Campground Manager and User Perceptions of Risk Associated with Negative Human–Black Bear Interactions

Abstract

Negative human–black bear interactions in New York's Adirondack Park campgrounds pose risk management challenges. Communication is one tool available to modify human behavior and reduce associated risks, but knowledge of constructs influencing risk perception among key stakeholder groups is needed to design effective risk communication approaches. We interviewed managers (n = 14) and users (n = 40) at 7 Adirondack Park campgrounds to characterize risk perceptions between groups. We identified eight constructs influencing risk perceived by users and/or managers with three constructs congruent between groups, and five constructs divergent. We discuss how congruencies and shared understanding across groups, and explicit recognition by risk communicators of differences between groups, may offer opportunities to maximize successes of risk communication efforts in campgrounds.