Creating stewardship through discovery: Visitor participation in the Biscayne National Park / National Geographic BioBlitzes

Kyle, Gerard; Yoon, Jee; van Riper, Carena; Jun, Jinhee

• This study evaluated participants’ experiences with a BioBlitz held at Biscayne National Park (BISC), which was co-sponsored by the National Park Service (NPS) and National Geographic Society (NGS). Information about why the program was important and benefits accrued from this event were gathered to provide management agencies with a greater understanding of their constituencies. Social outcomes related to the BioBlitz aim to enhance interest in science and stewardship within protected areas. • Respondents at BISC reported moderate visitation histories with the park but not an extensive history with the BioBlitz program. Many visitors experienced the BioBlitz through an organized group and the majority knew others at the event. To engage with these participants in the future, managers should note that the most important source of information was “friends, relatives and/or word of mouth.” • Respondents were involved in the BioBlitz for a variety of reasons. The most important factor that encouraged involvement was their attraction to and the appeal of the program. The least important facet of participants’ involvement was the idea of centrality, in that most did not did organize their life around nor feel that the program was central to their lives. • The impact of the BioBlitz program manifested in different ways, in that the impact of participation on understandings of science and nature allowed visitors to experience the park in new ways and provided opportunities to learn from professionals. Citizen science programs such as the BioBlitz will likely yield similar outcomes to keep people engaged with and interested in the protected area system. • Respondents considered themselves to be natural resource stewards, though most felt their stewardship was nature rather than human-oriented. The majority was modestly willing but did not feel responsible as individuals to engage in protection behavior. • The most important reason for engaging in the program was centered on individuals’ contributions to society. Opportunities to learn from others with more experience also compelled participants to engage in this event. • Respondents felt connected to places within the park, in that approximately one third reported having favorite places within the park. The levels of attachment formed between people and places were mostly driven by affective / emotional bonds, individual identities, and opportunities made available to associate with other people. • Overall, there were slightly more males than females. Most respondents were just over 45 years of age, the majority was well-educated (at least a four-year college degree), and over half reported earning more than $75,000 per year. Also, at least half of the respondents were employed outside the home and the majority of those individuals were employed full time. The majority was not Hispanic or Latino and the vast majority was White. • The diversity of experiences, attitudes, and behaviors reported by survey respondents suggest that a “one size fits all” management approach may exclude important segments of the survey population. Research results that shed light on the varied elements that comprise visitor experiences can be used as a guide to most effectively respond to the preferences reported by BioBlitz participants.

Creating stewardship through discovery: Visitor participation in the Biscayne National Park / National Geographic BioBlitzes

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