Community Characteristics and Views about Coupled Social and Ecological Systems

1. Community Characteristics and Views about Coupled Social and Ecological Systems Dr. Tom Safford University of New Hampshire AK EPSCoR -Living on Earth II February 19, 2011

2. Community and the Environment in Rural America (CERA) Project • Team of natural and social scientists affiliated with UNH’s Carsey Institute • Investigating 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 Alaska • Funded by the Ford and Kellogg Foundations, USDA – Rural Development Program

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

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

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

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

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

8. “Which of the following three statements do you personally believe?” “Climate change is happening now, caused mainly by human activities.”“Climate change is happening now, but caused mainly by natural forces.”“Climate change is not happening now.”

9. “Which of the following three statements do you personally believe?” “Climate change is happening now, caused mainly by human activities.”“Climate change is happening now, but caused mainly by natural forces.”“Climate change is not happening now.”

10. “Which of the following two statements do you think is more accurate?”1)“Most scientists agree that climate change is happening now, caused mainly by human activities.”2)“There is little agreement among scientists whether climate change is happening now, caused mainly by human activities.”

11. “Which of the following two statements do you think is more accurate?”1)“Most scientists agree that climate change is happening now, caused mainly by human activities.”2)“There is little agreement among scientists whether climate change is happening now, caused mainly by human activities.”

12. Washington County Hancock County

13. Downeast ME: Social position, place, and partisanship effects on seven environmental issues. Significant coefficients (with standard errors) from weighted logit or ordered-logit regressions

14. On Going Research • Examine inter-relationships between place effects and individual characteristics • Investigate 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

15. www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/CERA

16. Southeast Alaska Module

17. Southeast Alaska Module