Friluftsliv, følelser og natur : et studie av et knippe medlemmer av Den Norske Turistforening og deres følelser knyttet til natur og friluftsliv

Abstract

11 people were asked about their relationship with, and their thoughts about, nature, friluftsliv and Den Norske Turistforening (hereafter known as DNT). The chosen method was an internet based qualitative survey. The participants were chosen using the snowball method except for the two participants I choose to start the snowball method with. The questions in the survey focused on giving the participants the opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings towards nature, friluftsliv and DNT. For the questions related to friluftsliv, I focused on which activities they liked the most and how they would characterize their friluftsliv. Their answers showed clear similarities. All of the participants had hiking and skiing as their favourite activity. They were also asked about their relationship with nature, what they were seeking, which feelings the nature gave them and which experiences in nature they valued. Most of the participants expressed that they were addicted to nature. The quiet and calmness they experienced while being in nature made their everyday life easier. They got the space they needed to think about things that concerned them, and that they found stressful. They also mentioned the social aspect of being outdoors with friends and family, and how the feeling of accomplishment could increase their self- esteem. All the participants characterized their relationship with DNT as very good. They used DNTs facilities differently, but all of them used DNTs marked footpaths. Some also had it as a summer tradition to visit the Norwegian mountains and stay at one of the DNTs cabins.