Enhancing wildlife agency effectiveness through Internet communications

Increasing stakeholder interest in environmental issues has resulted in more people questioning traditional wildlife management practices. Although communication with stakeholders is recognized as important, forecasting and incorporating public values into wildlife programs continues to be difficult. To address this need, I developed a Web-based news and information network (Wildlife Management Interactive—www.wminteractive.org). The network was designed according to informational needs identified by wildlife agency administrators through a needs assessment survey and focus groups. The design of the network allows wildlife professionals to easily access information that can help them prepare for challenges to their practices, including past situations and trends, as well as analyses of certain issues. My research found that capitalizing on established criteria for the adoption of innovations was essential in increasing site usage. Overall evaluations demonstrated that Wildlife Management Interactive can be a successful tool in assisting wildlife agencies in better managing stakeholder concerns.