Framing Wildlife Conservation: Exploring Political Bias in States' Wildlife Action Plans

Authors

Ciara Nelson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

First Advisor

Dr. Pattrick Bitterman

Second Advisor

Scott Kurz

Date of this Version

Spring 5-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Citation

Environmental Studies Undergraduate Student Thesis, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2024

Abstract

Climate change affects regions of the United States differently due to factors such as the country's diverse physical landscapes, political environments, and population distributions. This variation leads to varying impacts on humans, wildlife, and ecosystems, with anthropogenic climate change—acknowledging humans as a significant contributor—being a point of contention, especially among some prominent politicians. The relationship between political party affiliation and climate change acknowledgment is evident, with recent political discourse highlighting differing views on the severity of climate change. This political framing influences how environmental policies are perceived and accepted, with the choice of language and framing playing a crucial role in policy adoption. Despite political differences, legislation addressing wildlife extinction and habitat degradation has been passed and adopted by both parties. (wildlife Action Plans (WAPs), falling under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and receiving funding from both sides of Congress and the White House, have been adopted by all 50 states, showcasing bipartisan support for conservation efforts. This study focuses on WAPs in four states—South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Colorado—and analyzes their effectiveness in addressing climate change through a conservation framework aimed at preserving natural ecosystems. These states exhibit both similar and contrasting physical geographies and have a range of political affiliations at the state and federal levels. The analysis compares WAPs to the Sustainable Development Goal Number 15 (SDG 15). The study also uses a content analysis of WAP proposals from the mentioned states, by categorizing frequent words into framing themes such as environmental effects, economic development, conflict/strategy, community balance, and technical/policy background and uncertainty. Overall, the absence of specific party-related terms in these plans raises questions about their practicality, even though the results indicate a general acceptance of climate change's environmental impacts. This study highlights the complexity of addressing climate change through conservation policies, influenced by political dynamics, framing strategies, and the practical implementation of conservation efforts at state and federal levels.