TESTING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS RELATED TO WOLVERINE REINTRODUCTION IN COLORADO

Abstract

Mobilizing collective action is essential for successful wildlife restoration, yet designing effective outreach that meaningfully shifts behavioral intentions remains a key challenge for conservation practitioners. Theory driven educational strategies offer promise for influencing behavioral intentions are underexplored in real-world settings. In summer of 2025, the Center for Human-Carnivore Coexistence at Colorado State University, in partnership with Defenders of Wildlife and CSU Extension, led the implementation of a statewide education campaign focused on wolverine (Gulo gulo) reintroduction in Colorado, designed to improve public knowledge, support, and collective action intentions The education campaign delivered accurate evidence-based scientific information about wolverine ecology and their reintroduction while testing the efficacy of different educational approaches for improving learning outcomes. To do so we implemented a 2X2 factorial experimental design comparing the traditional science communication approach, or rational actor model (“control”), to a theory driven treatment combining the Constructivist Learning Model and emotional appeals using anthropomorphism (“treatment”), delivered in both in-person and virtual formats. Participants completed pre- and post-event surveys to explore changes in their knowledge about wolverines and their reintroduction as well as their support for reintroduction and collective action. Overall, participants in both the control and treatment conditions demonstrated greater knowledge compared to before, though we did not see intervention effects on collective action intentions, likely reflecting ceiling effects among an already supportive audience.