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Abstract
In this era of urbanization, conservation of globally declining wildlife, such as reptiles and amphibians, hinges upon human behaviors that support or otherwise protect these imperiled species. For residents of urban areas, this requires that individuals be willing and motivated to take action to preserve species that they encounter infrequently, if at all, in their day-to-day lives. This research poses the questions: “How have earlier life experiences motivated urban residents to volunteer in herpetofauna conservation?” and “What role do environmental education programs or initiatives play in motivating urban residents to volunteer in herpetofauna conservation?” Employing qualitative methodology, this research seeks to explore the role of significant life experiences and environmental education programs in motivating residents of urban areas to volunteer for reptile or amphibian-focused conservation programs. Semi-structured interviews were the primary method employed in this study, although a web-based survey was used to identify eligible respondents. Data were analyzed using qualitative coding, analytic memos, and thematic analysis to systematically identify, organize, and infer motivating and experiential patterns occurring within the data corpus. Qualitative coding and thematic analysis suggest significant overlap between the motivating experiences of study participants and those described in the significant lived experience literature of environmental education research. Analysis also revealed four key themes underlying participant experiences and motivations; specifically, supportive communities, embodied interactions, empowering growth and civic belonging. These results hold several implications for the practice and implementation of urban herpetofaunal conservation and the importance of combining environmental education, stewardship, multimedia engagement, and empathy-driven approaches to achieving socially derived urban conservation goals.