Gloria Blaise
Conservation policy assumes that an increase in people's exposure to green spaces can enhance their knowledge of the natural world and their interest in protecting them (Coldwell, 2017). The Hutchinson Memorial Forest (HMF) and the Rutgers Ecological Preserve (RUEP) are two managed forest areas in central New Jersey. While HMF is only accessible by certain individuals and during scheduled tours, the RUEP is open to the public. Gloria's project attempts to answer whether or not forest usage and visitation has an influence on people’s perceptions of natural sites and their knowledge of local biodiversity with the use of quantitative research methods.