FW 4220 / 7220 Human Dimensions of Fish and Wildlife Conservation

FS 2009

3 credits

Course Information

People matter in conservation.    In this class you will learn about the human dimensions of fish and wildlife conservation and gain an understanding of how more basic social science research has been applied to conservation issues.  This class requires that you read current literature in human dimensions, analyze and interpret these readings, and work with a group of students to develop a survey instrument designed to provide answers to management questions in the Columbia region. Prerequisites for this class are NATR 1060 or NATR 1070 AND one management / techniques course.

Time and Place:

Monday, Wednesday  9 – 9:50 a.m..  

114 Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building

 Instructor:

Charles Nilon
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences
303-P ABNR
phone:  882-3738
email:  nilonc@missouri.edu

Required Text

 Decker, D.J., T. L. Brown, and W. F. Siemer.  2001.  Human dimensions of wildlife management in North America.  The Wildlife Society, Bethesda, Maryland.

 Additional readings are required and available through electronic reserve.  Password = human

Assignments and Grading

Assignments 1-4 are preparation for a survey that you will conduct in October or November, 2009.

Reading questions will cover readings from the textbook and the additional articles from the peer reviewed articles. Students are responsible for reading the articles before class.

Important Information

MU Statement on Students with Special Needs

If you need accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please inform me immediately. Please see me privately after class, or at my office.  To request academic accommodations (for example, a notetaker), students must also register with the Office of Disability Services, S5 Memorial Union, 882-4696. It is the campus office responsible for reviewing documentation provided by students requesting academic accommodations, and for accommodations planning in cooperation with students and instructors, as needed and consistent with course requirements. For other MU resources for students with disabilities, click on "Disability Resources" on the MU homepage.

MU Statement on Academic Dishonesty

Academic honesty is fundamental to the activities and principles of a university. All members of  the academic community must be confident that each person's work has been responsibly and honorably acquired, developed, and presented. Any effort to gain an advantage not given to all students is dishonest whether or not the effort is successful. The academic community regards academic dishonesty as an extremely serious matter, with serious consequences that range from probation to expulsion. When in doubt about plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting, or collaboration, consult the course instructor.

MU Faculty Council Statement on Intellectual Pluralism

The University community welcomes intellectual diversity and respects student rights. Students who have questions concerning the quality of instruction in this class may address concerns to either the Departmental Chair or Divisional leader or Director of the Office of Students Rights and Responsibilities (http://osrr.missouri.edu/). All students will have the opportunity to submit an anonymous evaluation of the instructor(s) at the end of the course.

Class Attendance, Preparation, and Participation

Attendance and participation are important to your success in this class.  I will record your attendance on 6 days of my choice during the semester.  You will receive 10 points if you are present and 0 points if you are absent. 

It’s helpful to be prepared for each lecture and to attend the lectures.  Being prepared means reading assigned material prior to each lecture.  All the readings are important and will be covered in the assignments.

Information on assignments will be available on the Blackboard course assignments page following the first day of class.  Turn in your assignments using the assignment option in Blackboard.  Please note that I will not grade assignments that are turned in after 11:00 a.m. on the day they are due.   

Lecture Topics, Assignments, and Readings.

August 24 - 26 Class Introduction /  Human Dimensions Concepts

Decker et al.  pp.23-55

Schelhas, J., R. Zabawa, and J.J. Molnar.  2003 .  New opportunities for social research on forest landowners in the south.  Southern Rural Sociology  19: 60-69.

Kellert, S. R. 1976. Perceptions of animals in American society. Transactions of the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference 41:533-545.

August 31 – September 4 Human Dimensions Methods and Approaches

Decker et al.  pp. 375-400

Assignment 1 due Monday, August 31

September  9 Class Project Introduction

September 14 – 16 Popular Values of Nature

Burgess, J. C. M. Harrison and M. Limb. 1988. People, parks and the urban green: a study of popular meanings and values for open spaces in the city. Urban Studies 25: 455-473.

Smith-Cavros, E.M. Black churchgoers, environmental activism and the preservation of nature in Miami, Florida. Journal of Ecological Anthropology 10:33-44.

September 21 -23 Behavior

Decker et al.  pp. 39-56

Hunt, K.M. and R.B. Ditton.  2002.  Freshwater fishing participation patterns of racial and ethnic groups in Texas.  North American Journal of Fisheries Management 22:52-65.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2006.  The national survey of hunting, fishing, and wildlife associated recreation:  Missouri.  http://www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/fhw06-mo.pdf

September  28 -30 Attitudes and Values

Wolch, J. and U. Lassiter.  2004.  Attitudes toward animals among African American women in Los Angeles.  Pages 255-263 in W.W. Shaw, L.K. Harris, and L. VanDruff, eds. Proceedings Fourth International Urban Wildlife Symposium.  College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson.  

October 5 - 7 Perception

 Van Velsor, S.W. and C.H. Nilon. 2006. A qualitative investigation of the urban African-American and Latino adolescent experience with wildlife. Human Dimensions of Wildlife 11:359-370.

Reading Questions 1 due Wednesday September 26

October 12 - 14  Methods:  Surveys / Quantitative Approaches

Decker et al.  pp. 355-374

 Brunke, K., K.M. Hunt. 2008. Mississippi waterfowl hunter expectations, satisfaction, and intentions to hunt in the future. Human Dimensions of Wildlife 13(5):317-328.

Assignment 2 due Wednesday October 3

October 19 - 21 Methods:  Qualitative Approaches

Van Velsor, S.W. and C.H. Nilon. 2006. A qualitative investigation of the urban African-American and Latino adolescent experience with wildlife. Human Dimensions of Wildlife 11:359-370.

October 26 -28 Methods:   Economic Value

Decker et al.  pp. 57-73

 Loomis, J. 2006. Use of survey data to estimate economic value and regional economic Effects of fishery improvements. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 26: 301-307.

Clark, J., J. Burgess, and C.M. Harrison.  2000.  ‘‘I struggled with this money business’’: respondents’ perspectives on contingent valuation.  Environmental Economics 33:45-62.

November 2 - 4 Methods: Working with Stakeholders

Decker et al. pp. 109-132

Harrison, C.M., and J. Burgess. 1994. Social constructions of nature: a case study of conflicts over the development of  Rainham Marshes. Transactions Institute of British Geographers 19:291-310.

October 22:  3-6 p.m. Deliberative methods / difficult dialogue workshop (required)

November 9 - 11 Methods:  Participatory Research

Decker et al.  pp. 153-170

Derrick, C.G., J.S.A. Miller, and J. M. Andrews. 2008. A fish consumption study of anglers in an at-risk community: a community-based participatory approach to risk reduction. Public Health Nursing 25:312-318

Assignment 3 due Monday October 29

Reading Questions 2 due Wednesday October 31 

November 16 - 18  Project Work

November 23 - 25 Thanksgiving Holiday

November 30 – December 2 Data Analysis

 December 7 – 9 Presentations