| As the nation's largest federal provider of outdoor recreation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) manages 12 million acres of lands and waters at Corps water resource development projects across the country (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2011). Despite this fact, the Corps is not well known for the recreation program it provides or the conservation values it shares with some of the other large federal land agencies in the U.S. The Corps' Interpretive Services and Outreach Program (ISOP) has the potential to be a large and successful component within the agency; however, this program has received little research attention. This study is the first thorough analysis of the Corps ISOP program since its inception 20 years ago.;The results showed that Corps interpreters are passionate about the ISOP program. Even within the constraints of the recent fiscal environment and budget cuts, those who developed the program, and the interpreters who use the program, believe it adds value to their facilities. They also contend that it is underutilized. Program developers frequently commented that the lack of management support at all levels prevented the program from achieving the same level of success as other Corps programs. In contrast, the water safety program of the Corps was frequently identified as a success. Participants believed that the water safety program had been singled out for priority attention, and thus had received support from the highest levels in the organization.;This study suggested that the level of participation in and emphasis on interpretation, the perceived level of management support for the ISOP program, and the perceived benefits to the project from ISOP were factors that influenced perceptions of ISOP program effectiveness. As these factors increased perceived effectiveness also increased. The most significant factors influencing perceived effectiveness of the Corps water safety program were the extent to which the participant perceives that the water safety program benefits their project, and the extent to which he or she perceived that the fourth ISOP Goal, was effective at supporting the water safety program.;Study results and associated recommendations have the potential to positively impact not just the ISOP program, but the entire agency. The recommendations from this study were to: (1) invest in and further develop the excellence that exists already within the interpretive community of the Corps, (2) improve relationships with both internal and external audiences, repairing broken public trust as necessary, (3) expand the Corps' interpretive vision to encompass all the goals of the ISOP program, (4) identify and incorporate efficiencies into ISOP program implementation, and (5) inspire continued success in the Water Safety program through creative solutions instead of unfunded mandates.;The purpose of this two-phase sequential mixed methods study was to explore employee perspectives toward the Corps' ISOP, gaining insight into what makes the program what it is today. Using phone interviews (N=19) for ISOP program developers and leaders, and a written questionnaire (N=230) of front-line and supervisory rangers, the study also compiled data to explore the experiences, perceptions, and motivations of those who currently utilize the program. The study examined the factors that influence the effectiveness of the ISOP program as well as the Corps' Water Safety Program -- a component within the ISOP program. |
