Nature Conservation or Human Protection: Messages of Italian and American Park Signage

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Abstract

With growing environmental concern, this paper looks at messages park signage communicate to users, comparing Italian and United States sites. The study asks: How do they communicate visually and authoritatively with information, recommendations, or warnings? Employing visual semiotics, the analysis finds signage in the U.S. site human protection focused and the Italian park, by contrast, nature conservation focused. The study reveals contradictions in U.S. signage that reflect the conflict in policy between use and preservation.

Author

• Richard J. Doherty, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign