Associate Professor, Recreation and Leisure Studies
My research interests center on understanding the complexities of person-environment relationships and their impacts on a variety of outdoor recreation contexts. Through much of my work, I aim to highlight the social-ecological significance of outdoor experiential programming to the study of sustainability and society by examining the ways outdoor educational programs and outdoor recreation communities of practice help or hinder relationships with natural outdoor environments leveraged for wellbeing and pro-environmentalism. I am an affiliated faculty member with Brock’s environmental sustainability research centre, and I currently teach undergraduate courses on leadership, risk management, qualitative research, and environmental education.
- Nature connection
- Pro-environmental behavior
- Outdoor recreation
- Place meanings
- Associate editor, Journal of Experiential Education
- Associate editor, Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership
- Participating member, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre
- Board member, Ontario Trails Council
- Volunteer, Ontario Alliance of Climbers
- Former instructor, NOLS
Baird, J., Dale, G., Holzer, J.M., Hutson, G., Ives, C.D., & Plummer, R. (2022). The role of a nature-based program in fostering multiple connections to nature. Sustainability Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-022-01119-w
Witkowski, S., Plummer, R., & Hutson, G. (2022). Influences of engaging in a participatory monitoring and evaluation process on stakeholder perceptions of key performance indicators for trails. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 40(1), 115-133.
Carter, D. P., Hutson, G., Lam, P., Rose, J., & Furman, N. (2020). The self-governance challenges facing climbers with examples from Utah, Colorado, and Ontario. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 31, 100323.
Baird, J., Hutson, G., & Plummer, R. (2020). Examining links between connections to nature and intentions for pro-environmental behavior as outcomes of NOLS. Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership, 12(4), 367-379.
O’Connell, T.S., Howard, R.A., Hutson, G. (2020). The Impact of COVID-19 on Outdoor Recreation Participation in Canada. Initial Report on a National Study of Outdoor Recreationists. Link: https://www.coeo.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Initial-Reportthe_impact_of_covid_on_or_in_canada.pdf
Hutson, G., Peredun, L., & Rochelle, S. (2019). The impact of NOLS Rocky Mountain on the development of a sense of place. Journal of Experiential Education, 42(4), 382-397. Hutson, G., & Howard, R. (2018).
Risk communication in protected areas: Baseline practices for outdoor recreation. Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership, 10(3), 187-196.
Martin, B., Hutson, G, & Goldenberg, M. (2018). Outdoor and adventure recreation. In T. Tapps, & M.S. Wells, (Eds.), Introduction to Recreation and Leisure (3rd. ed.), (pp. 325-359). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics
- Qualitative approaches to inquiry
- Outdoor and environmental education
- Leadership in parks and leisure services
- Risk Management in Recreation