Governing wildlife, building trust: An assessment of United States wildlife commission composition, policy guidance, and decision-making transparency

Abstract

In the United States, wildlife management policies are often developed through citizen wildlife commissions or boards that guide agency decision-making while balancing diverse stakeholder interests. Despite their central role in wildlife governance, little information exists regarding how these commissions are structured across states or how decision-making processes are communicated to the public. We conducted a 50-state assessment of wildlife commission composition, stakeholder representation requirements, policy guidance regarding information sources, and public-facing descriptions of decision-making processes. Of the 50 states reviewed, 47 maintain active wildlife commissions, while three states manage wildlife policy directly through agency structures. We found substantial variation in commission composition, appointment mechanisms, representation requirements, regulatory authority, and commission specificity. Geographic representation requirements were common, while explicit stakeholder representation requirements were less frequent and most often focused on agricultural and sportsperson interests. We also found considerable variation in the ways that states provide formal guidance for information use and how states communicate decision-making processes through public-facing materials. Many states provide basic information regarding commission membership and meeting schedules but offer limited information regarding how scientific information, stakeholder input, or other considerations are incorporated into commission deliberations. This study provides the first national inventory of wildlife commission structures, policy guidance, and decision transparency across the United States. By documenting variation among states, this research establishes a baseline for future studies examining relationships between governance structures, stakeholder trust, public participation, and broader wildlife governance outcomes.