Community Characteristics Community Characteristics and Views about Coupled and Views about Coupled

Social and Ecological SystemsSocial and Ecological Systems

Dr. Tom SaffordDr. Tom SaffordUniversity of New Hampshire University of New Hampshire

AK EPSCoR -Living on Earth IIAK EPSCoR -Living on Earth IIFebruary 19, 2011February 19, 2011

Community and the Environment in Rural America (CERA) ProjectTeam of natural and social scientists affiliated

with UNH’s Carsey InstituteInvestigating links between social and

environmental change in rural communities across the U.S.

Started in 2007 – surveyed 18,000 people in targeted counties of 13 states.Covered all U.S. regions (NH, ME, MI, KS, CO, KY,

MS, AL, LA, FL, OR, WA, AK)Most recent module in Southeast AlaskaFunded by the Ford and Kellogg Foundations,

USDA – Rural Development Program

"For the future of your community, do you think it is more "For the future of your community, do you think it is more important to use natural resources to create jobs, or to conserve important to use natural resources to create jobs, or to conserve natural resources for future generations – or don’t you have an natural resources for future generations – or don’t you have an opinion on this?"opinion on this?"

28

35

37

19

47

34

24

46

29

25

45

30

0 10 20 30 40 50 0 10 20 30 40 50

Both equal

Conserve resources

Use resources/jobs

Both equal

Conserve resources

Use resources/jobs

Both equal

Conserve resources

Use resources/jobs

Both equal

Conserve resources

Use resources/jobs

AK FL

ME WA

Weighted Percent

21

47

31

27

24

49

32

40

28

34

27

38

0 10 20 30 40 50 0 10 20 30 40 50

Both equal

Conserve resources

Use resources/jobs

Both equal

Conserve resources

Use resources/jobs

Both equal

Conserve resources

Use resources/jobs

Both equal

Conserve resources

Use resources/jobs

Juneau Borough Ketchikan Gateway Borough

Sitka Borough Remaining Southeast Alaska

Weighted Percent

26

23

33

28

41

49

0 10 20 30 40 50Weighted Percent

Conserve resources

Both equal

Use resources/jobs

AK Native

non-Native

AK Native

non-Native

AK Native

non-Native

“When it comes to deciding how to regulate economic activities in the ocean, do you think government authorities should base their decisions….PRIMARILY on..

2

8

2

8

18

36

25

2

2

5

9

29

17

35

2

9

1

9

16

26

37

2

5

2

8

25

35

24

0 10 20 30 40 0 10 20 30 40

Fishermen and Public

Science and Fishermen

Science and Public

All Three

General Public

Science

Fishermen

Fishermen and Public

Science and Fishermen

Science and Public

All Three

General Public

Science

Fishermen

Fishermen and Public

Science and Fishermen

Science and Public

All Three

General Public

Science

Fishermen

Fishermen and Public

Science and Fishermen

Science and Public

All Three

General Public

Science

Fishermen

AK FL

ME WA

Weighted Percent

1

7

1

10

19

44

17

3

6

2

7

22

29

31

0

10

3

6

11

42

28

2

10

4

8

17

30

29

0 10 20 30 40 50 0 10 20 30 40 50

Fish. and Pub.

Sci. and Fish.

Sci. and Pub.

All Three

General Public

Science

Fishermen

Fish. and Pub.

Sci. and Fish.

Sci. and Pub.

All Three

General Public

Science

Fishermen

Fish. and Pub.

Sci. and Fish.

Sci. and Pub.

All Three

General Public

Science

Fishermen

Fish. and Pub.

Sci. and Fish.

Sci. and Pub.

All Three

General Public

Science

Fishermen

Juneau Borough Ketchikan Gateway Borough

Sitka Borough Remaining Southeast Alaska

Weighted Percent

““When it comes to deciding how to regulate economic When it comes to deciding how to regulate economic activities in the ocean, do you think government activities in the ocean, do you think government authorities should base their decisions….PRIMARILY on..authorities should base their decisions….PRIMARILY on..

50

37

5

8

36

44

12

7

55

32

4

9

49

38

6

7

0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60

Now/human

Now/natural

Not now

DK/NA

Now/human

Now/natural

Not now

DK/NA

Now/human

Now/natural

Not now

DK/NA

Now/human

Now/natural

Not now

DK/NA

AK FL

NH WA

Weighted Percent

58

31

3

7

37

47

8

8

51

30

6

12

51

39

5

5

0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60

Now/human

Now/natural

Not now

DK/NA

Now/human

Now/natural

Not now

DK/NA

Now/human

Now/natural

Not now

DK/NA

Now/human

Now/natural

Not now

DK/NA

Juneau Borough Ketchikan Gateway Borough

Sitka Borough Remaining Southeast Alaska

Weighted Percent

56

33

11

38

49

13

51

39

10

47

43

10

0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60

Most agree

Little agreement

DK/NA

Most agree

Little agreement

DK/NA

Most agree

Little agreement

DK/NA

Most agree

Little agreement

DK/NA

AK FL

NH WA

Weighted Percent

64

28

8

46

41

13

60

25

15

52

37

12

0 20 40 60 0 20 40 60

Most agree

Little agreement

DK/NA

Most agree

Little agreement

DK/NA

Most agree

Little agreement

DK/NA

Most agree

Little agreement

DK/NA

Juneau Borough Ketchikan Gateway Borough

Sitka Borough Remaining Southeast Alaska

Weighted Percent

Washington County

Hancock County

On Going ResearchExamine inter-relationships between place

effects and individual characteristicsInvestigate how views about natural

resource use influences concern about environmental problems

New research using integrated social and ecological data to assess social acceptability of restoration scenarios

New research comparing urban and rural areas

www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/CERA