Expanding Audience Engagement with State Wildlife Agencies: Strategies for Supporting Diverse Participation

State fish and wildlife agencies are increasingly expected to meet accelerating wildlife conservation needs while addressing systemic problems that limit who has historically been able to access wildlife and conservation. To effectively address both of these needs, agencies need to better understand their constituencies, including both long-standing supporters and those who have been historically excluded. This thesis set out to achieve this through three chapters. (i) Using a nationwide panel survey, we sought to understand how patterns of wildlife viewing differ between Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and White viewers, as well as what most strongly supports this participation. We found that participation rates differ across ethnoracial groups, with most BIPOC viewers participating less than White viewers, especially around their homes. Additionally, BIPOC viewers indicated that social support was a key factor in encouraging participation. Finally, despite wildlife viewing being of similar or greater importance to BIPOC participants, they generally self-identified less as viewers, suggesting historic exclusion from wildlife viewing locales may impact contemporary participation. (ii) Through a questionnaire of Minnesotans engaged with the MN Department of Natural Resources and their Nongame Wildlife Program, we examined what most encourages donations and volunteer participation. The findings of this chapter suggest that donors had specific motivations, namely supporting biodiversity and conservation, whereas volunteer motivations were more varied, such as place-based preferences and access to conservation professionals. (iii) Using a series of focus groups with outdoor recreation and community science practitioners and participants, we aimed to understand what encouraged BIPOC Minnesotans to participate in nature-based community science programs. We found that participants rely on numerous forms of cultural capital to persist in community science, especially in inhospitable environments. Often, this included utilizing social relationships and continuing to participate despite negative interactions. Overall, this research contributes to a growing body of literature aiming to understand diverse engagement in wildlife viewing and nature-based community science, as well as general engagement with state agencies. By laying a foundation for sustainable engagement and support of diverse communities, particularly BIPOC groups, this thesis provides insights and recommendations for fostering equitable conservation practices in an era of environmental change and social evolution.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Fisheries and Wildlife Science

Department dc:contributor.department

Fish and Wildlife Conservation

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Jennings, Kelsey K.

Chairs dc:contributor.committeechair

• Dayer, Ashley A.
• Chaves, Willandia A.

Committee member dc:contributor.committeemember

• Kamran, Maryam

• human dimensions
• volunteerism
• donation behavior
• DEI
• wildlife viewing
• conservation behavior
• conservation social science

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:39975

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/118753