Natureculture Probes : Opening up dialogues in natural heritage(s) landscapes

Bertmark, Anna My and Gouin, Mathilde and Nunes, Nuno Jardim and Millard, David E and Galvão-Ferreira, Pedro and Fearns, Vera and Ferreira, Marta and Nisi, Valentina (2025) Natureculture Probes : Opening up dialogues in natural heritage(s) landscapes. In: TEI '25 : Proceedings of the Nineteenth International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction. ACM, New York, 39:1-39:16. ISBN 9798400711978

Abstract

This pictorial introduces Natureculture Probes, an innovative tool designed to enhance visitor engagement at heritage sites through participatory methods. Rooted in feminist post-human approaches and post-humanist HCI, these probes aim to bridge nature and culture, offering diverse perspectives on heritage. Developed through an iterative research-through-design approach, the tools include postcards and sensory maps, enabling visitors to document their reflections and sensory experiences. Field tests at two UNESCO heritage sites highlight the probes' potential to capture diverse, contextual data and foster deeper connections with nature and cultural heritage. However, tensions emerged between heritage preservation, public engagement, and technology's role in nature. The study underscores the importance of inclusive, co-designed tools to balance economic, cultural, and environmental entanglements. The findings advocate for adaptive, seasonally varied deployments to better address the diverse needs of heritage visitors and stakeholders, ultimately contributing to more empathetic and sustainable heritage site management and visitor experience design.