The main objective of this study was to establish a universally functional evaluation process for environmental education (EE) materials that can increase appropriate educational program application and resultant efficacy among users of all skill levels and disciplines, specifically those wildlife-related. Additionally, this research investigated capability of an EE program to alter preconceived high school student attitudes and knowledge toward urban white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) across varying demographics. I evaluated systematically a pre-produced urban wildlife classroom program, Living with White-tailed Deer (LWWTD), and measured student understanding of associated deer issues pre- and post-program. Using a detailed framework based upon the Guidelines for Excellence outlined by North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), I created an instrument to identify EE programs indicative of high merit. During the 2007-2009 school years, trained classroom educators (n = 72) from 13 states were recruited to participate with their students (n = 1,274) in the 3-5 day LWWTD program and asked to critically assess it using my evaluation instrument. Teachers also administered attitude and knowledge assessments to their students. Teacher opinion toward the program was found to be highly favorable ( = 3.4/4) and was confirmed by significant increases in student knowledge before and after the program (P < .001). Regional differences in teacher response were found, but did not affect student performance. Teachers indicated that the Guidelines for Excellence are a meaningful tool in developing evaluative measures. Weak program components such as applicability to differing cultures were isolated using the evaluation instrument while strong components such as instructional soundness were highlighted. Pre- and postprogram student responses were correlated to demographic variables and differed significantly among races, gender, and urban or rural residency. Student experiences revealed also differences in attitude and knowledge of varying constructs relating to urban deer issues. An increase in knowledge following the LWWTD program was found across all demographic and experience variables suggesting high effectiveness regarding learning. Student attitudes following the LWWTD program showed an increased acceptability of lethal deer management techniques regardless of demographics, experience, or pre-program beliefs. These results suggest that effective EE can transcend predetermined beliefs.

Biodiversity loss is one of the major environmental threats facing the planet. Incentive-based conservation is one means to reduce human pressure on wildlife by providing economic incentives for resource-dependent people to protect the environment. Marine wildlife tourism is one of the fastest growing tourism sectors globally and is viewed as an important incentive-based approach for achieving marine conservation goals. However, few studies have linked participation in the provisioning of marine wildlife tourism activities with positive social and ecological conservation outcomes. The goal of this dissertation is to provide greater understanding of the conservation value of marine wildlife tourism using whale shark tourism as a case study with a main focus on social conservation outcomes amongst tourism providers. Positive changes in perceptions, attitudes and values towards target species and their environments can be an important element of incentive-based conservation. The study has the following objectives: (1) to assess the status of the global whale shark tourism industry, including types (e.g., captive, non-captive), real and potential impacts, conservation value and management challenges and best practices; (2) to examine the ethics of provisioning whale sharks in Oslob, Philippines, the largest, non-captive viewing site in the world; (3) to determine if working in ecotourism changed the attitudes and behaviours of locals towards whale sharks and the ocean, and if tourism type affects those outcomes; (4) to assess the marine wildlife value orientations of locals working in whale shark tourism to achieve greater understanding of the factors influencing their conservation attitudes and behaviours; (5) to explore the potential long-term impacts of poorly conceived incentive-based conservation projects on social and ecological conservation outcomes; and (6) to re-examine and update the conceptual and theoretical background for wildlife tourism in light of the findings of this study. Methods include a comprehensive literature review, tourist surveys, social media content analysis, and interviews with locals working in whale shark tourism at four sites in the Philippines. Results suggest that marine wildlife tourism can play an important role in changing locals’ attitudes and behaviours towards the focal species and habitat; however, smaller-scale, more established sites had greater conservation value than the mass tourism or failed sites suggesting that small-scale, community-based ecotourism is the best approach to meeting conservation goals of marine wildlife tourism. Yet, few tourism sites meet these standards. Global standards are needed to ensure whale shark tourism activities meet desired conservation goals. Such standards should include management requirements (e.g., licensing, mandatory education program) and interaction guidelines (e.g. minimum viewing distances, limits on the number of swimmers/boats, etc.). The findings also emphasise that economics should not be the only or primary metric used to measure conservation success; rather, the focus should be on assessing a more comprehensive range of social and ecological conservation outcomes of these activities. / Graduate / 2020-04-16