MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Researchers at Virginia Tech have discovered that: 1 in 3 birdwatchers experience disability I decided to participate in bird watching.
Researchers Emily Sinckler and Ashley Dayer used a national survey of U.S. wildlife watchers to compare the challenges of bird watchers with disabilities and those without disabilities.
“I like to think of our research as a fusion of two fields that have not traditionally been connected: disability studies and wildlife recreation,” Shinkuler said. “There are many studies on disability and on bird watching, but there are very few researchers who have combined these two themes.”
Co-author Freya McGregor, researcher and Fish and Wildlife Conservation Serviceand Morgan Kearns and colleagues analyzed responses across different frames of reference to better understand how we talk and think about disability.
“We encourage agencies and organizations to consider ways to make their programs more accessible and how to train staff and volunteers to do so,” Deyer said. “It is essential to recognize that the responsibility for supporting the participation of disabled birdwatchers lies with society and institutions, not with disabled people themselves.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionOne in four Americans has a disability, and disability is expected to increase as the population ages.
A university spokesperson said there is further evidence that people with disabilities have been historically underserved in wildlife-related recreational activities, including bird watching.
“Researchers have found that birdwatchers with disabilities experience more constraints than other birdwatchers, including a lack of accessible features, safety concerns, and crowding at birdwatching sites. However, they also showed commonalities in their needs for support for recreational activities. Both disabled and non-disabled birders were more likely to have access to higher quality birding sites and to view wildlife. “They expressed interest in accessing information about where and when they can view wildlife. This suggests that strategies to improve wildlife viewing opportunities could benefit both groups.” a spokesperson said.
“This shows that agencies and organizations that make changes to better include birders with disabilities can actually benefit everyone,” Schinculer said. Ta.
Deyer said she hopes the piece sends a message of inclusion and hope.
“My message to neurodiverse people and people with disabilities is that you are not alone in experiencing a desire to access nature and facing additional challenges to do so,” Deyer said. Told. “And your challenges are getting more and more attention and being solved.”
