WITH ITS DIVERSE HABITAT AND MODERATE CLIMATE, Georgia has an abundance of natural resources and outdoor recreation opportunities. Georgia is home to 975 species of vertebrates and 250 species of trees; a landscape of mountains, estuaries, beaches, and wetlands; and historic cities and landmarks. At the same time, Georgia is also one of the fastest growing states in the nation and is ranked 9th among the states for total population. With such diverse and varied natural resources and a burgeoning human population, the success of conservation and management efforts in the state depends on striking a balance between its environment, its natural resources, and its people. In the words of Aldo Leopold: "Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land."

 

Not only is it important to manage the biological and ecological components of Georgia's environment and natural resources, it is also crucial to understand how Georgia residents relate to the state's natural resources. Through use of a variety of social science research methods, the state monitors public opinion to measure its efforts in the eyes of its residents. For example, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) outlines several objectives for its agency vision, which include listening and responding to the "opinions of the people it serves to provide a balance of all factors" and making "wise decisions for the common good of the people."

Over the past 18 years, Responsive Management has worked closely with numerous divisions within the Georgia DNR and with other outdoor recreation and resource management organizations on more than 25 major studies of the human element of natural resources and outdoor recreation in Georgia. Responsive Management's work with the state includes extensive research to assess public knowledge of, awareness of, and attitudes toward natural resource issues related to conservation education, litter and recycling, water resources, hunting and fishing participation, wildlife and fisheries management, and strategic planning and marketing, as well as studies designed specifically to identify messages that resonate with the Georgia public in order to develop more effective conservation and education programs.

In this newsletter, Responsive Management highlights the efforts of numerous divisions, organizations, and agencies throughout Georgia to understand and meet the needs of the public they serve by featuring principal research on Georgians' opinions on and attitudes toward a variety of natural resource, conservation, and outdoor recreation issues.