Speaker: Mark Needham, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University

Topic: What does the public think about Oregon’s marine reserves? Changes over the last 10 years

This study examined changes over time in Oregon residents’ knowledge, attitudes, behavioral intentions, and other responses to this state’s marine reserves.  Baseline data were collected with mail surveys in 2013 from residents of the Oregon coast (n = 596) and in 2016 from residents of the I-5 corridor, which is the state’s most populated region (n = 530).  Comparative data were then collected with mail surveys most recently in 2021 from both of these populations (n = 1,038) to determine any changes in responses over time.  Factual knowledge about these marine reserves was measured with 11 true / false questions, and this knowledge was low with an average of fewer than 50% of these questions answered correctly across both populations and all years.  Knowledge did not change over time for coastal residents (2013 vs. 2021), but increased slightly for I-5 corridor residents (2016 vs. 2021).  On average, residents of both populations across all years expressed favorable or positive attitudes toward these marine reserves with this favorability increasing over time, especially among coastal residents.  Intentions were measured by asking respondents how they would vote if they were to be given an opportunity to vote for or against having marine reserves in Oregon.  More than two-thirds of residents across both populations and all years said they would vote in favor of these reserves.  For both populations, residents in 2021 were significantly more likely than those in 2013 and 2016 to say they would vote in favor of these reserves.  Changes over time in additional concepts, as well as implications of all these results for planning, management, and future research will be discussed.