4th Wildlife Viewing & Nature Tourism Academy

Engaging and serving broader audiences in meaningful ways and working toward increased relevancy in society is a top priority for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Society’s Wildlife Value Orientations, or the ways that people think about and interact with wildlife, are changing. Additionally, there are shifts in motivations, ideologies, and lifestyles surrounding interactions with wildlife. This means the Division has needed to think critically engaging constituents in ways that resonate with them. Following the Association of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Agencies’ Relevancy Roadmap as a guide, the Division is investing time and resources in human dimensions research to learn more about perspectives and expectations of the public, as well as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work to understand historical barriers that marginalized groups face in the outdoors and wildlife recreation. As part of this work, the Division is building the Wild Ohio Harvest Community and planning strategies to expand wildlife conservation and stewardship as programs and lifestyle brands to connect and engage with a broader diversity of audiences. By having a range of relevant and convenient learning opportunities, the Division will be able to appeal to a diversity of audiences and become relevant to a larger portion of the state population. Having targeted, thoughtful, and inclusive communities for a variety of interactions with wildlife, as well as working closely with a diverse network of partners, will be essential to improving the agency’s relevancy across the state. The increased exposure to wildlife recreation opportunities for all will also benefit Ohio’s nature-based tourism. It is our hope that the audience leaves this presentation with an enlightened perspective of how state fish and wildlife conservation agencies can work creatively to break down systemic barriers that exist for so many in wildlife conservation, recreation, and tourism. We also hope to spur new thoughts and ideas for how other organizations might also begin the work to create more welcoming spaces through partnerships, experiences, and marketing.