H. Ken Cordell

Ethnic variation in environmental belief and behavior: An examination of the new ecological paradigm in a social psychological context

We use national-level data to test a modified version of Stern, Dietz, & Guagnano’s causal model of environmental belief and behavior. We focus mainly on ethnic variation in environmental belief, as measured by the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP), and ethnic variation for four environmental behaviors: environmental reading, household recycling, environmental group joining, and participation in nature-based outdoor recreation. Blacks and foreign-born Latinos were less likely than Whites to score higher on the NEP. Any behavioral differences between Whites and the respective minority groups were expected to diminish with the inclusion of the NEP as an intervening variable in the model between ethnicity and behavior. However, ethnic differences remained stable and strong even when environmental belief was added. Overall, Asian American and U.S.-born Latino environmentalism was most similar to Whites. African American concern and behavior was least similar to White environmentalism. Gender, age, and liberal political orientation were also consistent explicators for both environmental concern and behavior.

THE EFFECT OF RESPONDENT CHARACTERISTICS ON GENERAL ENVIRONMENTAL ATTITUDE-BEHAVIOR CORRESPONDENCE

Five different environmental attitude scales were regressed on an 11-item self-reported general environmental behavior index derived from a confirmatory factor analysis. Correlations between each of the 5 attitude scales and the behavioral index were computed and a Fishers Z-transformation was used to test for the effect of six respondent characteristics (gender, residence, education, income, age, and political orientation) on the attitude-behavior correlations. Although all of the five scales were significantly correlated with the behavioral index (p < .001), correlations for some attitude scales were highly affected by respondent characteristics. Of the 5 scales examined, the Environmental Concern (EC), New Environmental Paradigm (NEP), and Awareness of Consequences (AC) scales were associated most strongly with behavior, but the EC and NEP also were significantly affected by respondent characteristics. Implications for future studies and use of the scales are discussed.

Green migration into rural America: The new frontier of environmentalism?

This article proposes that shifts in rural population and economic growth patterns may help explain rising levels of support for environmental values in many rural areas. In particular, it assesses a model of green migration that assumes that domestic in-migration, with its impacts on the character and composition of rural communities, is one of the reasons environmental values may be gaining support in rural America. Results based on survey data obtained from two groups of rural residents of southern Appalachia lend support to the model. A majority of the in-migrants to the region came because of its environment, and protecting environmental values remained a high priority. In-migrants are a bit more knowledgeable about environmental issues, more concerned about the environment, place higher priority on environmental protection, and are more engaged in activities that promote environmental values than nonmigrants. Knowledge of the sociodemographic characteristics of both groups of rural residents is key to understanding how they differ on several indicators of environmentalism.

Attitudes toward wildlife species protection: Assessing moderating and mediating effects in the value‐attitude relationship

Abstract Framed in the cognitive hierarchy approach, we examine (1) the mediating effect of general environmental attitudes and (2) the moderating effect of factual wildlife knowledge on the relationship between values and specific wildlife attitudes (wildlife species protection). These relationships are assessed across four wildlife constituent groups: (1) consumptive users (anglers and hunters), (2) birders (a nonconsumptive user group), (3) non‐hunters, non‐anglers, and nonbirders (nonusers), and (4) combined consumptive and nonconsumptive users (anglers, hunters and birders). Twelve hundred and twenty residents of the Southern Appalachians completed a telephone survey during the summer of 1995. Overall, respondents demonstrated low knowledge but favorable attitudes regarding wildlife species protection. Results provided partial support for a cognitive hierarchy in which general attitudes mediate the relationship between values and specific attitudes, and the existence of knowledge as an external moder...

An Analysis of the Demand for and Value of Outdoor Recreation in the United States.

Demand equations for 37 outdoor recreational activities were estimated across a sample of U.S. counties using a multi-community, multi-site travel cost model. Results suggest that determinants of t...

Survey Response-Related Biases in Contingent Valuation: Concepts, Remedies, and Empirical Application to Valuing Aquatic Plant Management

Sample nonresponse and selection biases that may occur in survey research such as contingent valuation applications are discussed and tested. Correction mechanisms for these types of biases are demonstrated. Results indicate the importance of testing and correcting for unit and item nonresponse bias in contingent valuation survey data. When sample nonresponse and selection bias go uncorrected, welfare measures may be overestimated or underestimated contributing to potential errors in resource policy and management decisions. Copyright 2000, Oxford University Press.

Economic Impacts of Recreational Spending on Rural Areas: A Case Study

Researchers, planners, and policymakers are becoming increasingly interested in the rural economic development potentials of outdoor recreation. Empirical evidence evaluating this economic development potential, however, is almost nonexistent. In this article, results of a study that examined local economic effects of spending associated with outdoor recreation in selected rural areas are reported. Recreational expenditures were collected as part of the Public Area Recreation Visitors Study (PARVS). Economic impacts of these expenditures were estimated using regional input-output models developed from the USDA Forest Service input-output model and data base system (IMPLAN). Results indicated that recreational spending contributed substantially to gross output, income, employment, and value added in the studied rural areas. These results suggest that outdoor recreation may be a viable rural economic development strategy.

Comparison of recreation use values among alternative reservoir water level management scenarios.

Throughout the United States, reservoirs are managed for multiple uses, including hydropower, stream flow regulation, flood control, and recreation. Water level drawdowns for hydropower, stream flow regulation, and flood control often reduce the suitability of reservoirs for water-based recreation. The gain in aggregate economic use value of outdoor recreation under three alternative water level management scenarios was measured for four reservoirs in western North Carolina as part of an interagency policy analysis. Use values were estimated using a contingent valuation survey and expert panel data. The basic question addressed by this study was whether the value recreational users place on higher water levels held longer into the summer and fall is significantly greater than the value of using these reservoirs as they were managed at the time of this study. Maintaining high water levels for longer periods during the summer and fall was found to result in considerable gains in estimated recreational benefits. While not a primary objective of this study, having these estimates provided us an opportunity to compare increased recreational benefits with the value the Tennessee Valley Authority estimated for the reduced production of electricity that would result if the lakes were managed to hold reservoir levels higher, longer into the year.

A methodology for assessing national outdoor recreation demand and supply trends.

Abstract The purpose of this article is to present the model and method developed for the aggregate, national outdoor recreation and wilderness demand and supply assessment required by the Renewable Resources Planning Act (RPA) of 1974. RPA requires aggregate analysis of current and possible future equilibria that could result from different demand and supply futures. Price change was used as the principle indicator of changes in demand relative to changes in supply for individual recreation activities. Demand functions and reduced‐form consumption functions were estimated for 38 activities, 10 of which are presented here. This approach provided prediction models, indices of future consumption and price trends, and average community demand under various supply conditions. The underlying model is based on household production theory viewed as an appropriate basis for aggregate economic analysis. Adjusted R2s for the demand and consumption models ranged between 0.32 and 0.71. Predicted consumption and price...

United States of America: outdoor recreation.

the first nationwide survey of outdoor recreation in the USA was conducted in 1960 for the outdoor recreation resources review commission (ORRC, 1962; Cordell et al., 1996). since that time, seven additional national surveys have been conducted, in 1965, 1970, 1972, 1977, 1983, 1995, and 2000/01 - summary details are presented in Table 16.1.