Human Dimensions, the Gnomon, and Indicators of Satisfaction with Conservation Performance

During late June and July, I spent two weeks at Philmont Scout Ranch in northeastern New Mexico helping with the National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience (NAYLE), a leadership training course for Scouts. In several parts of the program, the staff and participants pledge to be servant leaders with the statement that "as the sun dial measures the passage of time, so will my service be measured over time, by my impact on others."

The post on a sun dial, the part that casts a shadow, is called the gnomon. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the gnomon as "an object that by the position or length of its shadow serves as an indicator."

Driving home, I thought about how the human dimensions of resource management can be used like the gnomon on the sun dial, in that the attitudes and opinions of Missourians about fish, forest, and wildlife management are an indicator. We can use human dimensions information as an indicator of satisfaction with conservation performance.

In several surveys, the Department of Conservation has asked Missourians to rate the job the Department is doing to provide conservation services. In 2003, 64.1 percent of Missourians indicated, for themselves, that the Department was doing an "Excellent" or "Good" job. In addition, 26.5 percent indicated "Don't Know," 8.5 percent said "Fair," and less than one percent said "Poor."

This level of satisfaction with the Department has remained almost exactly the same over the last 10 years. I can use this human dimensions information to help Department of Conservation staff understand the level of satisfaction that Missourians have for our conservation performance. Then the information can be used to help make plans for the future.

Human dimensions information is a very useful indicator of performance, just like using the gnomon on a sun dial to measure the passage of time.

More information about the Missouri Department of Conservation's performance is available in the Department's annual reports, and you can find more information about conservation programs on the Department's Web pages.

Human Dimensions Information for Fish, Forest, and Wildlife Conservation in Missouri

Human dimensions information is used everyday for conservation decisions. As I drove home Friday evening, thinking about the events of the week, I thought about how several of the tasks I participated in during the week demonstrate how human dimensions information and the distribution of that information are a part of the decisions that are made everyday about conservation.

1. Thirty years of human dimensions work. I was interviewed by Cindi Jacobson about the Missouri Department of Conservation's approach to use human dimensions information in fish, forest, and wildlife management efforts. Ms Jacobson is an Alaska Department of Fish and Game employee who is conducting Ph.D. research through the Human Dimensions Research Unit at Cornell University. She was in Missouri interviewing individuals at the Department of Conservation. She is also interviewing individuals in Arkansas, Maine, and New Mexico. I provided comments to her about the Department's nearly 30 years of human dimensions research and public involvement efforts. The Department of Conservation employed its first full-time social researcher in 1978.

2. Public involvement is used to find solutions and provide guidance. I reviewed materials to help in a citizen forum next week to collect solutions about a forest management issue. The Department of Conservation frequently uses public meetings, forums, and focus groups to enable citizens to provide direction for conservation issues. Examples of comments from several public forums conducted by the Department are available online.

3. Using technology to increase efficiency and reduce process time and costs. I participated in a meeting with Department staff to improve our use of SharePoint, a software collaboration tool, to make a wide variety of information easier to find, access, and use, including human dimensions and policy information.

4. Managing electronic files and information. I was interviewed by an outside consultant for a statewide effort to examine the needs of Missouri government agencies for managing and retrieving electronic files and documents. Managing the increasing number of electronic files is an important issue. From my perspective, improving the ability to find and access human dimensions reports, files, and data is very important both for my work and to increase the use of human dimensions information by Department staff, other agencies, and Missourians. Improving access to human dimensions information will make it easier for that information to be used to guide and provide accountability for conservation decisions.

5. Staying in touch with conservation opinions, satisfaction, and participation. I edited questions for a statewide survey about conservation opinions, participation, and satisfaction. This particular survey of Missourians was first conducted by the Department of Conservation in 1994 and has been repeated at regular intervals. It is an important effort to understand how Missourians feel about conservation issues.

Human dimensions information improves accountability. One of the nine goal categories of the Missouri Department of Conservation's strategic plan, The Next Generation of Conservation, is "Accounting for Department Operations." The goal statement is: "The Conservation Department will operate effectively with accountability for public funds and respect for Missouri citizens." Human dimensions information helps me and other Department staff make informed decisions. Although information can certainly increase our understanding of the complexity of issues and increase our awareness of the far-reaching consequences of decisions, sometimes information can make decisions more difficult or uncertain rather than easier. Even if a decision is difficult or the outcome uncertain, however, using information almost always makes a decision more accountable.

The desired results of the goal Accounting for Department Operations include:

Missouri citizens providing frequent input into Conservation Department decisions and programs.

Conservation efforts led by a highly trained, diverse, technologically skilled and professional staff.

Fair and ethical business methods that enable Missourians to see how public funds are spent on conservation priorities.

I think that all five of the examples I thought about from the past week help achieve these desired results.

The entire document of The Next Generation of Conservation is available online. Individual sections are also on the Department of Conservation's Web pages. A special issue of the Missouri Conservationist magazine, in September 2006, included information and other articles related to The Next Generation of Conservation.

The most recent annual reports from the Department of Conservation are also available online and a two-page summary of the 2006 annual report is in the January issue of the Missouri Conservationist magazine.

Missouri: Forestry and Wood Products

In Missouri, there are about 14 million acres that are forested; and most of the forests in Missouri are privately owned, at about 85 percent of the acres.

The wood-using and forest products industry in Missouri has an economic impact of about $4.4 billion each year and supports 32,250 jobs with earnings of $1.1 billion.

Each year, the forestry and wood-using industries in Missouri generate $54 million in state sales tax.

More than 1 million acres of forests have been added to Missouri's landscape in the last 30 years.

Forests in Missouri are increasing faster than they are being harvested.

Forests are important to Missourians who enjoy outdoor recreation such as camping, sightseeing, watching birds, canoeing, photographing nature, hunting, or fishing.

Forests in Missouri are essential for healthy streams, clean water, wildlife habitat, and environmental stability.

At the Missouri Department of Conservation forest nursery, each year, more than 5 million seedlings of more than 50 species are grown and distributed throughout the state. The seedlings are planted on both public and private land.

In the recent fiscal year, more than $270,000 of cost-share assistance was provided by the Missouri Department of Conservation to more than 40 Missouri communities for tree planting and maintenance of urban forest resources.

Missouri Department of Conservation staff work with over 800 fire departments to offer training, to provide federal excess equipment, to provide grants for the purchase of fire equipment, and to assist in wildfire prevention activities.

The amount of sales tax generated from the forest products industry and fish and wildlife recreation is well over the amount of sales tax received by the Missouri Department of Conservation from the Conservation Sales Tax; in other words, conservation pays its way in Missouri.

A fact sheet on Missouri forestry and wood products is on page 15 of the 2005-2006 Annual Report of the Missouri Department of Conservation available at: http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/13141.pdf
There is additional information on the accomplishments related to forestry on pages 17-35 and 47.

Missouri: Wildlife Recreation

There are about 1.8 million individuals in Missouri each year, age 16 years and older, that view, feed, photograph, and observe wildlife. An additional 320,000 Missouri residents of ages 6 to 15 are involved in wildlife watching.

Each year, over 738,000 individuals participate in wildlife watching in Missouri away from their home. Of the total nonresidential wildlife watchers, 519,000 are state residents and 219,000 are nonresidents.

The wildlife viewing that occurs away from home involves over 4 million trips each year and wildlife watchers spend, on average, about 17 days participating in some kind of wildlife viewing. For individual activities, on average: 19 days are spent observing wildlife; 7 days photographing wildlife; and 26 days feeding wildlife. Overall, over 12.4 million days are spent viewing wildlife away from home.

Around their home, over 1.5 million Missourians participate in wildlife watching. Overall, over 106 million days are spent observing and photographing wildlife by Missourians near their homes.

The economic impact of wildlife viewing in Missouri includes $449 million in total expenditures that result in a total economic impact of over $937 million. The expenditures support 7,850 jobs and generate $200 million in earnings. The expenditures generate over $22 million in state sales taxes and a combined total of over $30 million in state sales and income taxes.

In Missouri, adults involved in wildlife viewing would fill Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City more than 23 times.

The amount of sales tax generated from fish and wildlife recreation and the forest products industry in Missouri is well over the amount of sales tax received by the Missouri Department of Conservation from the Conservation Sales Tax; in other words, conservation pays its way in Missouri.

More information is available from the 2001 National Survey report for Missouri which is available at: http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/01fhw/fhw01-mo.pdf and the economics report for Missouri which is available at: http://www.southwickassociates.com/freereports/default.aspx

A fact sheet on Missouri hunting and fishing is on page 14 of the 2005-2006 Annual Report of the Missouri Department of Conservation and is available at: http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/13141.pdf

Missouri: Hunting and Fishing

In Missouri, there are about 489,000 hunters each year, that are of age 16 years and older. There are an additional 92,000 hunters that are of age 6 to 15 years.

Of the total hunters 16 years and older, 405,000 are state residents and 84,000 are nonresidents. Deer hunting is the most popular in terms of hunter numbers and days spent hunting. There are over twice as many deer hunters as turkey hunters and deer hunters spend over twice as many total days hunting as turkey hunters.

Each year, hunters spend an average of about 15 days hunting. Migratory bird hunters spend the most days on average, at about 13 days. Rabbit hunters spend the fewest days hunting, at about 9 days.

Overall, hunters spend over 6.6 million days hunting each year.

In Missouri, there are about 1.2 million anglers each year, of age 16 years or older. There are an additional 321,000 that participate that are of age 6 to 15 years old. Of the total freshwater anglers in Missouri, age 16 years and older, 942,000 are state residents and 272,000 are nonresidents. Most fishing activity, in numbers of anglers and days spent fishing, is for black bass.

Each year, anglers spend an average of about 11 days fishing. Catfish anglers spend the most days, at about 11 days, and trout anglers the fewest, at about 6 days.

Overall, anglers fish a total of over 13.2 million days each year.

Hunters and anglers in Missouri spend over $1.2 billion each year in retail sales, support 21,877 jobs, and generate $57 million in state sales tax. The total sales and income taxes generated is $77 million. The total economic impact each year from the retail sales is over $2.4 billion. That is $2.4 billion of economic impact.

Put into other terms, more Missourians hunt or fish than the number who attend St. Louis Rams or Kansas City Chiefs games.

One of every four Missouri residents hunts or fishes.

Annual spending by hunters and anglers is more than the cash receipts for cattle production in Missouri.

The amount of sales tax generated from fish and wildlife recreation and the forest products industry is well over the amount of sales tax received by the Missouri Department of Conservation from the Conservation Sales Tax; in other words, conservation pays its way in Missouri.

More information is available from the 2001 National Survey report for Missouri which is available at: http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/01fhw/fhw01-mo.pdf and the economics report for Missouri is available at: http://www.southwickassociates.com/freereports/default.aspx

A fact sheet on Missouri hunting and fishing is on page 13 of the 2005-2006 Annual Report of the Missouri Department of Conservation available at: http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/13141.pdf

Five Facts About the Missouri Department of Conservation

1. Missourians are Satisfied with the Job of the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Over 60 percent of Missourians believe the Missouri Department of Conservation is doing an excellent or good job of providing services to themselves, their family, their community, and the State of Missouri: 64 percent believe that the Department is doing a good job of providing services to themselves; 63 percent to their family; 61 percent to their community; and 67 percent to the State of Missouri.

2. Missourians are Interested in Missouri’s Fish, Forests, and Wildlife, and Want to Protect Missouri’s Conservation Heritage.

Most Missourians (93 percent) report that they are interested in Missouri’s fish, forests, and wildlife. Most Missourians (91 percent) agree that “It is important for outdoor places to be protected even if you don’t plan to visit the area.” Most Missourians (84 percent) agree that natural areas should be designated “to protect Missouri’s best examples of forests, prairies, marshes, and glades.”

3. Missourians Approve of Acquiring Land for Conservation.

Almost three-quarters (73 percent) of all Missourians agree that “Land should be acquired for fish, forest, and wildlife conservation.” When asked about the less than 2 percent of Missouri’s acres that are owned or managed by the Department, only 2 percent said that amount is “Too much.”

4. Less than One Percent of the State of Missouri Budget is Spent on Conservation.

The total budget for the Missouri Department of Conservation is less than one percent of the total State of Missouri budget.

Health and Social Services - 37.8%
Education - 28.1%
Government Services - 20.1%
Transportation - 10.4%
Natural and Economic Resources - 2.8%
Conservation - 0.8%

5. Conservation Pays Its Way in Missouri.

"Conservation Pays Its Way in Missouri" since the sales tax revenue generated each year from the retail sales related to fish and wildlife recreation and the forest products industry is well over the amount that is received by the Missouri Department of Conservation from the one-eighth of one percent Conservation Sales Tax. Each year, fishing, hunting, wildlife recreation, and forestry activities have an economic impact of over $7 billion in Missouri.

More information about the Missouri Department of Conservation is available in the 2005-2006 Annual Report available at: http://www.mdc.mo.gov/about/annual/
Included in the annual report is a 2-page summary on pages 4 and 5.