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Emily J Wilkins, Ph.D.

Emily Wilkins is a social scientist conducting human dimensions research to help inform public land and outdoor recreation management. 

Emily Wilkins is a Research Social Scientist in the Social and Economic Analysis Branch (SEA) at the USGS Fort Collins Science Center. Broadly, she conducts human dimensions research to help inform public land and outdoor recreation management. Emily earned her Ph.D. at Utah State University in environment and society with a specialization in climate adaptation science. She also has a M.S. in forest resources from the University of Maine, and a B.S. in environmental science and policy from Drake University. She enjoys programming in R, working with geospatial data, and conducting survey research to help better understand visitors to public lands. Her past research has focused on how weather and climate change impact visitors, and how to use freely available online data (e.g., social media) to help inform park and protected area management. Emily’s current research involves working with the Bureau of Land Management to create a National Recreation Visitor Data Program, as well as building a Values Mapping for Planning in Regional Ecosystems data collection application.

Professional Experience

  • Research Social Scientist, USGS Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO (2021 – present)

  • Post-Doctoral Researcher, Utah State University, Logan, UT (2020 – 2021)

  • Presidential Doctoral Research Fellow, Utah State University, Logan, UT (2017 – 2020)

  • Contractor, contracted to USGS Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO (2016 – 2018)

  • Directorate Fellow, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Brooksville, MS (summer 2016)

  • Research Assistant, University of Maine, Orono, ME (2014 – 2016)

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D. in Environment and Society, Utah State University, 2020

  • M.S. in Forest Resources, University of Maine, 2016

  • B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy, Drake University, 2014

Science and Products

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A scientist hikes up to a glacier in Glacier National Park.

Social and Economic Analysis (SEA) Branch

The Social and Economic Analysis (SEA) branch is an interdisciplinary group of scientists whose primary functions are to conduct both theoretical and applied social science research, provide technical assistance, and offer training to support the development of skills in natural resource management activities.
By
Fort Collins Science Center
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Social and Economic Analysis (SEA) Branch

The Social and Economic Analysis (SEA) branch is an interdisciplinary group of scientists whose primary functions are to conduct both theoretical and applied social science research, provide technical assistance, and offer training to support the development of skills in natural resource management activities.
Learn More
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Person hiking on the Continental Divide Scenic Trail in Colorado

Bureau of Land Management Recreational Visitor Data Program Review

The Bureau of Land Management Recreation and Visitor Services Program regularly conducts recreational visitor satisfaction surveys. The USGS Social and Economic Analysis Branch is assessing the visitor survey effort and recommending updates to the current effort.
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Fort Collins Science Center
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Bureau of Land Management Recreational Visitor Data Program Review

The Bureau of Land Management Recreation and Visitor Services Program regularly conducts recreational visitor satisfaction surveys. The USGS Social and Economic Analysis Branch is assessing the visitor survey effort and recommending updates to the current effort.
Learn More
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Screenshot of mapping software that shows the multiple uses of public lands

Values Mapping for Planning in Regional Ecosystems (VaMPIRE)

As part of the Values Mapping for Planning in Regional Ecosystems project, also known as VaMPIRE, USGS scientists are developing a public participatory GIS application that aids in gathering information about visitors’ values for public lands and waters.
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Fort Collins Science Center
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Values Mapping for Planning in Regional Ecosystems (VaMPIRE)

As part of the Values Mapping for Planning in Regional Ecosystems project, also known as VaMPIRE, USGS scientists are developing a public participatory GIS application that aids in gathering information about visitors’ values for public lands and waters.
Learn More

Results of a U.S. General Public Survey to Inform the 2018 North American Waterfowl Management Plan Update (2017)

This contains data from 1,030 surveys returned in 2017 from across the United States. Data were collected via a mail-out survey stratified by the population of each state. Data collected include nature-related activity participation, attitudes and barriers to hunting and birdwatching, knowledge of others who hunt and birdwatch, preferred birds, involvement in conservation activities, preferences f
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Fort Collins Science Center

Support for management actions to protect night sky quality: Insights from visitors to state and national park units in the U.S.

Light pollution is a global phenomenon where anthropogenic light sources continue to grow unabated, affecting both social and ecological systems. This is leaving parks and protected areas as some of the last vestiges of naturally dark environments for protecting views of the night sky. Yet, even parks and protected areas have outdoor lighting. Alternative lighting practices are needed to reduce or
Authors
J. Adam Beeco, Emily Jean Wilkins, Anna B. Miller, Chase C. Lamborn, Sharolyn Anderson, Zachary D. Miller, Jordan W. Smith
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center

Visitation to national parks in California shows annual and seasonal change during extreme drought and wet years

This study examines the influence of drought indicators on recreational visitation patterns to National Park Service units in California (USA) from 1980 to 2019. We considered mountain, arid, and coastal park types across a climate gradient where seasonal recreational opportunities are directly or indirectly dependent on water resources. Significant departures from the normal hydroclimate, reflect
Authors
Jeffrey S. Jenkins, John T. Abatzoglou, Emily Jean Wilkins, Elizabeth E. Perry
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center

What is “big data” and how should we use it? The role of large datasets, secondary data, and associated analysis techniques in outdoor recreation research

With researchers increasingly interested in big data research, this conceptual paper describes how large datasets, secondary data, and associated analysis techniques can be used to understand outdoor recreation. Some types of large, secondary datasets that have been increasingly used in outdoor recreation research include social media, mobile device data, and trip reports or online reviews. First,
Authors
Dani T. Dagan, Emily Jean Wilkins
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center

Bureau of Reclamation: Visitor satisfaction survey instructions

The purpose of the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) Visitor Satisfaction Survey is to measure visitors’ opinions about BOR facilities, services, and recreational opportunities. This effort helps BOR meet requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) and other BOR and Department of the Interior (DOI) strategic planning efforts. This survey manual provides the detailed methods
Authors
Emily Jean Wilkins, Nicholas Cole, Rudy Schuster
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center

Rural-urban differences in hunting and birdwatching attitudes and participation

Outdoor recreation facilitates important connections to nature and wildlife but is perceived differently across population segments. As such, we expected that current and past socio-demographic characteristics of individuals would influence intention to participate in outdoor recreation. We solicited 5,000 U.S. residents. (n = 1,030, 23% response) to describe their perceptions of hunting and birdw
Authors
Emily J. Wilkins, Nicholas W. Cole, Holly M. Miller, Rudy Schuster, Ashley A. Dayer, Jennifer N. Duberstein, David C. Fulton, Howard W. Harshaw, Andrew H. Raedeke
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center

Communicating information on nature-related topics: Preferred information channels and trust in sources

How information is communicated influences the public’s environmental perceptions and behaviors. Information channels and sources both play an important role in the dissemination of information. Trust in a source is often used as a proxy for whether a particular piece of information is credible. To determine preferences for information channels and trust in various sources for information on natur
Authors
Emily J. Wilkins, Holly M. Miller, Elizabeth Tilak, Rudy Schuster
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center

Does proximity to wetlands matter? A landscape-level analysis of the influence of local wetlands on the public’s concern for ecosystem services and conservation involvement

The success of landscape-level conservation depends on public support and an understanding of public opinion. However, perceptions of wetlands’ importance may differ based on proximity to a wetland. This study used a mail-out survey across the entire U.S. (n=1,030) to investigate the public’s knowledge of local wetlands, visitation to wetlands, concern over losing ecosystem services provided by we
Authors
Emily J. Wilkins, Wilson Sinclair, Holly M. Miller, Rudy M. Shuster
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center

Public views of wetlands and waterfowl conservation in the United States—Results of a survey to inform the 2018 update of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan

Executive SummaryThis report provides information from a general public survey conducted in early 2017 to help inform the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) 2018 update. This report is intended for use by the NAWMP advisory committees and anyone interested in the human dimensions of wetlands and waterfowl management. A mail-out survey was sent to 5,000 addresses in the United States,
Authors
Emily J. Wilkins, Holly M. Miller
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center

Science and Products