Natural Resource Managers and Their Perception of Their Role as Educators

Abstract

Little attention has been given as to how environmental education relates to the professional natural resource manager. This study was developed to consider the following objectives: 1) To determine if Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource (WDNR) resource managers perceive educating the public as an important part of their job. 2) To determine what percentage of their time WDNR resource managers believe they are involved in educating school groups. 3) To determine what percentage of their time WDNR resource managers believe they are involved in educating adults. 4) To determine the extent of training (classes, workshops, etc.) WDNR resource managers have obtained to assist them in educating school groups and/or adults. 5) To determine if WDNR resource managers feel a need for additional training in working as an educator or in working with educators, school.and youth groups and other adult groups; and if they feel more training is needed, should this training be inservice or preservice. 6) To determine if there is a positive, negative or no significant correlation between their level of training in educational methods and their perceived value of education as a tool in resource management. In response to the need expressed by the WDNR environmental education coordinator and the lack of literature currently available on this subject, a questionnaire was developed to assess how natural resource managers perceive their role as educators. The questionnaire with the stated objectives was mailed to 329 natural resource managers (wildlife, forestry, fisheries, parks and recreation) with the WDNR. Analysis of the data from 276 completed or partially completed questionnaires indicates that: 1) Providing educational programs is an important part of the natural resource manager's job. Some of the perceived limitations expressed by natural resource managers include: time constraints, heavy workload, insufficient staff, budget problems, a need for media and video, and communication and public relation skills. 2) The majority of natural resource managers (65.5%) spend from 1-4 hours per month educating school groups, 55% of the natural resource managers spend from 1-4 hours per month educating landowners, conservation clubs and other special interest groups and the majority of natural resource managers (55%) spend O hours per month educating teachers and youth leaders, while 41% spend from 1-4 hours. 3) Most natural resource managers agree that additional training in educational techniques and methods would be helpful in performing their job (59% agreed to strongly agreed additional training would be helpful working with school and youth groups and 67% agreed to strongly agreed additional training would be helpful working with adult groups).