Water-based Recreation and Water Quality Perception and Concern Among Utahns
Location
USU Eccles Conference Center
Event Website
http://water.usu.edu
Start Date
4-5-2016 11:30 AM
End Date
4-5-2016 11:45 AM
Description
The potential relationship between participation in outdoor recreation and environmental concern has been a focus of many environmental and natural resource sociologists. Since the mid-1970’s, there has been a robust debate about whether participation in outdoor recreation is systematically linked to people’s attitudes and concerns toward the natural environment (and vice versa). Using data from a large public survey of Utah adults, we narrow the scope a bit and explore the ways in which participation in four types of water-based recreation are associated with perceptions of and concern about water quality in the state. We find that participation in outdoor recreation is associated with more positive perceptions of the quality of different types of water bodies (nearby mountain rivers and lakes, downstream streams and rivers, and drinking water supplies). However, the impact of recreation on concern about poor water quality differs based on type of recreation activity. Boaters are somewhat less concerned while hikers are more concerned about the quality of Utah’s water resources. Fishing is found to be positively associated with water quality concern. These relationships remain significant even after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics of respondents.
Water-based Recreation and Water Quality Perception and Concern Among Utahns
USU Eccles Conference Center
The potential relationship between participation in outdoor recreation and environmental concern has been a focus of many environmental and natural resource sociologists. Since the mid-1970’s, there has been a robust debate about whether participation in outdoor recreation is systematically linked to people’s attitudes and concerns toward the natural environment (and vice versa). Using data from a large public survey of Utah adults, we narrow the scope a bit and explore the ways in which participation in four types of water-based recreation are associated with perceptions of and concern about water quality in the state. We find that participation in outdoor recreation is associated with more positive perceptions of the quality of different types of water bodies (nearby mountain rivers and lakes, downstream streams and rivers, and drinking water supplies). However, the impact of recreation on concern about poor water quality differs based on type of recreation activity. Boaters are somewhat less concerned while hikers are more concerned about the quality of Utah’s water resources. Fishing is found to be positively associated with water quality concern. These relationships remain significant even after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics of respondents.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/runoff/2016/2016Abstracts/4
Comments
An oral presentation by Matthew Barnett, who is with Utah State University, Sociology, Social Work & Anthropology