USFWS/NCTC Human Dimensions in Conservation

Poaching, trafficking, and illegal harvest are all terms used in discussing wildlife crime. While they refer to different actions along the supply chain, these terms are all central to the issue of non-compliance with rules and regulations put in place to support the long-term survival of plant and animal species. Wildlife crime has cascading negative effects on wildlife and people: it reduces biodiversity and can damage entire ecosystems, threatens livelihoods in rural communities, weakens global security, and robs countries that rely on wildlife for tourism of assets and revenue. This podcast is a follow up to our broadcast, “Combating Wildlife Crime: Toward an Integrated Approach”, which provides an overview of the need for and application of social science to holistically address wildlife crime. In this podcast, Dr. Meredith Gore, Associate Professor in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University, and Dr. Christine Browne, Human Dimensions Team Lead at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Natural Resource Program Center, delve deeper into social science considerations for this topic, including the needs, methods, the benefits for addressing this national and global conservation priority.

The issues we face in conservation and natural resource management are complex and cut across jurisdictions, disciplines, organizations, and boundaries. Collaborating with others can be challenging, especially when our neighbors have different interests and needs or there is a history of conflict. However, when we work to find common ground and focus on relationships, collaboration can generate creative and durable solutions to some of our most difficult conservation problems. In this podcast, we dive into key aspects of collaborative conservation, a term often used to describe work with private landowners, state agencies, non-governmental organizations, and others to achieve collective impacts. We hear from Heidi Keuler, Fish Habitat Biologist and Fishers and Farmers Partnership Coordinator, and Todd Sutphin from the Iowa Soybean Association about their experiences with the collaborative process.

Landscape-scale conservation enables conservation professionals to understand the biological and social factors at work across a broad range of traditional geopolitical boundaries. With a solid understanding of these factors comes the ability to make sound management decisions based on desired future conditions. However, even the most informed decisions rely on the support of local stakeholders to become successful on the ground. Join host Brad Milley from the National Wildlife Refuge System and Dr. Catherine Doyle-Capitman as they discuss the different scales at which conservation occurs and the importance of integrating local stakeholder participation and social data into collaborative landscape conservation planning.

The conservation community is talking a lot about barriers to hunting, especially for people living in urban areas and those who are underrepresented in the activity, including people of color and women. But what if the hunter stereotype itself is the biggest barrier? Join hosts Tylar Greene and Kaylin Clements from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as they discuss the complex culture of hunting with Dr. Lincoln Larson, who is conducting research on the topic, and Black Wolf Hunting Club founder Eric Morris, who's dedicated his life to promoting hunting in the black community and engaging people in the outdoors.

Join Natalie Sexton, Tylar Greene, and Kristen Gilbert as they discuss the journey that the US Fish and Wildlife Service has taken in transforming its brand, purpose, and engagement strategies since its inception and what is important for you to know about current goals and effective strategies to engage Americans in recreation.

In this episode, we take a dive into the findings from the Nature of Americans study, an initiative led by Dr. Stephen Kellert and DJ Case and Associates to understand and connect Americans to nature. Our guests are Dave Case and Daniel Escher from DJ Case and Associates. Also check out our broadcast on this topic at https://fws.rev.vbrick.com/#/videos/8f7abcf6-42ca-4635-bd77-5a927acc1b32

In this podcast, we'll explore the basic principles and strategies of visitor use management, and the simple, accessible tools-you-can-use to effectively tackle projects involving visitor use of protected areas. Learn from Jennifer Reed, our agency's representative on the Executive Committee of the Interagency Visitor Use Management Council, how you can use the Council's tools to help you connect people with our healthy landscapes while insuring the landscapes continue to thrive now, next summer, and 50 years into the future.

Susan Burks, from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, joins us to discuss her work to prevent the spread of invasive species through a program called PlayCleanGo: Stop Invasive Species In Your Tracks. Developed in partnership with the US Forest Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, it utilizes community-based social marketing strategies to encourage responsible behaviors by outdoor recreationists. After listening to the podcast, learn more about this topic and Susan's work by viewing our recent broadcast, Community-Based Social Marketing: Behavior Change Strategies that Work at https://training.fws.gov/resources/knowledge-resources/video-gallery/human-dimensions.html

Richard Arnold and Jeremy Spoon join us to discuss their work facilitating collaborations with tribes and federal land management agencies to conserve nature and culture -- two things we can never really separate. What makes these collaborations successful? Listen to the podcast and visit our HDgov webpage for related resources: https://my.usgs.gov/hd/node/728

In 2012, Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex began designing and building visitor centers for Desert, Ash Meadows, and Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuges. Larger efforts were underway to restore relationships and build partnerships with the seven tribes of Nuwuvi, or Southern Paiutes. The planning and design of the visitor centers was a collaboration with Nuwuvi and the voice of Nuwuvi is woven throughout the exhibits. For pictures of the visitor centers and more resources, please visit https://my.usgs.gov/hd/node/728

Who are stakeholders? Why do you need to know? In this podcast, Dr. Katie Steiger-Meister, Senior Public Affairs Specialist with the USFWS Midwest Office of External Affairs, talks about the importance of and tools for stakeholder identification and engagement.

Learn some tips for using persuasive communication to influence conservation behavior. In this podcast, we'll hear from Dr. Shawn Davis, professor of communication at Northern Michigan University and Ms. Lori Brown-Large of Action Research, marketing consultant and social scientist.

We've recently released the Human Dimensions Resource Portal (http://my.usgs.gov/hd/team/usfws). This site for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees provides access to human dimensions tools and resources applicable to conservation work and has many other features that encourage a community of practice around HD topics. Learn more about what it has to offer in this podcast!

Human-wildlife interactions can create obstacles for wildlife conservation efforts. In this podcast we'll hear from Nancy Finley, manager of the Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuge Complex, and Dave Case from D.J. Case and Associates, about the negative impacts of Key deer feeding and what's being done about it.

If we want people to conserve fish, wildlife and habitats, we must better understand how to enage with our audiences and effectively communicate with them. In this podcast, Dr. Jessica Thompson, Northern Michigan State University professor, shares tips and best practices for understanding and communicating to make our messages stick.

Being relevant in our conservation work requires that we understand the demographic changes in the US. In this podcast, Dr. Steve Murdock, Rice University professor and former director of the U.S. Census Bureau, shares some key demographic and socioeconomic trends we are seeing in the US and why a fundamental understanding of these trends is an important part of ensuring successful conservation.

In this podcast, Aaron Mize, Deputy Refuge Manager at Bosque del Apache and Natalie Sexton, Chief of Human Dimensions Branch/NWRS, discuss the relevance of the human dimension to refuges and their management. To help natural resource practitioners better identify and address the human dimension, they describe the social science behind topics such as behavior change, strategic communications and stakeholder engagement and provide examples of applying these concepts to natural resource management.

Natalie Sexton, Chief of Human Dimensions Branch/ NWRS, interviews Charlie Pelizza, Refuge Manager of Everglades Headwaters NWR and Conservation Area about the human dimensions of landscape conservation and planning. Charlie shares lessons learned through his experiences in leading the establishment of this refuge.