Thanks to a partnership between the West Virginia University Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, University researchers are learning more about how visitors are engaging with local ecosystems – and how that understanding might be applied in West Virginia and beyond.
Robert Burns, a professor and researcher at the Davis College, is using his expertise to investigate the positive local impact of national marine sanctuaries and other “ecosystem services.”
In West Virginia, these kinds of experiences can range from things like whitewater rafting, hiking, historical landmarks or even scenic overlooks like West Virginia Tourism’s Almost Heaven swings. But on the Hawaiian coast, whale watching can be another form of ecosystem service, which Burns says will be the focus of his next project in 2026.
“Worldwide, people spend millions of dollars looking at whales, doing whale watching and having wildlife viewing experiences,” Burns said. “We want to understand people’s perception of these things and how they value our natural resources.”
As the world continues to change, so does the way people engage with wilderness areas, like national parks or marine sanctuaries. Whether these shifts are caused by climate change or natural causes, understanding these differences is important to maintaining a fun visitor experience.
“We know where the whales are supposed to be at certain times, and we know that some of that is changing because of the changing climate,” Burns said. “Regardless of the cause, the whales are changing their patterns, so that's one of the challenges that we have right now is making sure that when somebody spends thousands of dollars to go to Hawaii to watch whales, they actually get to see whales or other wildlife.”
To get a clearer picture of whale behavior in the area, Burns will be traveling to the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, a breeding ground for whales during the winter. Some data collection will also be carried out in the Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary, which officially became the country’s 18th national marine sanctuary in March 2025.
While planning for the project is still underway, it’s far from the first time the University has helped inform the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation about how to improve its visitor experience. Over the past eight years, data collected by the Davis College has provided deeper insights at 10 different national marine sanctuaries, answering questions like how coral bleaching in the Florida Keys affects visitor behavior or how ocean recreation in Gray’s Reef contributes jobs and income to the surrounding area.
“What we do is we look at all of the natural resources, and we try to understand what contributions those different activities have on a community, and it's really something that can be replicated in the state of West Virginia,” Burns said.
By improving our understanding of how residents and visitors engage with West Virginia’s natural resources, these amenities can be made more user-friendly and help set the state apart from the rest of the region.
In fact, this approach is already being used in programs like ASCEND WV, which promotes the state’s outdoor recreation to remote workers around the United States who are looking for new adventures.
“If you think about the amazing natural resources we have, what are they contributing to our communities? Well, we know from research that it's the amenities that make people move to different places,” Burns said.
The $150,000 grant will be used on stipends for graduate students helping with research and hiring additional students to assist with the community engagement process.
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation grant was made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.
The Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources envisions a West Virginia with healthy food, resilient natural resources, and thriving communities. To learn more about the Davis College, visit davis.wvu.edu. Keep up with the latest updates and news on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube by following @WVUDavis.
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sg/01/09/26
CONTACT: Sam Gorski
Content Strategist
WVU Division for Land-Grant Engagement
sbg0004@mail.wvu.edu