Education:
- Ph.D., 1983. - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg.
Dissertation: An application of behavioral decision theory to recreation site selection.
- M.S., 1980. - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg.
Thesis: Technology transfer: lateral diffusion of innovation in forest recreation planning and management.
- B.S., 1978. - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg.
Background:
Alan's research interests focus on understanding and reporting about human aspects of wilderness use and values. Alan draws upon his education in ecological psychology, environmental psychology, social psychology, sociology, forestry, and natural resource management at Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University to study and describe human relationships with wilderness. Alan is the Research Social Scientist with the Leopold Institute and on the Executive Committee of the Bitterroot Ecosystem Management Research Project.
Research Interests:
- Model the effects of personal and social meanings on landscape level forest policy decisions
- Role of wilderness in larger social and ecological systems
- Conflicting personal and social meanings and values associated with wilderness
- Monitoring recreation use and experiential aspects of wilderness use
- Understanding personal relationships with place, wilderness and activity among nonconforming, contentious uses of wilderness
- Personal and societal response to recreation fees for wilderness use
- Segmenting the tourist community based upon commitment to protecting wilderness character
- The role of traditional ecological knowledge in wilderness protection
- The relationship between the public and public lands and contributors to trust
Professional Activities:
- Understanding personal relationships with place, wilderness and activity among nonconforming, contentious uses of wilderness
- Emotional and practical response to recreation fees at the Desolation Wilderness
- Segmenting Alaska tourists by commitment and involvement to wilderness
- Executive Editor for Science, International Journal of Wilderness
- Guest Editor, Journal of Leisure Research & Journal of Park and Recreation Administration (issues on conflict, fees and pricing)
- Editor/Compiler, Personal, societal, and ecological values of wilderness: Proceedings for Sixth & Seventh World Wilderness Congresses, Bangalore, India & Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
- Participation in Chief's Office, Forest Service, Science Team, Marketing Resource Group
- Guest Lecture Series, Rovaniemi Polytechnic, Rovaniemi, Finland
- Guest Lecture, University of Helsinki, American Studies Program, Finland
- Guest Lecture, University of Turku, American Studies Program, Finland
- Academic Advisory Committee, College of Forestry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Affiliate Faculty, University of Montana
Honors / Awards:
- Fulbright Lecture Award, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Finland
- Fulbright Senior Specialist Award, University of São Paulo, Brazil
- National Science Foundation Award, Searching for compatibility in traditional, ecological and ecotourism values of wilderness in the Circumpolar North.
Selected Publications:
To access recent publications by Alan Watson, please click here.
Watson, Alan E. 2001. Goal interference and social value differences: Understanding wilderness conflicts and implications for managing social density. In: Freimund, Wayne A.; Cole, David N., comps. 2001. Proceedings: Social density and wilderness experiences; 2000 June 1-3; Missoula, MT. Procedings RMRS-P-0. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station.
Watson, Alan E. 2000. Wilderness use in the year 2000: Societal changes that influence human relationships with wilderness. In: Cole, David N.; McCool, Stephen F.; Freimund, Wayne A.; O’Loughlin, Jennifer, comps. 2000. Wilderness science in a time of change conference - Volume 1: Changing perspectives and future directions; 1999 May 23-27; Missoula, MT. Proceedings RMRS-P-0-VOL-1. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, RMRS.
Watson, Alan E. 2000. Sustainable financing of wilderness protection: an experiment with fees in the U.S. International Journal of Wilderness, December.
Watson, Alan E. 1999. Guest Editor and summary article, Journal of Park and Recreation Administration Vol. 17, No. 3 (Recreation fees and pricing issues in the public sector) & Journal of Leisure Research Vol. 31, No. 3 (Societal response to recreation fees on public lands).
Watson, Alan; Asp, Charles; Walsh, James; Kulla, Andy. 1997. The contribution of research to managing conflict among national forest users. Trends. 34(3): 29-35.
Watson, Alan E.; Hendee, John C.; Zaglauer, Hans P. 1996. Human values and codes of behavior: changes in Oregon's Eagle Cap Wilderness visitors and their attitudes. Natural Areas Journal. 16(2): 89-93.
Watson, Alan E. 1995. An analysis of recent progress in recreation conflict research and perceptions of future challenges and opportunities. Leisure Sciences. 17(3): 235-238.
Watson, Alan E. 1995. Opportunities for solitude in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry. 12(1): 12-18.
Watson, Alan E.; Williams, Daniel R. 1995. Priorities for human experience research in wilderness. TRENDS/Wilderness Research. 32(1): 14-18.
Contact Information:
Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute
790 E. Beckwith, P.O. Box 8089
Missoula, MT 59807
Phone: 406-542-4197
Fax: 406-542-4196
E-mail: awatson@fs.fed.us
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