Community Engagement: An Appreciative Inquiry Case Study with Theodore Roosevelt National Park Gateway Communities
Abstract
:1. Introduction
- Understand the role of Theodore Roosevelt National Park related to stimulating regional tourism;
- Ascertain gateway communities’ perceptions of benefits from tourism as it relates to economic development and quality of life; and
- Explore nearby communities’ relationships with the park and how those communities may help influence quality visitor experiences, advance park goals, and develop partnerships.
1.1. Study Setting
1.2. Gateway Communities
1.3. Appreciative Inquiry
2. Methods
- Initial Site Visit–Meeting with National Park Service (NPS) staff and visits to local communities (February 2017);
- Asset Mapping–Community assets documented in an extensive literature review. (Summer 2017);
- Appreciative Interviews and Surveys–Semi-structured interviews with key community members. Online surveys distributed via email and key contacts. (October 2017-April 2018);
- Mini-Appreciative Inquiry Sessions–Focus group held with each individual community. All community members invited. (Spring 2018);
- Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria Destination Evaluation–review of sustainability indicators (Fall 2018);
- Appreciative Inquiry Summit–Meeting open to community members in Medora, Dickinson, and Watford City, aimed at exploring opportunities for strengthening regional partnerships. (Spring 2019).
2.1. Data Collection: Community Resident Interviews and Surveys
2.2. Community Survey
2.3. Community Engagement In-Person Meetings
2.4. Data Analysis
- (a)
- Familiarization with data (supplemented by preliminary phone and online interviews)
- (b)
- Generate initial codes (identified by both researchers and participants)
- (c)
- Review themes
- (d)
- Define and name themes
- (e)
- Produce the report
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Limitations and Future Research
6. Concluding Insights
Author Contributions
Funding
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Focus Group Phase | Questions |
---|---|
1. DISCOVER | What tourism assets do you have in and around your community? |
What type of tourism is working in your community? | |
What kinds of activities do tourists undertake? Provide the best examples. | |
What have you done to improve your community’s livelihood through tourism? | |
What positive linkages exist now between tourism and the resources you have? | |
2. DREAM | Please close your eyes if you feel like it. How do you envision your community 25 years from now? |
Think about what “ideal tourism” means in your community for your children and grandchildren/for future generations. | |
3. DESIGN | Putting dreams into practice. What actions and strategies do you feel are needed to achieve these dreams? Where/what? How? |
4. DESTINY | We have achieved or learned about tourism and its potential contribution to your community. What comes next? |
How can the outcomes and what we have learned to be sustained? | |
How and where might these ideas be used in the future? |
Focus Group Phase | Emergent Theme Examples |
---|---|
1. DISCOVER | North and South Park Units, Maah Daah Hey Trail, natural beauty |
Family-based tourism | |
Museums, Pioneer Center, community centers and services | |
Participation in local food and cultural festivals | |
Outdoor recreation, bike trails, fishing, hiking, hunting, camping | |
2. DREAM | Continued family atmosphere through tourism |
More housing for family and employees, increased outdoor recreation amenities | |
3. DESIGN | Ongoing communication with park staff, increased leadership & education |
4. DESTINY | Increased public-private partnerships |
Cross-promotion and communication | |
Engaging residents with the parks to act as tourism ambassadors |
Study Goal | Emergent Theme | Data-driven Recommendation |
---|---|---|
Goal 1: Understand the role of Theodore Roosevelt National Park related to stimulating regional tourism | Communication: Enhanced understanding through regular, reoccurring face-to-face, and print communication. | Increased involvement in local government and stakeholder meetings and increased outreach across local media outlets. |
Recreation development: Programs and opportunities to promote year-round recreation in the park and local communities. | Develop year-round recreation amenities | |
Resource management: Improve resident understanding and input in park resource management. | Educational programs and outlets for community input regarding species management. | |
Strategic partnerships: Specific collaborative partnerships opportunities to facilitate shared goals. | Develop a ‘friends of the park’ email communication list or listserv | |
Goal 2: Ascertain gateway communities’ perceptions of benefits from tourism as it relates to economic development and quality of life | Access: Increased, year-round accessibility to and within the park. | Explore non-motorized access opportunities through specific partnerships. |
Community development: Infrastructure improvements to enhance citizen wellbeing and tourism opportunities. | Support community action groups for affordable housing, community safety, and resident retention. | |
Tourism management: Regional tourism that showcases local history and culture and alleviates negative impacts of tourism (e.g., traffic congestion). | Explore options for park shuttles and increased interpretation partnerships. | |
Park development: Enhanced infrastructure, year-round access, programming, and education. | Increased park ranger visibility and year-round amenities and programs. | |
Engage youth in communities and the park through partnerships, programming, and volunteerism. | Partner with local schools and explore a Youth Ranger program. | |
Goal 3: Explore nearby communities’ relationship with the park and how they may help influence quality visitor experiences, advance park goals, and leverage partnerships | Citizen engagement: Establish mutually beneficial partnerships through volunteerism. | Park volunteer days (themed) and Adopt-a-Spot programs. |
Community sense of place: Maintaining and developing the unique intangible characteristics unique to each community. | Volunteer opportunities for residents to promote their community sense-of-place. | |
Conservation: Conservation programs to protect open space, viewsheds, and dark skies. | Support educational programs and local ordinances. | |
Marketing: Individual and cross-promotional efforts to attract visitors to local communities, the park, and the region as a whole. | Support a regional outreach taskforce. |
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Joyner, L.; Lackey, N.Q.; Bricker, K.S. Community Engagement: An Appreciative Inquiry Case Study with Theodore Roosevelt National Park Gateway Communities. Sustainability 2019, 11, 7147. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11247147
Joyner L, Lackey NQ, Bricker KS. Community Engagement: An Appreciative Inquiry Case Study with Theodore Roosevelt National Park Gateway Communities. Sustainability. 2019; 11(24):7147. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11247147
Chicago/Turabian StyleJoyner, Leah, N. Qwynne Lackey, and Kelly S. Bricker. 2019. "Community Engagement: An Appreciative Inquiry Case Study with Theodore Roosevelt National Park Gateway Communities" Sustainability 11, no. 24: 7147. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11247147