Adventure sports, risk, and human-more than human wellbeing: local responses to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic (original) (raw)
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2021
As the importance of protecting surf breaks grows internationally, surfers are becoming increasingly relied upon to inform the resource management process. This is despite conflicting discourses of how surfers value the natural environment, as well as a lack of research which focuses upon how surfers construct value of these spaces. This research explores how New Zealand surfers construct connections to surfing, surf breaks and the costal environment. Qualitative data in the form of oral history narratives was collected using a topic-based oral history interview approach. The interviews were to designed to elicit 15 surfers’ oral histories relating to their experiences of the costal environment through the act of surfing. This data was then analysed through a combination of oral history and narrative theory which allowed the informants’ responses to be categorised into 5 themes: Individual surfing values, Awareness of changes in the coastal environment, Relationships to surfing and ...
The Importance of Outdoor Spaces during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Aotearoa-New Zealand
Sustainability, 2022
The novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and its extensive variants have caused drastic changes to people’s habits and routines in many countries worldwide, including Aotearoa—New Zealand. The levels of lockdown and/or movement limitations affected how people used outdoor spaces, often keeping them away from nature’s benefits. The COVID-19 pandemic and the measures adopted to control it provide an interesting experiment investigating the links between nature exposure, recreational use of outdoor spaces, and people’s health and wellbeing under extreme conditions. Using an online survey distributed during lockdown and based on 212 responses, this article explores the different typologies of the outdoor spaces that people had access to during lockdown and the associated physical activities practised. It investigates how outdoor space affects our emotional response and how such space and related activities can help us cope with confinement. The results of this study enable us to better understand those spatial elements and characteristics of outdoor spaces that are essential to people’s wellbeing, especially in unusual circumstances where access is restricted. View Full-Text
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021
Commentators are advocating for research to better understand relationships between healthy coastal ecosystems and human wellbeing. Doing so requires inter- and transdisciplinary approaches across humanities, arts, social sciences, and science and technology disciplines. These approaches include culturally diverse knowledge systems, such as indigenous ones, that locate sustainable use of and relationships to marine ecosystems. This paper contributes to this agenda through a case-study of relationships between coastal ecosystems and human wellbeing in Aotearoa New Zealand. This article highlights interconnected cultural and wellbeing benefits of, and socio-ecological relationships between, these coastal ecosystems drawing on a case study of one ocean-based, ‘immersive’ leisure activity, surfing. Further, it examines how these relationships impact human physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, and the wellbeing of communities and ecosystems. The research illustrates that surfing c...
COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown and Wellbeing: Experiences from Aotearoa New Zealand in 2020
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022
In 2020, in the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Aotearoa New Zealand consistently maintained stringent public health measures including stay-at-home lockdowns and distancing responses. Considering the widespread disruption to social functioning caused by the pandemic, this paper aimed to explore environmental and social factors that influenced the wellbeing of individuals during the first lockdown in Aotearoa New Zealand. Our mixed-methods study involved a survey (n = 1010) and semi-structured interviews of a subset of surveyed individuals undertaken at the tail end of the first 2020 lockdown. Survey participants were recruited through social media-driven snowball sampling, less than 50% were aged under 45 years and 85% identified as female. Of those interviewed, 63% identified as female. Qualitative interview findings and open-ended survey results were analysed thematically. Participants described a variety of factors influencing wellbeing, largely related to the community and ho...
Slow nature-focused leisure in the days of COVID-19: repressive myths, social (in)justice, and hope
Annals of Leisure Research, 2020
This paper offers a tri-fold contribution. The original intent for this special issue paper was an investigation into outdoor recreational experiences that place 'nature' at the forefront of the activity, including Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing); Friluftsliv; Uitwaaien; Gökotta; and Green-Care Farming. These nature-first approaches exemplify 'slow' leisure, offering a counter-narrative to highly structured and overly-engineered outdoor experiences. As the writing unfolded and with the passage of time, the World suddenly came to its own 'slowing' downalmost to a haltas the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement gained Worldwide prominence. As a result, the final version of this paper offers autoethnographic and theoretical insights into 'slow leisure' relevant to some of the challenges imposed by COVID-19 and societal (in)justices. This exploration advances an ideology of hope as life continues to shift, evolve, and reveal emergent potential(s).
While competition-based team sports remain dominant in community and sport-for-development programs, researchers are exploring the value of alternative, less " sportized " activities such as lifestyle/action sports. In this paper, we explore the ways in which surfing is being used in development programs in Aotearoa/New Zealand, examining the perceived social benefits and impact. Our methods involved: (a) mapping the range of surfing projects; and (b) 8 in-depth interviews with program personnel. Widespread conviction in the positive developmental benefits of surfing was evident, and that surfing had a " special " capacity to reform or heal those who participate in it. However, the ways in which individuals' self-developments were promoted appear to be following the traditional sport/youth development path. They focus on policies aimed at improved life chances, equipping youth with the tools for self-improvement and self-management, inculcating self-governance and self-reliance. However, a counter narrative co-existed, highlighting surfing as a freeing experience, which, rather than restoring social order, works to instigate a personal transformation or awakening. Despite the range of challenges presented by surfing as a tool for positive development, surfing presents a potentially " critical alternative " which if sport-for-development programs are to be a form of social change, we should remain open to exploring.
Physical Activity, Outdoor and Adventure Sports During the Covid-19 Pandemic Process
Baltic Journal of Sport and Health Sciences
The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented chaos worldwide in the current century. Thousands of people died, and millions of people caught the COVID-19 virus. In this tough time, people locked themselves down in their homes for a long time, either voluntarily or mandatorily as part of governmental precautions against the rapid spreading of the virus. This difficult time forced people to change their daily life routines to a sedentary life which affected them mentally and psychologically. Following the lifting of the restrictions, people have started to make an intense effort to do physical activity and spend more time in nature to relax. Consequently, physical activity in a safe environment has become a priority for most people. With this challenging period, open spaces have become more preferred areas for physical activity rather than closed areas. Outdoor and adventure sports have started to consider the safest way of physical activity. Intense physical activity can be done i...
Health and Wellbeing in an Outdoor and Adventure Sports Context
Sports, 2020
Outdoor and adventure sports (OAS) have been linked to positive health and wellbeing outcomes. This Special Edition brings together cutting-edge research and thought on the implications of this link. An analysis of the papers in this Special Edition reveals important insights into (i) the diverse and powerful outcomes derived from adventure experiences, (ii) how adventure experiences facilitate these outcomes, (iii) how best to design outdoor and adventure experiences. The evidence in this edition indicates a need for a more systematic approach to the inclusion of OAS as important to good health and wellbeing. OAS should be included as part of education, health, policy and planning.