Characterization of Public and Stakeholder Objectives in Environmental Management: New Hampshire’s Lamprey River

Abstract

Management plans for natural resources can be viewed as policy instruments that deliver multiattribute goods held in the public domain, requiring input from experts, stakeholders, and citizens. This research adds a key dimension to the state of New Hampshire’s Lamprey River Instream Flow Study. Using a series of quantitative and qualitative research methods, the values and objectives of stakeholders and the general public were analyzed regarding management of the river. Findings show that respondents are most concerned with the ecological integrity of the river above all other attributes elicited from the stakeholders (e.g., water-withdrawal amount, recreation days, and number of community business users).