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Private Forest Owners and Invasive Plants: Risk Perception and Management

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2012
Authors:A. Fischer, P, Charnley, S
Journal:Invasive Plant Science and Management
Volume:5
Issue:3
Date Published:2012
ISBN Number:1939-7291
Keywords:Pinus
Abstract:

We investigated nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) owners' invasive plant risk perceptions and mitigation practices using statistical analysis of mail survey data and qualitative analysis of interview data collected in Oregon's ponderosa pine zone. We found that 52% of the survey sample was aware of invasive plant species considered problematic by local natural resource professionals; 70% was concerned about these species; and 46% had treated invasive plants on their parcels. Owners' perceptions of invasive plant risks fell along a spectrum ranging from a lack of awareness or concern, to the view that invasive plant infestations have discrete causes and controllable consequences, to the perception that incursions by invasive plants have diffuse causes and uncontrollable effects. Being aware or concerned about invasive plant species were predictors (p?≤?0.001) of whether owners treat their parcels to control invasive plants. Holding wildlife habitat and/or biodiversity as an important forest management goal was also a predictor (p?≤?0.08) of whether owners treated their parcels to control invasive plants. Some owners were sensitive to the risks of invasive plant infestations from nearby properties, and a surprisingly high percentage of respondents had cooperated with others in forest management activities previously. Our findings suggest three approaches to increasing the frequency of invasive plant mitigation by NIPF owners that hold promise: (1) raising awareness and concern about invasive plants and their impacts on forest management goals that owners care about, such as wildlife habitat and/or biodiversity; (2) providing assistance to help owners mitigate invasive plants they feel unable to control; and (3) engaging owners in coordinated efforts across ownership boundaries to address invasive plant risks. Nomenclature: Ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex C. Lawson. Management Implications: Understanding the invasive plant risk perceptions and mitigation practices of nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) owners in the U.S. is important because they control a substantial portion of the forestland that invasive plants can affect, and their lands are generally located in areas where transmission via waterways, roads, game, and livestock is common. Our study found that NIPF owners in Oregon's ponderosa pine zone have the potential to help mitigate invasive plants: 52% of survey respondents were aware of invasive plants on their parcels, 70% were concerned about them, and 46% had worked to control them. Awareness and concern explained the likelihood of mitigation, as did holding wildlife habitat and/or biodiversity as an important forest management goal. Using education and assistance programs to increase awareness, concern, and capacity among NIPF owners may be a worthwhile strategy for increasing the frequency of mitigation efforts. Understanding owners' priority management goals and how invasive species affect them, and targeting such programs at owners whose values are at risk, such as those with wildlife habitat and/or biodiversity goals, may be especially effective. Owners whose primary residence is located on their forest parcels are more likely to treat invasive plants on those parcels. Thus, outreach to nonresidents could be an opportunity for increasing invasive plant mitigation activities. Research to better understand why owners who are aware of and concerned about invasive plants do not attempt to control them may reveal the unique constraints faced by owners having different management goals, which is important for policy development. Finally, engaging owners in cross-boundary, landscape-scale efforts at invasive plant control is important and may be well received.We investigated nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) owners' invasive plant risk perceptions and mitigation practices using statistical analysis of mail survey data and qualitative analysis of interview data collected in Oregon's ponderosa pine zone. We found that 52% of the survey sample was aware of invasive plant species considered problematic by local natural resource professionals; 70% was concerned about these species; and 46% had treated invasive plants on their parcels. Owners' perceptions of invasive plant risks fell along a spectrum ranging from a lack of awareness or concern, to the view that invasive plant infestations have discrete causes and controllable consequences, to the perception that incursions by invasive plants have diffuse causes and uncontrollable effects. Being aware or concerned about invasive plant species were predictors (p?≤?0.001) of whether owners treat their parcels to control invasive plants. Holding wildlife habitat and/or biodiversity as an important forest management goal was also a predictor (p?≤?0.08) of whether owners treated their parcels to control invasive plants. Some owners were sensitive to the risks of invasive plant infestations from nearby properties, and a surprisingly high percentage of respondents had cooperated with others in forest management activities previously. Our findings suggest three approaches to increasing the frequency of invasive plant mitigation by NIPF owners that hold promise: (1) raising awareness and concern about invasive plants and their impacts on forest management goals that owners care about, such as wildlife habitat and/or biodiversity; (2) providing assistance to help owners mitigate invasive plants they feel unable to control; and (3) engaging owners in coordinated efforts across ownership boundaries to address invasive plant risks. Nomenclature: Ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex C. Lawson. Management Implications: Understanding the invasive plant risk perceptions and mitigation practices of nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) owners in the U.S. is important because they control a substantial portion of the forestland that invasive plants can affect, and their lands are generally located in areas where transmission via waterways, roads, game, and livestock is common. Our study found that NIPF owners in Oregon's ponderosa pine zone have the potential to help mitigate invasive plants: 52% of survey respondents were aware of invasive plants on their parcels, 70% were concerned about them, and 46% had worked to control them. Awareness and concern explained the likelihood of mitigation, as did holding wildlife habitat and/or biodiversity as an important forest management goal. Using education and assistance programs to increase awareness, concern, and capacity among NIPF owners may be a worthwhile strategy for increasing the frequency of mitigation efforts. Understanding owners' priority management goals and how invasive species affect them, and targeting such programs at owners whose values are at risk, such as those with wildlife habitat and/or biodiversity goals, may be especially effective. Owners whose primary residence is located on their forest parcels are more likely to treat invasive plants on those parcels. Thus, outreach to nonresidents could be an opportunity for increasing invasive plant mitigation activities. Research to better understand why owners who are aware of and concerned about invasive plants do not attempt to control them may reveal the unique constraints faced by owners having different management goals, which is important for policy development. Finally, engaging owners in cross-boundary, landscape-scale efforts at invasive plant control is important and may be well received.

URL:http://dx.doi.org/10.1614/IPSM-D-12-00005.1
Short Title:Invasive Plant Science and Management
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Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith