| dc.description.abstract | Though the specific mission of state managed wildlife areas may differ, many wildlife
areas attract similar groups of people interested in outdoor recreation activities, such as
hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching. Websites are often the main informational link
between state wildlife areas and visitors. The Internet is a powerful tool that provides
natural resource personnel with nearly limitless possibilities for information sharing.
Unfortunately, users of the Internet are becoming increasingly discerning in their tastes
for Internet content.
Wildlife area websites must meet both the content and design demands of their target
audiences. This study surveyed wildlife agency personnel from five different states,
IN, MN, MI, OH, and WI, to develop a list of recommendations highlighting the most
important components of wildlife area websites. Also surveyed were visitors of a state
wildlife area in central Wisconsin, the George W. Mead Wildlife Area, to determine
what wildlife area visitors felt were the most important components of a wildlife area
website. By creating recommendations for the information that should be included in a
wildlife area website, this study will allow managers of wildlife areas to access guidelines
to follow when creating or updating a website at their own facilities. These guidelines
enable the most effective use of time and resources when developing and maintaining a
website. Implementing these recommendations may also improve the effectiveness of
communication targeting different wildlife stakeholders. | en_US |
