Wetlands and waterfowl views among the general public

One of the goals of the 2012 North American Waterfowl Management Plan is to have “growing numbers of waterfowl hunters, other conservationists, and citizens who enjoy and actively support waterfowl and wetlands... [ view full abstract ]

One of the goals of the 2012 North American Waterfowl Management Plan is to have “growing numbers of waterfowl hunters, other conservationists, and citizens who enjoy and actively support waterfowl and wetlands conservation.” In order to reach this objective, it is important to understand outdoor recreation and conservation behaviors and attitudes of the general public. A mail-out survey was sent to a random sample of the public across the United States. The survey reached 4,429 people, and 1,030 responded (23.3% response). This group was broken down into four categories depending on their activity participation: hunters (n=183), anglers (n=251), wildlife viewers (n=415), and those who did not participate in wildlife-related recreation (n=168). Differences between the groups were assessed in terms of hunting and birdwatching attitudes and norms, preferences for types of wild birds, conservation behaviors, wetlands visitation, and beliefs about wetlands’ ecosystem services. Results show significant differences in attitudes and behavior between different types of outdoor recreationists. Hunters were the most likely to engage in conservation behavior relating to both general wildlife and wetlands, followed by anglers and wildlife-viewers, who had similar rates of participation. Hunters were also the most likely to know about wetlands in their communities and to have visited them. Additionally, each group had different levels of concern for the potential reduction of various ecosystem services related to wetlands. For example, hunters were less likely to be concerned about losing wetlands’ ability to store greenhouse gases and to provide scenic places for inspiration. In contrast, those who did not participate in any wildlife recreation were more likely to be concerned about wetlands continuing to provide clean air and clean water and less likely to be concerned about reduced hunting opportunities and wildlife viewing and birdwatching. The results shed light on differences in wetlands and waterfowl-related beliefs and behaviors among groups who participate in different types of recreation activities. Hunters have historically been engaged in conservation efforts, but these results provide insights into how to reach out to other types of recreation groups in wetlands/waterfowl conservation.