Howie Harshaw, PhD

Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation - Academic Programs

Personal Website: https://www.hd-research.ca

Contact

Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation - Academic Programs
Email
harshaw@ualberta.ca
Address
2-130J University Hall
8840 114 St NW
Edmonton AB
T6G 2J9

Overview

Area of Study / Keywords

Outdoor Recreation Human Dimensions Conservation


About

I examine the human dimensions of natural resources. I am really curious about people's relationships with nature. I wonder about how we could provide more opportunities for people to have meaningful interactions in and with nature.

I integrate social science into the planning and management of natural resources, and have worked regularly in interdisciplinary teams to provide theoretically-based empirical research contributions to broader landscape-based projects examining conservation issues. Throughout the course of my research, I have worked with communities, municipal, provincial, state, and federal governments, and industry to better represent the views and attitudes of the public in policy and operational decisions. Working with these same groups, I have helped to raise the profile of outdoor recreation issues and concerns with regard to broader land-use planning initiatives and strategies.

I am currently involved with a number of groups/organizations, including:

  • UofA Sustainability Council Member & Associate Director for the Certificate in Sustainability.
  • UofA Research Ethics Board (2) reviewer.
  • North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) Human Dimensions Working Group.
  • Associate Editor, Journal of Outdoor Recreation & Tourism.
  • Associated Faculty, Department of Forest Resources Management, Faculty of Forestry, UBC.

I have earned degrees from these institutions:

  • Ph.D. – Forestry – University of British Columbia (2006).
  • H.B.O.R. – Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism – Lakehead University (1995).
  • B.A. – Geography – Lakehead University (1995).

Research

For many people, outdoor recreation provides one of the main opportunities to experience, interact with, and learn about natural landscapes. I believe that understanding this interface is important in addressing growing public concerns with, and expectations of, natural resource management.

I am interested in public outdoor recreation on Crown lands – outside of parks and protected areas, and my research framed in terms of sustainable resource management and natural resources conservation. As outdoor recreationists are not the sole users of natural landscapes, their needs and interests must be coordinated with other stakeholders. Outdoor recreation participation in Canada is ubiquitous; the satisfaction of outdoor recreationists ought, therefore, to be an important consideration among natural resource and land-use managers and planners.

Current Research

  • Wildlife Habitat Canada & Ducks Unlimited Canada (2024): Documenting Canadian Joint Venture human dimensions research to support wetland and waterfowl conservation: Knowledge mobilization and decision-making support. Awarded February, 2024.
  • SSHRC Partnership Development Grant (2023-2026): Is Conservation Always Ethical? The Socio-Cultural Dimensions of Woodland Caribou Conservation in Western Canada. Awarded March, 2023.
  • Prairie Habitat Joint Venture (2022 - 2027): Building human dimensions capacity in the Western Canadian Joint Ventures. Awarded June, 2022.

Courses

KIN 209 - Research Methods in Kinesiology

An overview of research in kinesiology with emphasis on practical application of research techniques and designs. Prerequisite: KIN 109 or 309, STAT 141 or 151. Note: Credit will be granted for only one of KIN 209 or 409, PEDS 209 or 409.


RLS 210 - Recreation and Leisure Scholarship

This course will examine systematic processes of recreation and leisure scholarship. Topics may include the nature of inquiry, paradigmatic questions, quantitative and qualitative methodologies, evaluation and applied research, and other topics as relevant to the areas of recreation and leisure. Prerequisite: RLS 100.


Browse more courses taught by Howie Harshaw

Featured Publications

Nicholas W. Cole, Emily J. Wilkins, Kaylin R. Clements, Rudy M. Schuster, Ashley A. Dayer, H.W. Harshaw, David C. Fulton, Jennifer N. Duberstein, Andrew H. Raedeke

Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism. 2024 March; 10.1016/j.jort.2023.100712


Katherine A. Sainsbury, Howard W. Harshaw, David C. Fulton, Nicholas W. Cole, Ashley A. Dayer, Jennie N. Duberstein, Andrew H. Raedeke, Rudy M. Schuster, Mark P. Vrtiska

Wetlands. 2024 March; 10.1007/s13157-023-01744-w


Matthew P. Gruntorad, Mark P. Vrtisksa, Christopher J. Chizinski, Jennifer N. Duberstein, David C. Fulton, Howard W. Harshaw, Andrew H. Raedeke, Jason Spaeth

Wildlife Society Bulletin. 2024 March; 10.1002/wsb.1505


Gabrielle Lajeunesse, Eric W. Smith, Howard W. Harshaw, Colleen Cassady St. Clair

Ecosphere. 2023 October; 10.1002/ecs2.4676


Connor J Rosenblatt, Ashley A Dayer, Jennifer N Duberstein, Tina B Phillips, Howard W Harshaw, David C Fulton, Nicholas W Cole, Andrew H Raedeke, Jonathan D Rutter, Christopher L Wood

Ornithological Applications. 2022 May; 10.1093/ornithapp/duac008


H. W. Harshaw, Nicholas W. Cole, Ashley A. Dayer, Jonathan D. Rutter, David C. Fulton, Andrew H. Raedeke, Rudy M. Schuster, Jennifer N. Duberstein

Human Dimensions of Wildlife. 2021 September; 10.1080/10871209.2020.1843741


Jonathan D. Rutter, Ashley A. Dayer, Howard W. Harshaw, Nicholas W. Cole, Jennifer N. Duberstein, David C. Fulton, Andrew H. Raedeke, Rudy M. Schuster

Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism. 2021 September; 10.1016/j.jort.2021.100400


Gui, J., Harshaw, H.W., Walker, G.J., and Lui, H.

Leisure Sciences. 2020 January; 45 (4):368-387 10.1080/01490400.2020.1836535


Journal of Ecotourism. 2020 January; 10.1080/14724049.2019.1621881


Sociology of Development. 2020 January; 10.1525/sod.2020.6.3.338


Emily J. Wilkins, Nicholas W. Cole, Holly M. Miller, Rudy M. Schuster, Ashley A. Dayer, Jennifer N. Duberstein, David C. Fulton, Howard. W. Harshaw, Andrew H. Raedeke

Human Dimensions of Wildlife. 2019 November; 10.1080/10871209.2019.1661046


Ramón-Hidalgo, A-E., Kozak, R.A., Harshaw, H.W., and Tindall, D.B.

Society and Natural Resources. 2018 January; 31 (1):57-73 10.1080/08941920.2017.1364454


Hilsendager, K., Harshaw, H., and Kozak, R.

Leisure/ Loisir. 2017 January; 41 (2):205-230 10.1080/14927713.2017.1353437


Zhao, M., Harshaw, H.W., Dong, W., Ye, W., Liu, J., and Su, T.

Journal of Interpretation Research. 2016 January; 20 (1):59-65 10.1177/109258721502000104


Hilsendager, K.W., Harshaw, H.W., and Kozak, R.A.

Forestry Chronicle. 2016 January; 92 (1):101-111 10.5558/tfc2016-022


Furness, E., Harshaw, H., and Nelson, H.

Forest Policy and Economics. 2015 January; 58 10.1016/j.forpol.2014.12.005


Forests. 2013 January; 10.3390/f4041199


Journal of Environmental Management. 2013 January; 10.1016/j.jenvman.2013.02.008


Human Dimensions of Wildlife. 2013 January; 10.1080/10871209.2012.694014


Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism. 2013 January; 10.1016/j.jort.2013.03.001


Forestry Chronicle. 2010 January; 10.5558/tfc86697-6


Forestry Chronicle. 2010 January; 10.5558/tfc86709-6


Conservation Biology. 2009 January; 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2009.01257.x


Forestry Chronicle. 2008 January; 10.5558/tfc84210-2


Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 2008 January; 10.1139/X08-146


Forestry Chronicle. 2007 January; 10.5558/tfc83231-2


Landscape and Urban Planning. 2006 January; 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2005.06.001


Journal of Leisure Research. 2005 January; 10.1080/00222216.2005.11950061


Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. 2005 January; 10.1016/j.compag.2005.03.002


Forest Ecology and Management. 2004 January; 10.1016/j.foreco.2004.05.048


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