Testing a distance assessment aid as a medium of environmental and conservation communication to promote desired behaviors on Helgoland with regards to seals

Project description

Visitors to the Helgoland dune are encouraged to keep a minimum distance of 30m to the grey seals. By maintaining this distance disturbances to the animals are minimized and possible danger of persons are prevented. To avoid conflicts and disruptions, effective steering measures for visitors are necessary. Current steering measures are based on information and education based measures, as well as first construction measures.

Despite these visitor steering measures, the distance to the animals is not met by some visitors. Too small a distance to the animals could potentially be based on the fact that this is difficult to estimate. In this project, within the framework of a master's thesis, a distance assessment aid should be developed and its possible effect on the observance of the distance to the animals should be checked. The distance assessment aid, in the form of a postcard, should serve as a functional medium for environmental and nature conservation communication.