Forest visitation, media consumption, and diverse publics: lessons for outreach

Abstract

In spite of a continuingly diverse public, particularly in urban areas, the majority of forest visitors are White. Researchers have offered up a number of factors that reflect differing motivations and constraints to national forest recreation among individuals from a variety of racial backgrounds. Some of these constraints may be addressed through improved communication with diverse publics, best understood through a needs analysis. This paper presents findings from a needs analysis conducted among residents of Los Angeles County. Individuals identified as Asian, African American, Latino, or White participated in a telephone survey. Findings reveal differential use of media among respondents, including significant differences in the number of hours per week that respondents watched television and listened to the radio. However, no differences in the hours spent reading magazines or newspapers were revealed. Aside from the differences in media types, specific outlets respondents reported also differed, as demonstrated by radio station programs listened to and newspapers read. A strong pattern of ethnic media use was indicated among Latino and African American respondents. Findings suggest that ethnic media may be one form of contact to focus on for communicating with diverse publics. The use of print media and getting the word out through community contacts is also recommended. Although the Internet was mentioned as a trusted source of information for respondents, differential access and familiarity of use, as well as the possible geographic specificity of Internet reliance, suggests caution. Our findings on media usage, including preferences for ethnic media, may be generalizable across recreation venues outside of the Los Angeles Basin and national forest lands, providing assistance for program managers interested in outreach to diverse publics.

Parent Publication

• Recreation visitor research: studies of diversity

Citation

Crano, William; Quist, Ryan; Winter, Patricia L. 2008. Forest visitation, media consumption, and diverse publics: lessons for outreach. In: Chavez, Deborah J.; Winter, Patricia L.; Absher, James D., eds. Recreation visitor research: studies of diversity. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-210. Albany, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station. 177-194. Chapter 15.