<p>Active forest management is generally considered a desirable
approach for both private and public tracts. While stakeholder collaboration
and input are used on public lands, states have used several approaches to
facilitate forest management on private forests including property
tax-incentive programs, cost-share and technical assistant programs, and
professional advice. Some researchers
have studied how educational programs can facilitate woodland management
on private lands. While some determined that the adoption of management
practices can be influenced, in part, by attending educational programs, understanding
of the factors that contribute to successful outcomes of educational programs
for family forest owners is limited. Similarly, many federal and state agencies
have used stakeholder input to inform natural resource management and policy in
a variety of collaborative formats. In Indiana,
the Indiana Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee has provided input into
private and public forest management in the state since 2010. </p>
Using a case-study approach, this dissertation, through
mail surveys and interviews, examined the role of the
Forest Management for the Private Woodland Owner eight-week short course in
woodland owner management decisions. Findings suggest that, across behaviors,
woodland owner attitudes about and reasons for owning their woodlands were the most consistent predictors of
the level of influence the course had on participants. Enrollment in the Indiana Classified Forest and
Wildlands Program and likelihood of attending future educational programs were
also positively associated with course influence for some behaviors while
contact with the instructor after the course and owning woods for privacy had
negative associations. The course played a role in different stages of the
decision-making process of woodland owners to harvest timber, control invasive
plants, create a written management plan, and use the services of a
professional forester. Compatibility and relative advantage of a practice were
important factors in adoption decisions. I also interviewed members of the Indiana Forest Stewardship
Coordinating Committee to investigate its perceived value to members and how
they view its contributions to forest management in the state. Overall, members
generally
held a positive perspective of its value<a></a><a></a><a></a><a></a><a></a> and thought the committee
benefited Indiana’s forests although there was limited evidence to support this
viewpoint. The committee followed some recommended collaborative approaches,
but fell short on others. Findings inform several recommendations that could
benefit the committee and its role in the future.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:purdue.edu/oai:figshare.com:article/14511696 |
| Date | 29 April 2021 |
| Creators | Brian J MacGowan (10723734) |
| Source Sets | Purdue University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, Thesis |
| Rights | CC BY 4.0 |
| Relation | https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/FACILITATING_MANAGEMENT_AND_DECISION-MAKING_ON_PRIVATE_AND_PUBLIC_FORESTS_IN_INDIANA/14511696 |
Page generated in 0.0021 seconds