Rooted in Purpose: Understanding Volunteer Motivations and Preferences in University Forest Stewardship

Author

• Lydia N. Heisel, Clemson UniversityFollow

Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management

Committee Chair/Advisor

Dr. Matthew T.J. Brownlee

Committee Member

Dr. Richard Daniel Hanks

Committee Member

Prof. Coleman Lane Glaze

Abstract

In an era of growing reliance on community support in public lands, this study explores the relationship between volunteer motivations and preferences for engagement in university forest management. The research draws from survey data collected from visitors to the Clemson University Forest (CUF), a 17,500-acre educational and research forest in South Carolina, incorporating the Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI) to assess six motivational dimensions alongside preferences for volunteer program structures, activity types, communications, and sustained engagement intentions.

Using quantitative segmentation analysis, this study identified five distinct motivational profiles within the CUF visitor population through k-means cluster analysis of approximately 180 forest visitors. Statistical comparisons using ANOVA and chi-square tests examined how these motivational profiles predict preferences for different volunteer management structures, willingness to participate in specific stewardship activities, and intentions for sustained engagement, revealing differences across profiles.

These findings provide practical guidance for volunteer management in the CUF by identifying actionable volunteer segments with distinct preferences and needs. This research contributes to a broader understanding of community partnerships in university forest management, addressing how program design can be grounded in an empirical understanding of volunteer motivations to optimize recruitment, retention, and program satisfaction through collaborative community engagement.

Recommended Citation

Heisel, Lydia N., "Rooted in Purpose: Understanding Volunteer Motivations and Preferences in University Forest Stewardship" (2026). All Theses. 4763.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_theses/4763