Examining the Influence of Outdoor Recreation, Employment, and Demographic Variables on the Human-Nature Relationship

METHODS Study Population One hundred randomly selected individuals in each of three conservation gardening certification programs were mailed a four-page questionnaire, estimated to take 15 minutes to complete, composed of the four connection to nature indicators followed by sections pertaining to outdoor recreation interests, affiliation with the National Wildlife Federation Backyard Wildlife Program, age, gender, income, educational background, and employment status. The programs selected were the Conservation@Home program coordinated through Conserve Lake County, located in Grayslake, Illinois, the Backyard Habitat Certification program co-managed by the Columbia Land Trust, located in Vancouver, Washington, and the Audubon Society of Portland, located in Portland, Oregon, and the Certified Wildlife Habitat program, a partnership between the Delaware Nature Society, located in Hockessin, Delaware and the National Wildlife Federation. Analysis This paper presents the correlation results between the connection to nature indicators and outdoor recreation, employment status, and other demographic variables examined. RESULTS The response rate was 77% pooled across populations.