North Temperate Lakes LTER: Northern Wisconsin boater survey, 2010 - 2012

Understanding public perceptions of the importance of environmental issues is crucial for gauging support for management activities. This survey assess the importance boaters placed on 16 water issues in a lake-rich region of northern Wisconsin. Sociodemographic characteristics, recreation specialization, place attachment, and attitudes concerning aquatic stewardship and invasive species management were then used to predict class membership. While anglers were most concerned about fishing quality, sightseers identified lakeshore development and loss of natural habitat. Groups also differed in their socio-demographic and attitudinal characteristics. The priorities of each group were substantially different from those of the overall sample. Accounting for differences in stakeholders’ environmental concerns may improve public involvement in water management initiatives by allowing managers to identify common concerns and prioritize important issues among multiple groups.

理解公众对环境问题重要性的认知，对于评估管理活动的支持度至关重要。本调查评估了威斯康星州北部湖泊密集地区船民对16项水相关问题的重视程度。随后，研究人员利用社会人口统计学特征（sociodemographic characteristics）、休闲专业化（recreation specialization）、地方依恋（place attachment），以及对水生环境管理（aquatic stewardship）和入侵物种管理（invasive species management）的态度，来预测类别归属（class membership）。垂钓者最关注捕鱼质量，而观光者则更在意湖岸开发与自然栖息地丧失的问题。不同群体在社会人口统计学特征和态度特征上也存在差异。每个群体的优先事项与整体样本的优先事项存在显著差异。考虑到利益相关者在环境问题上的差异，管理者可以识别共同关注点并在多个群体中优先处理重要问题，从而提高公众对水资源管理举措的参与度。