How can nature trails be more effective?

Nature trails have been widely used as an education tool, but few have been evaluated. A research carried out at the Caetetus Ecological Station, Sao Paulo, Brazil, assessed the effectiveness of an interpretive trail.. A formative evaluation assessed that the trail's form and structure were adequate to the target group. In the summative evaluation, 164 students from 6th to 8th grades were randomly assigned to a control or to three treatment groups which included a slide presentation followed by: (1) a self-guided trail; (2) a guided trail; and, (3) a guided trail with a manual. Scores to pre and post tests were statistically analyzed and results indicate significant differences between the control and the treatment groups, but not between treatments. As the slide presentation was the common strategy for all treatment groups, it seems to be a powerful education tool and should be adopted to education programs in natural areas.