snowy pine trees in the foreground with mountain valley in the background

Human Dimensions Lab

Fire by the lake

Our Mission

The mission of the Human Dimensions Lab is to conduct applied research on human interactions with the environment, provide educational opportunities for students exploring the intersection of biophysical and social processes, and build strong partnerships with landowners, industry, agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and the public. We are fundamentally interested in how people interact with the natural world and how these human dimensions influence and inform natural resource management decisions.

Dr. Holly Nesbitt

HD Lab Grad Finalist for Rachel Carson Prize

Dr. Holly Nesbitt, 2023 Lab alum, is a finalist for the Rachel Carson Prize, honoring the best paper written in People and Nature by an early carer researcher!
profile of a wolf's head in a snowy scene

Survey Finds Growing Tolerance Among 猎奇重口ns for Wolves

A new survey from 猎奇重口 Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the 猎奇重口 finds growing public tolerance for wolves. 

Survey resources available here
billboard describing 猎奇重口 as Grizzly Country

猎奇重口ns Share Common Love Toward Grizzly Bears

For an animal whose population barely tops 2,000, 猎奇重口’s grizzly bears hold an outsized presence in the psyche and politics of the Treasure State.
bear walking through a grassy field

UM Research Suggests Social Factors Important for Human-Wildlife Coexistence

The Lab recently published a new study in the Journal of Wildlife Management analyzing why landowners do or don’t secure attractants in bear country. The results suggest that collective or socially motivated factors may be a missing and important piece of the puzzle for encouraging voluntary steps to secure attractants and improve wildlife-human coexistence.