Experts Interview
WANG Xue-ji, HOU Guo-lin, ZHANG Jian-zhong, ZHAO Duo-ping, WANG Lei, GAO Xin, SUN Jiao-jiao, YUAN Zhen-jie, ZHANG Hai-zhou, HE Xiao-dong, WANG Yong, WANG Jin-wei, WANG Xin-rui
Against the strategic backdrop of ecological civilization construction in the New Era, nature-based study tours, an important innovative form integrating education and tourism, are evolving into a systemic educational practice grounded in natural settings as the cognitive foundation, ecological values as the core of cultivation, and public resources as institutional support. This developmental trajectory holds significant implications for promoting the synergistic advancement of the ecological civilization agenda and the modernization of education. To deepen theoretical understanding and advance the construction of a practical system for nature-based study tours, this research invited experts from relevant fields to engage in cross-disciplinary interviews, focusing on diverse topics such as theoretical connotations and knowledge systems, industry self-regulation and governance frameworks, product innovation and digital responses, knowledge dissemination, and international experience. The discussions indicate that: (1) As a new educational model that connects humans and nature and cultivates practitioners of ecological civilization, the innovative development of nature-based study tours urgently requires the establishment of a new paradigm centered on "harmonious coexistence between humans and nature", the formation of a knowledge system rooted in the Chinese context, and deep coordination with national parks and nature reserves to achieve a win-win outcome between ecological value transformation and educational practice. (2) In response to structural challenges arising from rapid expansion, it is necessary to establish cross-sector, multi-actor collaborative governance mechanisms, and to improve institutional arrangements for entry accreditation, curriculum evaluation, industry standards, talent cultivation, and technological empowerment, thereby enhancing the standardization and professionalization of the sector. (3) A composite study tour product system that balances educational value with adaptive flexibility should be developed by means of multidisciplinary integration and cross-sector collaboration, so as to achieve a deep integration of "teaching" and "touring" through the interactive mechanism of "knowledge construction - site organization - participant activation". Digital technologies should play a part in extending resources and enhancing learning interactions, while caution must be exercised to prevent "virtual nature" from replacing authentic experiences. (4) Knowledge dissemination in nature-based study tours should be grounded in local resources and culture, integrate multiple stakeholders, construct a composite media matrix, and employ intelligent digital tools to build a public engagement system that balances scientific rigor with accessibility. Moreover, through effective interaction between international experience and the practices and resources of China's ecological civilization construction, cross-national ecological cooperation should be pursued to develop a "Chinese solution" with global applicability. As a vital nexus linking education, nature, and society, nature-based study tours should, in the future, be oriented toward cross-disciplinary, cross-industry, and cross-scalar collaborative innovation, improving their academic system and practical pathways to become an educational engine and key practice arena for promoting "harmonious coexistence between humans and nature" in the process of Chinese modernization.