Dr. Dan Witter

Senior Social Scientist Emeritus

Melding academic exactitude and pragmatic public agency leadership, "Doctor Dan" oversees human dimensions, market research and evaluation. During a 26-year career with Missouri Department of Conservation, Dan conducted surveys, program evaluations and market analyses on natural resources management. He was the agency's Policy Chief and served on the Regulations Committee. His work is documented in numerous articles in Transactions of the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference. Dan served as associate editor of the Journal of Wildlife Management and president of the Missouri Chapter of The Wildlife Society (TWS). He participated on the National Survey of Wildlife-Associated Recreation technical committee, and has contributed to Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies human dimensions projects. In 2009, Dan received the Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award from the Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM); he was honored as 2005 Outstanding Alumnus by the School of Natural Resources, University of Arizona; he received the E. Sydney Stephens Professional Wildlife Award from the Missouri Chapter of TWS in 2002, and was named Conservationist of the Year by CFM in 2000. Dan holds a doctorate in watershed management from the University of Arizona, a master's degree in resource administration from Penn State, bachelor's degree in sociology from Millersville University in Pennsylvania, and associate's degree from Valley Forge Military College.

Skills & Expertise
Social Science
Human Dimensions
Dr. Dan Witter
The Nature of Americans - national report cover

2016 - 2018

The Nature of Americans

Investigated and co-authored The Nature of Americans, a multi-year effort to understand and connect Americans and nature. This is the largest study of its kind, investigating how American children and adults think about, value, and interact with the natural world. The project draws from surveys, interviews, and focus groups with nearly 12,000 Americans.

2005 National Duck Hunter Survey Report Cover

January 2006

National Duck Hunter Survey 2005

A national survey of more than 10,000 duck hunters.  It was the first survey to ask duck hunters in every state their perceptions on duck hunting and waterfowl management.