| dc.description.abstract | The past quarter-century’s fiscal constraints have led natural resource management agencies (e.g., U.S. Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management) to be increasingly dependent upon volunteer work as a critical resource. However, only a few studies have investigated volunteers’ unique psychology (e.g., their motivation, satisfaction, and commitment) within the context of environmental volunteering.
The purpose of this research was to develop a comprehensive model to examine the effects of volunteers’ motivation, satisfaction, and generativity on volunteer commitment in a natural resource-based volunteering context. Furthermore, this work examined if environmental volunteers with various socio-demographic characteristics experienced volunteering differently from one another. Specifically, this investigation was premised on two main research questions: Research Question 1: Can the commitment of those volunteering for natural resource management agencies be attributed to their motivation, satisfaction, and generativity? Research Question 2: Do people with various socio-demographic characteristics (e.g., age, gender, education level, and employment status) experience volunteering for natural resource management agencies differently from one another? This study conducted an online survey on individuals who volunteered for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). A Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) procedure using a two-step approach in Linear Structural Relations (8.8 version) was used to address Research Question 1. A bivariate analysis (e.g., a one-way ANOVA test and an independent t-test) was used to address Research Question 2. T
his study offered a view of attributes of environmental volunteers. Moreover, it uncovered the dynamic nature of the psychology of volunteerism: volunteers’ motivation, satisfaction, and commitment positively impact their level of dedication. Additionally, volunteers tend to experience their volunteering for natural resource management agencies differently, depending on their various socio-demographic characteristics. The study contributes to natural resource management agencies in understanding the various factors that may help them recruit, satisfy, and maintain environmental volunteers. | en |
