Influence of place attachment and trust on civic action: A study at Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge

Natural resource management agencies now favor collaborative efforts that include the public in decisions and actions. The collaborative management model, however, faces serious challenges in the form of declining citizen involvement in community affairs and declining levels of trust in individuals and institutions. We examined how place attachment, the functional and emotional ties that connect people to places, and trust influence civic action levels ( donations of time, efforts, and resources) at Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge. Findings indicate that individual trust partially mediates the relationship between emotional place attachment and civic action. Results suggest managers can increase civic action levels by recognizing the importance of place attachment and by encouraging the development of individual trust. By monitoring place attachment and trust levels, managers can better direct civic action programs for the benefit of the natural landscape, community, and agency.