Recent Studies at
Responsive Management
Home
About Us
Natural Resources & Outdoor Recreation Research
Staff
Client Comments
Contact Us
GSA
Sign Up For Our Email Newsletter
Search
    collage of natural resource and outdoor recreation photos
Responsive Management has recently completed more than 30 studies on public opinion on and attitudes toward natural resource, fish and wildlife, and outdoor recreation issues, including a just released study on the results of a new Arkansas Game and Fish Commission employee survey that shows dramatic increases in morale and confidence in the direction of the agency. Click here for a news article about the results of the study.
Currently, we are working on numerous additional studies, including a study on Utah Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) use, knowledge of environmental impacts of use, and awareness of related marketing campaigns; a survey of Northeast U.S. residents' to determine attitudes toward and experiences with wildlife causing problems; and an assessment of hunting license marketing campaigns to calculate economic lift and determine the overall effectiveness of different messages and methods of delivery.
Responsive Management's projects have also recently been featured prominently in several media sources. Our work on a study for the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) regarding human interaction with dolphins was featured by the New York Times, and the story can be accessed here.
Recently, Responsive Management assisted the Idaho Department of Fish and Game with a workshop to help set the stage for the future of fish and wildlife management, focusing on the state of the state of fishing and hunting. This successful workshop attracted more than 600 attendees.
Responsive Management's research on public attitudes toward black bears was featured in a nationally broadcast segment on NPR's Morning Edition. The study examined Tennessee residents' opinions on black bears, including interactions they may have had, their opinions on the size of the black bear population in Tennessee, their level of tolerance of black bears, and their opinions on the hunting of black bears. To listen to the broadcast or read the story, please click here.
The National Wild Turkey Federation also recently published two articles in its July/August 2012 edition of its magazine Turkey Country featuring Responsive Management research. "Keys to Recruitment and Retention" by Kris Wetherbee highlights our recent evaluation of 37 state and national hunting, sport shooting, and fishing recruitment and retention programs. A second article, "Responsive Management Helps Manage Humans," coauthored by Mark and Responsive Management research associate Amanda C. Ritchie, describes the process and importance of human dimensions research in wildlife management.
In addition to many opening session presentations, keynote speeches, and workshops for many U.S. associations (see below), the past 12 months has included two international appearances for Mark Damian Duda, executive director of Responsive Management. Mark spoke at the opening plenary session of the first ever Canadian National Fish and Wildlife Conservation Congress in Ottawa, Canada, in May. Mark also conducted a 2-day workshop in Rome, Italy, in June for the World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities to help identify strategies and messages to better communicate the economic, ecological, environmental, and social values of hunting (click here for the workshop agenda).
Responsive Management received the Qualitative Industry Research Award from the National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®) at the foundation's 2011 annual summit.
Recent presentations and workshops include the following:
  • Plenary session speaker, First Annual Canadian National Fish and Wildlife Conservation Congress, Ottawa, Canada

  • Keynote speaker, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Management Statewide Meeting

  • Plenary session speaker, 2011 Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA) Annual Conference

  • Plenary session speaker, 2011 Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Conference

  • Continuing education session instructor, 2011 Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Conference

  • Plenary session speaker, The World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities, Nuremberg, Germany

  • Presentation, International Hunter Education Association Annual Conference

  • Workshop, Northeast Fish and Wildlife Conference

  • Workshop leader, The World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities, Rome, Italy

  • Leader of multiple workshops, Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA)

  • Presentation, Environmental Research Center Seminar, West Virginia University

  • Presentation, Recruitment and Retention Summit, Colorado Division of Wildlife

  • Wildlife viewing presentation, Wildlife Diversity Conference
Some of our most recently completed projects include the following:
Our current and upcoming studies include:

  • a study on use of social media tools and their potential impacts on sport shooting recruitment and participation

  • implementation and an evaluation of a pilot multi-media marketing campaign in Virginia to measure impact and identify the most effective combination(s) of delivery method, message, and image for reaching lapsed hunters and increasing renewed hunting participation and license sales to lapsed hunters

  • an in-depth regional study to assess public experiences with, attitudes toward, and expectations regarding nuisance wildlife management in the northeast region of the U.S.

  • an assessment of the impacts of outreach and education for the Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program, particularly to measure knowledge of and attitudes toward fertilizer use as it relates to the Bay

  • a study of OHV use, participation, and knowledge regarding environmental impacts of OHV use, as well as an evaluation of OHV marketing campaigns in Utah

  • a study to develop the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) for Washington state, including coordination of advisory groups; surveys of recreation providers, residents, and visitors/tourists; a strategic planning workshop, and the final SCORP plan

  • an analysis of the economic impact of the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program on local economies in the Osceola National forest region in Florida, including identifying expenditures and estimating economic returns

  • a study to measure Louisiana residents' attitudes toward bears and bear management issues

  • a trends study of Maryland residents' attitudes toward black bears and black bear management issues

  • a study of landowners' attitudes toward and potential motivations for allowing public access to hunting on their land in Virginia

  • an assessment of state residents', hunters', and stakeholders' opinions on and attitudes toward deer and deer management issues in the State of Florida

  • a study to determine small game hunting participation and harvest in Florida

  • a study of elk hunters' opinions on the quality of elk hunting in Wyoming and their opinions on elk management in the state

  • an assessment of the Texas Outdoor Adventures Education Program to measure the program's success at meeting its goals and objectives

  • a study to determine York County, Virginia, residents' satisfactions and dissatisfactions with the county, priorities for the next 20 years, and opinions on county land use, housing and development, public facilities, and transportation issues to inform updates to the county's Comprehensive Plan

  • a study of New Jersey freshwater trout anglers' participation, preferences, and attitudes

  • stakeholder focus groups and public meetings to assess attitudes toward regulations and assist in the development of a saltwater fisheries management plan

  • an assessment of hunters' attitudes toward Chronic Wasting Disease and related deer management efforts in Maryland

  • a follow-up evaluation of the effectiveness of national and statewide hunting, sport shooting, and fishing recruitment and retention programs in the U.S., utilizing the standardized evaluation design and baseline data established by Responsive Management in 2011

  • focus groups to better understand lapsed hunters' reasons for hunting cessation in Pennsylvania

  • a study of fisheries professionals' salaries and benefits to help evaluate, plan, and implement salary adjustments in the field

  • a study to build on previous research regarding hunter education course completion to identify the percentage of course graduates that purchase licenses and to determine the most effective marketing methods of motivating graduates to purchase a license

  • a follow-up study to further explore and understand established commercial business operators' knowledge of and attitudes toward human interactions with wild dolphins

  • a study to identify reasons for recent increases in hunting and fishing participation

Responsive Management, an internationally recognized public opinion and attitude survey research firm, has been helping natural resource, fish and wildlife, and outdoor recreation agencies and organizations better understand and work with their constituents, customers, and the public for more than 20 years. We use a variety of methodologies, including telephone, mail, and web surveys (where appropriate); focus groups; and numerous other techniques featured on the far right menu of this website. We maintain our own state-of-the-art, in-house telephone and mail interviewing facilities staffed by 50 professional, full-time interviewers. Click here to learn more about Responsive Management.

Download a brief overview of Responsive Management services.

RM Conducts:
Telephone Surveys
Mail Surveys
Focus Groups
Personal Interviews
Park/Outdoor Recreation Intercepts
Web-Based Surveys
Needs Assessments
Programmatic Evaluations
Literature Reviews
Data Collection for Universities and Researchers
RM Develops:
Marketing Plans
Communications Plans
Business Plans
Policy Analysis
Public Relations Plans
 130 Franklin Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22801  •  Phone (540) 432-1888  •  Fax (540) 432-1892  •  mark@responsivemanagement.com
Content © Responsive Management, unless otherwise noted.