4th Wildlife Viewing & Nature Tourism Academy

Wildlife viewing (intentionally observing, feeding, or photographing wildlife) is one of the fastest growing outdoor recreation activities in the United States, with significant implications for the work of state fish and wildlife agencies, especially given stable or declining rates of participation in hunting and angling. Wildlife viewers support wildlife and habitat conservation financially, politically, and through participation in other conservation activities. However, viewers’ direct support of wildlife agencies is limited compared to their support of other conservation organizations, likely due in part to perceptions about agency roles and priorities. Research has shown that birders and other viewers also tend to have lower levels of trust in state and federal agencies relative to other entities and when compared to hunters and anglers. While important insights have emerged piecemeal from a number of surveys, agencies have lacked generalizable information about viewer behaviors, perceptions, needs, and preferences in relation to state wildlife agencies. This information is essential for agencies to be more inclusive of, and relevant to, wildlife viewers; fulfill their missions; and advance fish and wildlife conservation.

Through a project supported by a 2021 Multistate Conservation Grant, researchers at Virginia Tech collaborated with the AFWA Wildlife Viewing and Nature Tourism Working Group to fill this knowledge gap with a social science study on how wildlife viewers can better support and be supported by wildlife agencies. The project included a review of existing research on wildlife viewers; implementation of a national online survey, with sampling among wildlife viewers in each of the four AFWA regions; and analysis at national and regional scales. This plenary presentation will share survey findings on wildlife viewers’: 1) recreation behaviors, including social support for and barriers to wildlife viewing, use of public lands, and viewing-related expenditures; 2) conservation behaviors, including both past involvement in conservation activities and likelihood to participate in these activities with agencies; and 3) relationships with agencies, including familiarity with, trust in, and perceptions of state agencies; experiences with agency programs and services; and preferred forms of viewing support and communications from agencies. The plenary will also share recommendations for using survey insights to inform engagement with wildlife viewers.