Wildlife and the American Mind (1998)
An understanding of the public often means the difference between the success and failure of fish and wildlife programs. Fish and wildlife agencies use biological and ecological research to better understand and manage fish and wildlife and their habitat. Effective fish and wildlife agencies use the human dimensions research produced by Responsive Management to better understand and work with their constituents. Among the benefits of using human dimensions research are enhanced management of the resource and a constituency that is supportive of the agency and its mission. Overall, agencies that effectively incorporate the human element into agency management functions and decision-making ultimately spend more time and money directly on the resource, as opposed to making ill-fated decisions because of a lack of understanding of the public.
The purpose of this book is to help fish and wildlife managers, administrators, and outreach specialists better understand and work with their constituents and publics. This book represents a compilation of the most salient findings from more than 300 Responsive Management telephone, mail, and in-person surveys, as well as focus groups and literature reviews conducted over a ten-year period. The book includes recommendations strategies on how to utilize this information to enhance fish and wildlife management programs and policies, as well as how to more effectively manage hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching programs.