[Coral-List] Human Dimensions Program Website and Mailing List

[Christopher Hawkins]

Hello all:
   
  We are pleased to announce the new website and mailing list for the Human Dimensions of Marine and Coastal Ecosystems Program at University of Massachusetts Amherst.
   
  Please note that the last link "Human Dimensions of Natural Resources” is under construction.  We will most likely be using this space to discuss the various theories and research frameworks our program operates from.
   
  Our program is based around the concept that marine and coastal management and protection programs are enabled, valued, and ultimately benefit the social system, and as such, scientific information about people’s attitudes, preferences, values, motives, beliefs, use patterns, acceptability of various suites of management alternatives, and willingness to pay is important to managers.
   
  While we do collaborate with environmental economists from other universities when projects call for this information, our program does not have a strong focus on socio-economics.  We primarily employ existing bodies of research and research concepts from social psychology, psychology, natural resource-based recreation, geography, and sociology to understand, among other things, the acceptability of possible management actions, the effects of current management structures, the interplay between specialization, demographics, and management support, as well as effective education/outreach communication tools.  Much of the work we do has a long and rich history within, especially, the National Park Service and the US Forest Service, and is now being applied to coastal and marine management.  
   
  We invite you to peruse our website at www.umass.edu/hd and to subscribe to our mailing list by sending an email with "subscribe HDCOASTAL first name last name” in the body of the email.  If you have any trouble, send a message to Hawkins at forwild.umass.edu
   
  I will be moderating this list, but I will be out of town on a research trip from June 24-30.  So, I may be unable to process any subscriptions until I return.
   
  Please feel free to send along any questions or comments.
   
  Best,
  Chris
   
  ><));>  ><));>  ><));>  ><));>
   
  Christopher Hawkins, PhD student
  Human Dimensions Research Unit
  Marine and Coastal Ecosystems Program
  Department of Natural Resources Conservation
  314 Holdsworth Hall
  University of Massachusetts
  Amherst, MA 01003
  413.545.3749
  hawkins at forwild.umass.edu
   
   

 		
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