Michael Brunson, Ph.D., CIG, CPRP
Parks and Recreation Management
Auburn University
"Balance, that's the secret. Moderate extremism. The best of both worlds. Unlike Thoreau who insisted on one world at a time I am attempting to make the best of two."
~ Edward Abbey
Michael Brunson, Ph.D., CPRP, CIG
I am a Professor of Practice in the Parks and Recreation Management program at Auburn University. Before coming to Auburn, I was an Assistant Teaching Professor and academic advisor in the Park Management and Conservation program at Kansas State University as well as the Undergraduate Teaching Coordinator for the Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources. I teach a variety of courses including recreation programming, environmental interpretation, and parks and recreation administration.
Past research projects include visitor-use studies at Theodore Roosevelt, Shenandoah, Joshua Tree, Mammoth Cave and Grand Canyon National Parks, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, and Cimarron National Grasslands. Currently, I am working with Alabama State Parks to gather information on the various types of recreation use and help inform management related to park visitor use and impacts to the resource.
A Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) as well as a Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG), my background and experience is in parks and recreation management and programming, environmental education and interpretation, outdoor recreation and leadership, and human dimensions of natural resources.
Born and raised in Upstate New York, I spent the majority of my childhood camping and hiking in the Adirondack mountains and exploring the outdoors. My interest in parks and protected areas grew out of the many visits my family took to Acadia National Park on the coast of Maine and our travels to other National Park Service sites around the country. I have been fortunate to live in many different places across the country and experience many of the wonderful public lands our country has to offer. Thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2012 was a once in a lifetime opportunity that solidified, in my mind, the importance of positive nature experiences and the role public lands play in those experiences.
Certifications
Affiliations
National Association for Interpretation (NAI)
National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA)
North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)
Education
2021
Kansas State University, PhD
Park Management & Conservation
2017
Prescott College, M.A.
Environmental Studies
2009
Northern Arizona University, B.S.
Parks & Recreation Management
Outdoor Leadership & Education
2006
Canisius College, B.A.
History
Classical Studies
Doctoral Research
Plans for the Future: An Examination of Research Methodology and Education in Parks and Protected Area Visitor-Use Management
Courses Taught
PARK 3010 - Environmental Interpretation
PARK 3050 - Safety, Risk, and Legal Aspects of Parks and Recreation
PARK 3350 - Programming in Parks and Recreation
PARK 3910 - Parks and Recreation Field Skills Practicum
PARK 4400 - Parks and Recreation Admin, Finance, and Management
Papers, Presentations, & Technical Reports
2024
Brunson, M. (2024) Where have all the employees gone? A conversation about student
recruitment in parks and recreation. National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Annual Conference. Accepted: October 8-10.
Brunson, M. (2024) "In-tents" Teaching: Exploring the use of outdoor classrooms post-COVID.
15th Biennial Conference on University Education in Natural Resources. April 23-24.
Boguki, T., Sharp, R.L., Brunson, M., Zajchowski, C., & Wilkes, J. (2024) Testing the
Abbreviated Place Attachment Scale at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. Southeast Recreation Research (SERR) Conference. March 24-26.
Brunson, M., & Sharp, R.L. (2023). Thinking like your visitor: Predicting visitor preferences as
a manager of parks and protected areas. International Association for Society and Natural
Resources (IASNR) Conference. June 11-15.
Brunson, M., Dagan, D., Hicks, R., Sharp, R.L. (in review) Methodological assumptions in visitor-use management research; The researcher’s perspective. Leisure Sciences.
Brunson, M., Wilkes, J., Sharp, R.L., & Brownlee, M. (in progress) Impact of extraneous variables on visitor perceptions of crowding using photographic visual methods.
2023
Thinking like your visitor: Predicting visitor preferences as a manager of parks and protected areas. International Association for Society and Natural Resources (IASNR) Conference. June 11-15.
2022
Sketching your Surroundings: Nature Journals as Learning Tools. Biennial
Conference on University Education in Natural Resources. March 23-24.
Consulting the Oracle: Understanding Assumptions in Visitor-Use Management Research Using the Delphi Method. Southeast Environment and Recreation Research (SERR) Conference. March 20-22.
Doeblin, D., Brunson, M., Sharp, R.L., & Brownlee, M.T.J. (2022) Utilizing
Social Science Data from River Recreationists to Inform River Management. River Research and Applications.
2021
Peterson, B. A., Sharp, R. L., Fefer, J. P., & Brunson, M. A. (2021) The Utility of GIS for Identifying Areas of Recreation Conflict for Targeted Interpretive Messaging. Journal of Interpretation Research.
Peterson, B.A., Fefer, J.P., Sharp, R.L., & Brunson, M. (2021). To connect or not to connect: Visitor perceptions of WiFi and cellular network service at a national park. Social Sciences & Humanities.
You know what happens when you assume? Addressing
assumptions in visitor use management research. Southeast Environment and Recreation Research (SERR) Conference. Virtual. March 22-25.
2020
Brunson, M, Sharp, R., & Brownlee, M.T.J. (2020) (accepted - conference cancelled due to COVID-19). Evaluating Alternative Variables on Visitor Perceptions of Crowding when using Photographic Visual Methods. National Outdoor Recreation Conference. Knoxville, TN. April 27-30.
Jacobs, L.A., Blacketer, M.P., Peterson, B.A., Levithan, E., Russell, Z.A., and Brunson, M.
(2020) Responding to COVID-19 and future times of uncertainty: Challenges and
opportunities associated with visitor use, management, and research in parks and
protected areas. Parks Stewardship Forum.
2019
Sharp, R.L., Brunson, M., Reigner, N., & Cribbs, T.W. (2019) Visitor use management planning in the rim to rim corridor at Grand Canyon National Park. Department of Interior, National Park Service.
Brownlee, M.T.J., Sharp, R.L., Blacketer, M., Brunson, M., Nettles, J., & Perry, E. (2019) Visitor use and associated thresholds at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Report delivered to management staff at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Department of Interior, National Park Service. In fulfillment of agreement P17AC00126.
Managing for the Long Run: Managing Trail Runners in Grand Canyon National Park. National Outdoor Recreation Conference. Rapid City, ND. May 6-9.
2018
Sharp, R.L., Mechels, B. & Brunson, M.Understanding visitors to Brown V Board of Education National Historic Site: Research to support management decisions at Brown V Board of Education National Historic Site.
Engaging Local Communities in the Natural World: Lessons from the East. Kansas Green Schools & Environmental Education Conference. Lawrence, KS. November 3.
I was walking in Tallgrass: A National Preserve as a means to engage in physical activity in a rural setting. International Symposium on Society and Resource Management. Snowbird, UT. June 17-21.
From No-One to Everyone: An Assessment of Little Jerusalem Natural Area, KS and Recommendations for Management. International Symposium on Society and Resource Management. Snowbird, Ut. June 17-21.
Angler motivations, preferences, and attitudes towards wild brook trout conservation. Southeastern Recreation Research Conference. Athens, GA. March 25-27.
Completed Projects
2023 - 2024
Understanding visitor way-finding and transportation behavior - Harpers Ferry National Historic Site*
2022 - 2023
Understanding river and terrestrial recreational trail use - Mammoth Cave National Park
2019-2020
Evaluating visitor preferences for the Shenandoah National Park Visitor mobile app
Evaluating visitor characteristics across and within season to inform management decisions - Joshua Tree National Park
2017-2019
Extended Day Use on the Rim to Rim Corridor Trails - Grand Canyon National Park*
2017-2019
Research to inform visitor-use management planning at Theodore Roosevelt National Park*
2016-2018
Visitor Use at Brown V Board of Education National Historic Site
*Denotes role as project coordinator
Contact
Email: mmb0196@auburn.edu
Phone: 315.529.6993
Auburn University
Parks and Recreation Management
College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment
602 Duncan Drive
Auburn, AL 36849