A Field Workflow to Assess Environmental Communication in Agricultural Heritage Landscapes

Agricultural heritage landscapes are living socio-ecological systems where tourism intersects with agricultural production and biodiversity conservation. Evaluating environmental communication in these settings requires spatially explicit evidence rather than relying only on post-visit satisfaction surveys. This protocol integrates four data streams: station-passage visitor route records, repeated station-level ecological disturbance observations, anonymized QR-code interpretation backend logs, and on-site visitor questionnaires. The workflow is designed for compact, walkable agricultural heritage sites where stable observation stations can be established, and daily digital-log exports are available. Researchers first zone the site and establish fixed sampling stations, then deploy station-specific QR-code interpretation pages, record visitor station sequences without continuous GPS tracking, monitor ecological disturbance indicators, and link anonymized route and questionnaire records for analysis. In a 30-day representative application, the workflow identified three visitor route typologies, quantified station-level disturbance, screened QR-code data quality, and located relative communication gaps where ecological pressure was high compared with digital engagement. QR-code exposure was positively associated with heritage understanding and perceived ecological sensitivity, whereas satisfaction showed no statistically robust association. This method provides a reproducible field protocol for managers who need to align digital interpretation, route management, and ecological monitoring in living agricultural heritage landscapes.