African American landownership is decreasing in the southeastern United States. At the same time, prescribed fire use, research, and outreach are increasing. This disparity between changing landowner demographics and a renewed interest in a historically prevalent land management tool has prompted a broader conversation about diversity and inclusion in outreach programs and land management preferences. Therefore, an exploratory qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with African American non-industrial private landowners (NIPLs) in southern Alabama, northern Florida, and southwestern Georgia. The objectives of this study were to address the following questions: 1) Do African American NIPLs use prescribed fire?; 2) Why do they choose or refuse to use prescribed fire?; 3) What potential constraints discourage African American NIPLs from using prescribed fire? Twenty-one African American landowners within these states were interviewed from May through August 2019. Analysis of these interviews was completed using rapid rural appraisal, a method used to quickly gather data from individuals in rural settings. The results suggested that 81% of the African American NIPLs interviewed used prescribed fire to accomplish specific land management objectives, such as hazardous fuel reduction, undesired vegetation control, timber stand improvement, pest and disease reduction, and aesthetics. These individuals faced unique potential limitations including a lack of relevant information regarding prescribed fire permits, smoke management, safety, and burning smaller parcels. These individuals also desired opportunities to retain land within their own families and also felt they were underrepresented within land management organizations and extension programs. In the future, policymakers' efforts may benefit from an intentional focus on building relationships with individual landowners, enhancing educational programming and access for landowners maintaining small and large parcels, and striving for diverse and inclusive representation within land management organizations. / Master of Science / During a period of time when the use of prescribed fire (i.e. intentionally ignited fires by land managers and professionals) has increased in the southeastern United States, African American non-industrial private landownership has decreased. When surveyed alongside white and Hispanic landowners within this region, African American private landowners expressed negative attitudes toward prescribed fire and responded at lower rates than others. The combined issues of land loss, minority representation, and the need for prescribed fire on private lands has generated questions about diversity and inclusion in landowner assistance and fire outreach programming. To address these issues, first-hand accounts were necessary to understand land management perspectives from African American private landowners within this region. Therefore, a research study was conducted to interview African American private landowners in southern Alabama, northern Florida, and southwestern Georgia. The objectives of this study were to determine what African Americans know about prescribed fire and if African American private landowners use prescribed fire for land management. Through personal interviews, African American landowners were asked to describe what influenced their use or lack of use of fire and what relationships they had formed with outreach and educational organizations. These individuals were also asked how they believed their prescribed fire perspectives and usage connected to their ancestral heritage. Twenty-one interviews were conducted and the results suggested that seventeen interviewees used prescribed fire at communal, historical, and organizational levels, but limitations to prescribed fire use did exist. Agency and organizational policymakers should focus on building relationships with individual landowners while offering better educational access that focuses on maintaining land legacies, particularly those that would be considered small parcels. Additionally, most of the landowners interviewed believed they were underrepresented within organizational leadership. There is indeed a cultural fabric that cannot be erased from current African American private landowners. Their practices and views are key to the inclusive and diverse conversations that should guide southeastern prescribed fire into the future.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/106944 |
| Date | 19 June 2020 |
| Creators | Perkins, La' Portia Jasmine |
| Contributors | Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Coates, Thomas Adam, Johnson-Gaither, Cassandra, Sorice, Michael G., Hiers, John Kevin, Kovaka, Karen |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf |
| Coverage | Alabama, Georgia, Florida, United States |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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