Parks Stewardship Forum

The growing integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) across disciplines presents new opportunities for innovation, yet its adoption in the field of conservation education remains limited. Part of the lack of adoption stems from a potential trust deficit with the use of AI. We applied a novel AI design framework to the development of conservation-oriented signage at McCroskey State Park in Idaho to explore how AI can support communication and engagement in under-resourced natural areas. Through a human interaction-facilitated process using Retrieval Augmented Generation, we examined the trust local organizations representatives had in the use of AI technologies pre- and post-signage creation. Results indicated increased rational trust and reduced lack of affinitive trust (intimidation), highlighting the importance of transparency and oversight in conservation content creation. By showcasing this process that employed AI in conservation messaging, we offer budget-constrained conservation agencies a practical approach to leverage emerging technologies for environmental education and outreach, while engendering greater trust in new technologies.