National Survey of Wildlife Viewers: Understanding Wildlife Viewers across the Urban-Rural Gradient

Wildlife viewing is one of the fastest growing outdoor recreation activities in the United States. Wildlife viewers are those who intentionally observe, feed, or photograph wildlife; travel to parks, protected areas, or other natural spaces with the purpose of feeding, observing, or photographing wildlife; and those who maintain plantings or natural areas for the benefit of wildlife. Research has shown that the majority of wildlife viewers live in urban areas. This presents a challenge for fish and wildlife agencies, which have traditionally served hunting and fishing constituents and focused on rural areas. To better understand urban wildlife viewers, the Dayer Lab at Virginia Tech, in collaboration with state agency wildlife viewing staff, analyzed the results of the 2021 National and Regional Survey of Wildlife Viewers to explore how wildlife viewing behavior changes across an urban-rural gradient. This study fills a knowledge gap on this growing constituency of outdoor recreationists, and aims to increase the relevancy of agencies and their ability to engage and serve all people who want to connect with wildlife.

This report utilizes information on the population density and built up area to calculate a metric of the degree of urbanization of where wildlife viewers live. This metric is then compared with wildlife viewers’ responses to the 2021 National and Regional Wildlife Viewer Survey in order to understand how wildlife viewing behaviors change across an urban-rural gradient. Specifically, this report examines: the ethnoracial identity and income of wildlife viewers, where they view wildlife, what types of wildlife viewing they participate in, their wildlife viewing skill level, barriers to their participation in wildlife viewing, relationships with their state agencies, and their communication preferences. This report also includes a case study on the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, exploring how access to and awareness about trail sites varies based on degree of urbanization.

The report concludes with ten key recommendations for state agencies to increase engagement with urban wildlife viewers. Researchers at Virginia Tech co-developed these recommendations based on insights from the 2024 Wildlife Viewer and Nature Tourism Academy, discussions with wildlife viewing staff from multiple state fish and wildlife agencies, and results of this study.

The recommendations are:

1. Focus on urban areas to reach more wildlife viewers from ethnoracial minorities
2. Create programming around activities that urbanites prefer
3. Tailor programming in public spaces to urban wildlife viewers
4. Offer diverse programming for urban wildlife viewers of all expertise levels
5. Reach urban wildlife viewers by creating programming in urban areas, especially parks
6. Utilize more virtual and social media communication methods to share information with urban wildlife viewers
7. Use the ParkServe Tool to identify priority locations for expanding access to nature in cities
8. Expand access and outreach for low income and BIPOC wildlife viewers
9. Expand state agency capacity in urban areas through partnerships
10. Build leadership support for urban wildlife viewers

This project was funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Multistate Conservation Grant Program (grant # F23AP00442-00), which is jointly managed by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the Service’s Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program. For more information, please contact Kelley Langhans (langhans@vt.edu), Dr. Willandia Chaves (wchaves@vt.edu), and Dr. Ashley Dayer (dayer@vt.edu).