Assessment of Use and Benefits of Waterfowl Production Areas in Minnesota

Principal Investigators:
David C. Fulton, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and MN
Dorothy H. Anderson, Department of Forest Resources and CPSP, 612-624-2721

Project Personnel:
Samantha Hayes, Research Assistant, Forest Resources
Michelle Payton, Research Assistant, Forest Resources
Joanna Rosendahl, Research Assistant, Forest Resources
Jonathan Vlaming, Department of Forest Resources

Project Duration:
October 1999 – ongoing

Funding:
US Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 3

Summary:
Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs) are "prairie potholes" that provide habitat for waterfowl, migratory birds, and resident wildlife, as well as unique recreation opportunities for visitors. There are over 800 WPAs in Minnesota scattered within the five Wetland Management Districts (WMDs) of western Minnesota. WPAs are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Although information concerning public visitation and factors affecting public support of WPA management is essential to effective WPA management strategies, little is known about the level of public use on WPAs or the value and benefits of the WPAs to users. The purpose of this study is twofold, 1) to identify the types of benefits provided by WPAs and the value and importance of these benefits to the public, and 2) to develop a scientific methodology for accurately estimating the level of public use on small, dispersed recreation areas such as WPAs. The results of this study will aid the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and WMDs in ongoing planning, budgeting, and other related management decisions at WPAs.

In the fall of 1999, Visitor Registration Cards were distributed to WPA visitors via registration boxes posted at the WPAs, WPA visitor centers, and by placing cards on the windshields of visitor vehicles parked along predetermined driving routes that ran adjacent to WPAs. From the registration cards that were returned, selected households were sent an open-ended questionnaire and asked to identify activities in which they participate while at WPAs as well as benefits they gain from their visits.

The responses provided in the open-ended questionnaire were categorized through a qualitative analysis into benefit themes. These themes, along with WPA activities, visitor use patterns, and WPA management actions were used to develop itemized questions for a quantitative, close-ended questionnaire. A second sample of WPA visitors was contacted during fall 2000 and spring 2001 using the same methods as those described for the distribution of the open-ended questionnaire. The close-ended questionnaire was mailed in summer and fall 2001 to this second visitor sample.

The 454 responses to the close-ended questionnaire were analyzed and compiled. A report examined characteristics of the sample as a whole, characteristics of the sample from each WMD, and characteristics of respondents who participated in hunting-only activities compared to respondents who participated in hunting and other activities such as wildlife viewing, hiking, or sightseeing from a car to name a few. WPA Visitors are primarily white males with higher than average education levels. They are also more likely to live in rural communities than the general Minnesota population. Nearly all respondents participated in some type of hunting. Furthermore, four of the top five activities reported as being the most satisfying were related to hunting, with the exception being wildlife viewing/birdwatching. Hunters who also participated in non-hunting activities at WPAs attained more benefits, felt a stronger attachment to WPAs, and participated in more activities in effort to support WPAs (e.g. writing opinion letters to newspaper, attending public meetings). An implication of this is that managers should encourage those who hunt to visit WPAs for other reasons in addition to hunting. Additional efforts could be made to attract non-consumptive users such as birdwatchers or wildlife photographers. The agency should also consider the possibility of unintentional barriers to participation for underrepresented groups and the effect they may have on the social composition and climate at WPAs.

Estimating public use of WPAs is the second goal of this study. In the fall of 2002, several WPAs were randomly selected from each WMD. On selected weekends, a team of graduate students spent entire days (sunup to sundown) at each selected WPA and counted all visitor activity. Estimates of public visitation will be extrapolated from these visitor counts. Results and implications of the study were presented at the 9^th International Symposium on Society and Resource Management at Indiana University in June 2002 and at The Wildlife Society 9^th Annual Conference held in Bismarck, ND in September 2002. Study results will continue to be reported throughout 2003.