Nature and Society Relations Commons^™

Montana Resident Report: Tourism Impacts And Perceptions Of Recreation And Visitor Behavior Q1 2024, Carter Bermingham, Megan Schultz, Matthew Pettigrew, Glenna Hartman

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

A summary of Montana residents’ perceptions of others’ ability to appropriately participate in outdoor recreation. Other topics include community respect, as well as amenities and challenges presented from tourism.

Safety First: Unpacking Key Roles Of Arctic Adventure Guides, Barbara Olga Hild, Betty Weiler Professor

International Journal of Tour Guiding and Visitor Attraction Research

Building on past research on tour guides and guiding, this paper provides an in-depth examination of the safety management role of tour guides leading adventure trips. A review of previous literature identifies broad dimensions of tour guiding and, within these dimensions, specific guiding roles mainly in relation to communication. The current study’s qualitative examination of experienced Arctic guides, however, illustrates how environmental conditions contribute to near misses and points to safety management as an adventure guide’s fundamental role. The findings highlight the need for guide competence and certification and underpin recommendations for research in relation to guide education and practices …

Itrr Presentation: Latest Updates For The Tourism Advisory Council (Tac), October 2024, Melissa Weddell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

ITRR Presentation: Latest Updates for the Tourism Advisory Council (TAC)

Clark Fork River Pedal & Farm Tour, Plains, Montana, Kika Bradford, Megan Schultz, Rebekah Ficek

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This study was conducted to provide insight into the characteristics of attendees of the 2024 Clark Fork River Pedal & Farm Tour. 43 participants completed online surveys. The 2024 Clark Fork River Pedal & Farm Tour in Plains, Montana, attracted a diverse group of visitors, with 60.5% from Montana and 39.5% from out of state. The event was the primary reason for 91.7% of attendees’ visits, and 72.7% of non-local participants stayed at least one night, averaging 2.84 nights. This led to significant spending, particularly on accommodations and dining, totaling $6,524.00. Overall satisfaction was high, with 85.7% indicating they would …

Montanafair 2024, Billings, Montana, Kika Bradford, Megan Schultz, Rebekah Ficek

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This study was conducted for MetraPark to provide insight into the characteristics of attendees of the 2024 MontanaFair. 606 attendees of the event completed the survey. Results show that 97.8% of respondents were residents of Montana, of which 93.2% were from Yellowstone County. Out-of-county respondents spent an average of 3.51 nights in Billings, reporting a total spending of $32,547.00, mostly in hotel/motel/bed and breakfasts. Results provide event organizers with useful data for future event planning, making improvements to the event, event marketing/promotion, and understanding the visitor spending associated with the event.

Economic Contribution Of 2022/2023 Averaged Nonresident Travel Spending In Montana Travel Regions And Counties, Kara Grau

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

Nonresidents spend over $5 billion in Montana each year. This report looks at the distribution of spending across Montana’s six travel regions, as well as 19 of the 56 counties with the highest spending based on an average of 2022 and 2023 spending data.

What Is Beyond Measurement For Social Cohesion?, Qian Hui Tricia Tok, Orlando Woods, Lily Kong

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

“What gets measured gets managed” has long been a mantra to rally improvement throughout various domains of life. Perhaps this is also the case for existing work on social cohesion, whereby much of its conceptual and operational elements have received interest in both academic and policy research aiming for practical improvement with regard to the cohesiveness of communities and societies. We contend, however, that not everything that matters for social cohesion may be measurable, and not everything that has been measured for social cohesion may matter. This is not to suggest that not measuring any indicators is better than measuring …

Future Land, Futures Lost: Planning The Crisis On The Louisiana Coast, Sheehan Moore

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

South Louisiana is rapidly losing coastal land to the combined forces of subsidence, sea-level rise, and worsening storms, accelerated by the effects of flood control engineering and extractive industrial development. With erosion threatening homes and industry alike, the state has marshaled a response on a massive economic and geographic scale: its Coastal Master Plan recommends $50 billion in river sediment diversions, barrier island restoration, and other projects over fifty years. This dissertation is about the emergence of Louisiana’s coast as a place from this knot of human and environmental relations, as an object for governance and a container for political …

Smeltermen's Day Weekend 2024, Anaconda, Montana, Kika Bradford, Megan Schultz

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This study was conducted for Discover Anaconda to provide insights into the characteristics of attendees of the Smeltermen’s Day Weekend 2024. Surveys were completed by 79 attendees of the event. Results show that 86.1% of respondents were residents of Montana, with 66.2% from Deer Lodge County. Out-of-county respondents spent an average of 4 nights in Deer Lodge County, reporting a total spending of $21,566.00, primarily in accommodations, restaurants, and gasoline. The study provides event organizers and Discover Anaconda with valuable data for future event planning, improving the event experience, refining marketing strategies, and understanding the economic impact of visitor spending …

Itrr Annual Report - 2023, Melissa Weddell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

Within this report, you will discover a comprehensive overview of our past and future research projects, travel and outdoor recreation information, and behind-the-scenes stories of our impact. By transparently sharing our work, we aim to foster stakeholder engagement that supports rigorous and impartial research focused on continuous improvement. Reflecting on 37 years of milestones, ITRR has evolved and flourished through innovation, collaboration, and an unwavering mission to serve Montanans.

Barriers To And Solutions For Fuel Treatments In The Central California Coast Ranges, Sierra Dawn Lyman

Master's Theses

In recent years, the Western United States has experienced an increase in fire activity due to multiple factors, including anthropogenic climate change, historical forest management focused on suppression, and the expanding wildland urban interface (WUI). In response, California is working to accelerate the pace and scale of forest management and fire hazard reduction efforts. Although fuel treatment projects are being implemented, they often encounter various barriers. While existing literature highlights these barriers, it tends to overlook the solutions being applied in practice to overcome them. Using an ethnographic approach that includes key informant interviews and participant observation in four sites …

East Helena Valley Rodeo 2024, East Helena, Montana, Kika Bradford, Megan Schultz

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This study was conducted for the East Helena Valley Rodeo Association to provide insight into the characteristics of attendees at the 2024 East Helena Valley Rodeo. Surveys were completed by 554 attendees during and after the event using a tablet, paper surveys, and online link. Results show that 96.2% of respondents were residents of Montana, with 86.1% of these Montana residents from Lewis and Clark County. Out-of-county respondents spent an average of 4.16 in the East Helena area/Lewis and Clark County and more people spent money on accommodations ($15,639) and restaurant/bar ($11,833) than any other spending categories. In total, respondents …

Montana Folk Festival 2024, Butte, Montana, Kika Bradford, Megan Schultz

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This study was conducted for the non-profit Mainstreet Uptown Butte to provide insight into the characteristics of attendees of the 2024 Montana Folk Festival. Paper surveys were completed by 567 attendees of the event. Results show that over 80% of respondents were residents of Montana, of which 18% were from Butte-Silver Bow County. Out-of-county respondents spent an average of 3.3 nights in Butte-Silver Bow County, reporting a total spending of $130,608.00, mostly in hotel/motel/bed and breakfasts. Results provide event organizers and Mainstreet Uptown Butte with useful data for future event planning, making improvements to the event, event marketing/promotion, and understanding …

Understanding Climate Change Adaptation And Gentrification Through The Framework Of Uneven Coastal Development In Keansburg, New Jersey, Zachary Paganini

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study examines the rapid acceleration of coastal development in the United States despite projections of climate change-induced sea level rise. Like no other developed country, the U.S. has transformed its fragile coastline into sites for leisure, consumption, and retirement. These spaces now face the prospect of more frequent and severe storms, as well as land loss and inundation, due to climate change. This dilemma has sparked debates around coastal resilience, adaptation, retreat, and climate gentrification.

While many studies seek to measure perceptions of climate change risk and vulnerability, this dissertation reverses the question by positioning risk perceptions as an …

Reclaiming Healing Spaces: A Phenomenological Study On The Transformative Power Of Outdoor Therapy From The Lived Experiences Of Black Clinicians Working With Black Clients, Lynn Murphy

Dissertations

This phenomenological study involved assessing the experiences of Black therapists who engaged Black clients in outdoor therapeutic contexts. The study was founded on the existing literature that shows the quality of the therapeutic relationship is pivotal for client retention and the Western standards that have historically favored treatment within indoor environments. To contextualize this research, a comprehensive literature review was commenced, covering topics such as the decolonization of therapy, the historical and present-day relationship between Blacks and the outdoors in the United States, sedentary lifestyles, the psychological benefits of time spent in nature, various types of outdoor therapy, and the …

Wolverine Habitat Suitability Analysis In Lake County, Colorado, Using Gis, Jake Hostnik

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

This project explores the reintroduction of the wolverine (Gulo gulo luscus) to Colorado’s mountainous regions, where the species has been extirpated due to habitat destruction and human activities. The study uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to identify optimal habitats for wolverine reintroduction, considering factors like snowpack duration, prey availability, and human disturbance. By creating a GIS-based habitat suitability model, this research will guide conservationists in selecting reintroduction sites. The project addresses the species' role in maintaining alpine ecosystem balance and contributes to the broader understanding of biodiversity restoration in the face of climate change. Results will inform future conservation planning …

A Lifetime Of Climate Changes: Female Farmers' Perceptions Of Climate Change Impacts To Well-Being And Livelihood In Antigua And Barbuda, Jamie Matthews

Capstone Collection

This capstone project emphasizes the value of smallholder farmers working on small island developing states (SIDS) in an era of climate change—with a particular focus on female farmers in light of the global feminization of agriculture. This research study engaged female farmers living in Antigua and Barbuda, a SIDS in the Caribbean, to capture their perceptions of climate risks and the impacts climate change has had on their well-being and livelihood. Qualitative data was collected via life history interviews (LHI), as well as focus group discussions (FGD). These methodologies addressed the primary questions of this research: (i) How do female …

Living Dead Forests: Assessing Detrital Services In Puget Sound Pseudotsuga Menziesii Ecosystems, Forrest Becker

Capstone Collection

Coarse woody debris (CWD), the detrital result of down wood recruitment, contributes to wildlife habitat, nutrient cycling, morphological processes like soil formation, and each forest’s sense of place but if undermanaged can fuel wildfires or obstruct stakeholder use. Despite its ubiquity in Puget Sound Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forests in Washington, USA, few studies quantify the exact ecosystem services which down wood provides. This study seeks to understand how forest managers can estimate the ecosystem services of down wood and how human communities perceive down wood management between community, public, and private Douglas fir (P. menziesii) …

Fibersheds: Textiles As The Basis For A New World, Rebecca John

Theses and Dissertations

The Fibershed movement seeks to develop bioregional fiber systems to cultivate natural fibers through regenerative agriculture. Through this, it seeks to revive domestic textile production as an alternative to the global textile industry. This thesis investigates the Fibershed movement at national and regional scales, and assesses how they position themselves as an alternative economy.

Gps Accuracy Of Smartphones For Crowdsourcing Research, Derron L. Dike

Master of Science in Environmental Sciences and Management Projects

ABSTRACT GPS Accuracy of Smartphones for Crowdsourcing Research Derron Dike Utilizing crowdsourcing with smartphones as a method for field data collection can contribute an array of data for scientific studies and land management applications. This study used crowdsourcing to examine smartphone built-in GPS performance for providing location-specific information with potential forestry applications. The usability of smartphones for GPS data collection in forestry studies or other practical applications is dependent on the level of accuracy required for those applications. A Smartphone Accuracy Trial was designed to test the GPS accuracy performance of current smartphones. Participants used the ArcGIS Field Maps application …

A Study Of The Impact And Mitigation Strategies For Community-Defined Historic Places At Immediate (Within Three Decades) Risk Of Sea Level Rise, Isaac Quaye

All Theses

The rising sea level casts formidable threats on community-based historic places within coastal communities. These community-defined historic places derive their meaning from local values and are more recognized within the local community. Unlike recognized iconic historic places, these resources are confronted with inadequate resources to address the impacts of punctuated climate events. This study investigates the imminent threats posed by sea level rise (SLR) to community-defined historic places within the next three decades (2025) and explores mitigation strategies proposed by stakeholders. The study used a GIS-based (enhanced bathtub model) to model the impact of coastal inundation on three historic places …

Transforming Grassland Conservation: Challenges And Opportunities Across Law, Policy, And Human Dimensions, Conor D. Barnes

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Great Plains social-ecological systems are facing growing pressure from complex, ‘wicked’ problems. Addressing these problems will require integrating ecological resilience and complex systems thinking concepts into our legal framework in order to better reflect the changing ecological reality of the Great Plains and promote flexibility and adaptability in the face of that change. In this dissertation, I examine how past and present policy priorities have affected social-ecological systems on the Great Plains, and how ecological resilience and complex systems thinking might be applied to grassland management policy. In Chapter 2, I examine the rapid progress made in the adoption of …

Assessing, Restoring, And Centering Social–Ecological Relationships For Advancing Social–Ecological Resilience In The Northern Great Plains Grasslands, Katia Pilar Carranza Bernal

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The Northern Great Plains grasslands are social-ecological systems that were shaped by evolutionary and Indigenous social-ecological relationships. European colonization disrupted many of these interactions, including the coupling of fire and grazing, and degraded social-ecological resilience, shifting these grasslands to a new state. For those reasons, my research focused on assessing, restoring, and centering evolutionary and Indigenous social-ecological relationships for advancing social-ecological resilience in the Northern Great Plains grasslands. I first performed a study in the Nebraska Sandhillls assessing the potential of patch-burn grazing to support grassland resilience by comparing its effects to those of rotational grazing. Through vegetation and bird …

We're Swarming Again! Swarming, Collectivity, And Trope: The Case Of Extinction Rebellion, Tyler J. Behymer

Department of Communication Studies: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis explores the rhetoric of the eco-movement Extinction Rebellion, focusing on the use of swarming and nature tropes to mobilize collective action and revivify contemporary notions of collectivity. Drawing on rhetoric of social movement scholarship, cultural studies, and psychoanalysis, this essay theorizes swarming as a tropological economy that expands the conditions of propriety in the context of collectivity. Through an analysis of Extinction Rebellion’s discourse, this study demonstrates how the naturalization of swarming tropes works in various ways to rewild conventional political discourse, galvanize disruptive collective assembly, and challenge green neoliberalism.

Advisor: Casey Ryan Kelly

Social Capital, Institutional Change, And Rural Development In Transmigration Area, West Muna Regency, Indonesia, Ahmad Imron Rozuli, La Ode Machdani Afala, Muhtar Haboddin, Anif Fatma Chawa

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

This study examines the development process in transmigration areas, utilizing the social capital concept in the study of three transmigration villages: Mekar Jaya, Wapae, and Suka Damai. We interviewed stakeholders, made observations, and analysed documents to collect data. Our findings highlight the important role of social capital and institutional change in supporting village development. Three critical factors emerged: First, village development involves the transfer of skills from the area of origin to the area of migration endowed with strong work ethics (etos kerja), particularly in agricultural and business sectors. Second, strong networks formed through ethnic and religious ties facilitate …

The Gender Ideology Of State Ibuism And Women’S Roles In Care Practices At The Rawa Panjang Waste Bank, Bojonggede, Bogor, Marini Purnamasari

Masyarakat: Jurnal Sosiologi

This article examines women's involvement in community-based waste management through the Waste Bank program. It argues that women’s participation in managing waste banks reflects the state’s gender ideology, which reinforces the reproduction of female labor and caregiving roles within society. Applying Suryakusuma’s (2011) concept of state ibuism, this study explores women’s roles in the Waste Bank program in Rawa Panjang, Citayam, Bogor Regency. Employing a qualitative approach, it utilizes methods such as observation, focus group discussions (FGDs), photoelicitation interviews, and in-depth interviews. The findings indicate that the Waste Bank program in Rawa Panjang serves as a contemporary manifestation of state …

Spatial Mapping With Polaroid Post-Its, Angela C. Dittmar, Katie Claiborne

Arts-Based Collaborative instructional materials

No abstract provided.

Bridging The Nature-Cultural Heritage Gap: Evaluating Sustainable Entanglements Through Cemeteries In Urban Asia, David Ocon, Wei Ping Young

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The expanding footprint of urban Asian settlements and increasing living standards have put pressure on cemetery sites. Public health narratives and the sanctity associated with death matters in Asian urban landscapes have fed into the rhetoric of cemeteries as undesirable heritage spaces. Often lacking protection, many cemeteries have been exhumed, cleared, and relocated to allow room for new developments and infrastructure, risking the survival of this quiet element of the urban cultural patrimony. Within an Asian context, synergies between nature and cultural heritage preservation are not prevalent in major cities like Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok. …

Foreign Object Debris: A Spatial Analysis Of Wildlife At Seatac Airport, Eli Elias

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

This study investigates the relationship between birds and prey within the airport environment at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEATAC). In 2023, instances of bird and prey activity near Runway 16C/34C were recorded using Foreign Object Debris (FOD) detection radar. The study stems from the importance of safety within the airport environment and analyzing these relationships to better protect people and mitigate aircraft damage. Runway 16C/34C is the runway of focus as it is the only runway equipped with FOD detection radar. Temperature and rainfall averages acquired from the National Weather Service (NWS) were also used to expand this analysis. The results …

Gis-Based Dashboard For Data Analysis And Visualization At The Water Hub In Franschhoek, South Africa, Liliana Rosa Simon

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

This capstone project analyzes the land use change in the Franschhoek Valley, South Africa, and implements this information into an ArcGIS Experience Builder Dashboard. The development of an ArcGIS Experience Builder is utilized as a tool for improved spatial data communication at The Water Hub. An increase in urban development in the informal settlement upstream of the Stiebeuel River in the catchment basin north of the Water Hub research institute is found. The capstone uses geographic information systems, remote sensing, and ArcGIS Experience Builder to integrate spatial data into the Water Hub’s standard operating procedures. It highlights the importance of …