would generally appeal to two main market segments – Beginner / Family, and Intrepid / Experienced. The evaluation criteria and methodology should assess the walk’s appeal for each market.

A workshop was held with a group of bush walking experts to develop an evaluation criteria. The group included representatives from various outdoor fields with a range of experience levels. In evaluating what makes a great nature walk, the working group was asked to think about the following questions:

• What makes a great nature walk ?
• How do we rate and compare nature walks?

The working group were provided with broad categories for assessing nature walks, and through the process of the workshop discussions the group developed a range of detailed criteria considered to be desirable and/or essential for a great nature walks.