July 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 61

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Continued from page 15
as well as of feeling. Emotion can no
longer be (dis)regarded as a synonym
for irrationality " (Ingleton 1999:2). So
while it is easy to ignore emotional reactions because they are not " logical, "
research suggests those are precisely
the reactions we should consider.

planning and policy development, park
and recreation managers are in a unique
position to help people feel better about
wildlife, parks and themselves. That is a
mission any agency can feel good about.
For referenced resources, visit

www.parksandrecreation.org/2013/
July/More-than-a-Feeling.
Jonathan Hicks, M.S., is a Ph.D. candidate at
the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
and works with the Office of Recreation and
Park Resources (hicks5@illinois.edu).

Celebrating
Years

3

Use emotion to your advantage
Despite challenges associated with
wildlife management, park and recreation agencies are best equipped to
teach the public about green spaces
and the wildlife that resides there. In
addition to teaching them, we might
consider how we foster positive interactions with wildlife. Relationships with
animals are found to facilitate environmental clarity and epiphanies (Vining
and Merrick 2012). Such pro-environmental attitudes and behavior enhances
the perceived value of parks and green
spaces. Moreover, experiences with animals can increase positive emotions
that subsequently increase resiliency
among people who have experienced
stress, loss or trauma (Walsh 2009). In
other words, considering emotional responses to wildlife can be beneficial for
both the public and the agency.
Managing human-wildlife interactions is a complex matter. With changes
in land use, wildlife is behaving differently and people are reacting differently
to the animals' presence. Thus, the role
of managers is changing as well. For
public relations reasons, trapping and
removing wildlife may not be the best
option. Ultimately, though it may seem
like more effort, the best responses may
involve being as knowledgeable about
wildlife as possible and helping stakeholders to be equally well-educated.
Emotions are a big part of how people
make decisions and develop attitudes
toward wildlife, and that is more than
a feeling, it is a fact. Through careful

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Parks & Recreation

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July 2013 - Parks & Recreation

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