Human Dimensions and Decision-Making for Conservation

Human dimensions information for fish, forest, and wildlife decision making is like the information available for a pilot in the instruments of an airplane or the notes on a page for a musician.

Human dimensions information involves the social and economic aspects of fish, forest, and wildlife management. Human dimensions is market information, customer satisfaction information, participation levels, and public involvement efforts. In Missouri, it is about the people of Missouri and their interests and participation related to the fish, forests, wildlife, and conservation efforts in the state.

Simply, human dimensions is about people, and their needs, wants, and demands. In marketing terms, needs are their requirements, wants are their requests, and demands are the items that meet their requests that they are willing to pay for or take action to obtain. Human dimensions is any information about those needs, wants, and demands.

Are there obstacles to using human dimensions information in making decisions? You bet.

Time is the most frequent obstacle since it can be difficult to conduct scientifically sound information gathering in time to help a manager make a decision. In addition, anyone can be overwhelmed with information. Data can become a black hole, leading us away from making decisions rather than taking action. And just because we have information does not guarantee a desirable or expected outcome. Conservation decisions often involve balancing the needs, wants, and demands of many groups and interests. Sometimes, information seems to make decisions more difficult as we become aware of competing requests and demands.

Even the best, most timely, and comprehensive information is only information however; decisions are required to take action.

The instruments for a pilot, the notes on a page for a musician, a recipe for a cook, or human dimensions information for a resource manager are only information; a truly exemplary performance requires decisions and actions.

Human dimensions data do not tell us what decisions to make, but do provide accountability for our decisions and many clues to informed management.

A great reference about the human dimensions of wildlife management is a book entitled Human Dimensions of Wildlife Management in North America and is edited by D.J. Decker, T.L. Brown, and W.F. Siemer. It was published in 2001. The book is available from The Wildlife Society at: http://www.wildlife.org/publications/index.cfm?tname=pubslist