Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative

Public acceptability of development in the Northern Forest of Vermont, USA - the influence of wildlife information, recreation involvement, and demographic characteristics: Survey and questionnaire data

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Metadata Provider

  • Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative

    • Address:
      705 Spear Street
      South Burlington, Vermont 05403
      United States of America

      Phone: (802) 391-4135
      Email: femc@uvm.edu
      Website: www.uvm.edu/femc

Abstract

    This project investigated the public's acceptability of development in the Northern Forest ecosystem of Vermont, USA. We also examined how wildlife information, recreation involvement, and demographic characteristics affect development acceptability. We used a visual preference survey sent to 9,000 Vermonters to collect data on development acceptability, wildlife views, recreation involvement, and demographic characteristics. The survey response rate was 44%. Maximum acceptable condition (MAC) for development was 41 houses/km2 and not meaningfully influenced by broader consequences of development on seven common wildlife species. MAC was influenced by views on individual species, including bear and coyote, but not by other species such as deer, fox, and bobcat. Respondents with a positive attitude toward bear favored less development, whereas the opposite relationship existed for coyote. Similarly, MAC was negatively influenced by involvement in birding and hunting, but not by other common recreational activities. Among demographic factors, respondents that were younger and not born in Vermont were more accepting of development. Population density also positively influenced development acceptability. Results provide measures of the public’s acceptability of development that can help guide decision-making about development, wildlife, and recreation management.

People

  • Terri Donovan: Principal Investigator

  • Robert Manning: Principal Investigator

  • John Austin: Content Provider

  • James Murdoch: Principal Investigator

  • Charlie Bettigole: Content Provider

  • Jessica Espenshade: Principal Investigator

Keywords

  • demographics, development acceptability, questionnaire, recreation, visual preference survey, wildlife,

Organizations

  • University of Vermont Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources: lead
  • Vermont Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit : lead
  • Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept. : partner

Geographic Coverage

  • Coordinates

    Data Table

    • Title: Survey and questionnaire data
    • Start Date: 2013-06-01
    • End Date: 2015-06-01
    • Description: Survey and questionnaire data from the project.

    • Purpose: Dataset used to address three questions: 1) What is the public’s acceptability of alternative levels of development? 2) Is acceptability of development influenced by wildlife presence information? and 3) Is the maximum amount of acceptable development influenced by views about wildlife, involvement in recreation, and demographic characteristics?

    • Condensed Title: Z1152_2414_342YG1

    • Object Name: VMC.1152.2414

    • Data Type: mySQL
    • Citation: James Murdoch (2017) Survey and questionnaire data. FEMC. Available online at: https://www.uvm.edu/femc/data/archive/project/development-acceptability/dataset/survey-questionnaire-data

    • Online Distribution: https://vmc.w3.uvm.edu/vmcdevel/data/archive/project/development-acceptability/dataset/survey-questionnaire-data

    Attribute List

      Attribute Name: ATV
      • Label: ATV
      • Storage Type: text
      • Measurment Type: nominal
      Attribute Name: Bear
      • Label: Bear
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Birding
      • Label: Birding
      • Storage Type: text
      • Measurment Type: nominal
      Attribute Name: Bobcat
      • Label: Bobcat
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Camping
      • Label: Camping
      • Storage Type: text
      • Measurment Type: nominal
      Attribute Name: City
      • Label: City
      • Storage Type: text
      • Measurment Type: nominal
      Attribute Name: County_Name
      • Label: County_Name
      • Storage Type: text
      • Measurment Type: nominal
      Attribute Name: Coyote
      • Label: Coyote
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Deer
      • Label: Deer
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Education
      • Label: Education
      • Storage Type: text
      • Measurment Type: nominal
      Attribute Name: Farming
      • Label: Farming
      • Storage Type: text
      • Measurment Type: nominal
      Attribute Name: Fisher
      • Label: Fisher
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Fishing
      • Label: Fishing
      • Storage Type: text
      • Measurment Type: nominal
      Attribute Name: Fox
      • Label: Fox
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Hiking
      • Label: Hiking
      • Storage Type: text
      • Measurment Type: nominal
      Attribute Name: Hunting
      • Label: Hunting
      • Storage Type: text
      • Measurment Type: nominal
      Attribute Name: ID
      • Label: ID
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Illustration_1
      • Label: Illustration_1
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Illustration_2
      • Label: Illustration_2
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Illustration_3
      • Label: Illustration_3
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Illustration_4
      • Label: Illustration_4
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Illustration_5
      • Label: Illustration_5
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Illustration_6
      • Label: Illustration_6
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Illustration_A
      • Label: Illustration_A
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Illustration_B
      • Label: Illustration_B
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Illustration_C
      • Label: Illustration_C
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Illustration_D
      • Label: Illustration_D
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Illustration_E
      • Label: Illustration_E
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Illustration_F
      • Label: Illustration_F
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Max_allow
      • Label: Max_allow
      • Storage Type: text
      • Measurment Type: nominal
      Attribute Name: Most_like_town
      • Label: Most_like_town
      • Storage Type: text
      • Measurment Type: nominal
      Attribute Name: None
      • Label: None
      • Storage Type: text
      • Measurment Type: nominal
      Attribute Name: Not_want_to_live
      • Label: Not_want_to_live
      • Storage Type: text
      • Measurment Type: nominal
      Attribute Name: Other
      • Label: Other
      • Storage Type: text
      • Measurment Type: nominal
      Attribute Name: Own_house
      • Label: Own_house
      • Storage Type: text
      • Measurment Type: nominal
      Attribute Name: Prefer
      • Label: Prefer
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Raccoon
      • Label: Raccoon
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Snowmobling
      • Label: Snowmobling
      • Storage Type: text
      • Measurment Type: nominal
      Attribute Name: Vt_born
      • Label: Vt_born
      • Storage Type: text
      • Measurment Type: nominal
      Attribute Name: Vt_primary
      • Label: Vt_primary
      • Storage Type: text
      • Measurment Type: nominal
      Attribute Name: Wildlife_Change
      • Label: Wildlife_Change
      • Storage Type: int
      Attribute Name: Year_born
      • Label: Year_born
      • Storage Type: date
      • Measurment Type: datetime
      • String Format: YYYY

    Methods

    • Past Methods (no longer in use)
      • Social norm curves
        • Started: 2013-06-01
          Ended: 2015-06-01
        • Method Description: See: Bettigole, C. A., T. M. Donovan, R. Manning, and J. Austin. 2014. Normative standards for land use in Vermont: implications for biodiversity. Biological Conservation 169:392-400.

    Sampling Equipment

    • Visual preference survey
      • Started: 2013-06-01
        Ended: 2015-06-01
      • Sampling Description: Surveys sent to 9,000 households in Vermont, USA between September and November 2014. Individuals were selected at random, but stratified by county size and treatment to have a representative statewide sample. Participants were required to be over 18 years of age, with no restrictions on demographic factors such as residence, ethnicity, homeownership, or gender. Mailing addresses were identified from ListGIANT (Westlake Village, California, USA).
      • Frequency: Once

    Site Characteristics

    • Site Description: U.S. State of Vermont

    • Minimum Altitude: 95 feet

    • Maximum Altitude: 4393 feet