Ecosystem Management and Nonindustrial Private Forest Landowners in Washington State, USA

Washington's non-industrial private forest (NIPF) landowners control 1.2 M ha, or nearly 20%, of the forestland in Washington State. Results of a mail survey suggest that educated and informed NIPF landowners are more likely to show interest in ecosystem-based management programs. NIPF respondents in Washington State indicated an appreciation for the temporal vision and landscape perspective crucial to understanding the foundation of ecosystem management. It is concluded that public agencies need to involve private landowners in ecosystem-based projects by using a more 'place'-based cross-boundary management approach. NIPF landowners must be actively involved in the decision-making so that the process, for them, is one of self-governance. Providing landowners with opportunities for education and assistance may offer the best prospects for achieving ecosystem management objectives across diverse ownerships

Use and Effectiveness of Washington State's Extension Forest Stewardship Program

This paper describes the use by family forest landowners of educational programs provided by Washington State University Cooperative Extension (WSUCE), and the associated use of technical assistance programs provided by state and federal agencies and the private sector. Approximately 100,000 family forest owners controlled 19% or over 1.2 M ha of Washington's forestland and accounted for 29% of the timber harvested in the state on a volume basis in 1998. A variety of public and private assistance and education programs are available to encourage and help family forest owners manage their forests. In 1999 a mail survey was conducted to evaluate use and effectiveness of Washington's family forest assistance and education programs. Over half of the 872 responding family forest landowners had contact with an extension educator, program or educational material, and about three quarters of these respondents gave an overall rating of the usefulness of extension programs and materials as good or excellent. Respondents attending WSUCE forestry educational programs have larger median land ownership size, are older, have owned their forests longer, have a higher rate of absentee ownership, and are better educated than non-users. They are more likely to actively manage their forests for timber production and exhibit a clearer understanding of the multiple-use capabilities of their forests

Fire Prevention in the Rural/Urban Interface: Washington\u27s Backyard Forest Stewardship/Wildfire Safety Program

In the state of Washington, there is a combination of aggressive and innovative technical assistance and educational programs to promote sound management practices in rural/urban interface forests. The Backyard Forest Stewardship/Wildfire Safety Program integrates a variety of available information to provide rural/urban landowners with the tools necessary to protect their property, while still allowing them to meet many of their forest management objectives. The program helps landowners better manage their properties by promoting fire safety, the protection of water resources, and improvements to wildlife and fish habitat

An International Perspective on Successful Strategies in Forestry Extension: A Focus on Extensionists

Extensionists throughout the world often share ideas and experiences. Learning what works and what doesn\u27t from practicing Extensionists is a common feature of conferences, symposia, and workshops. In 2003 an international conference of Extensionists held in Troutdale, Oregon, led to a compilation of seven successful strategies related to Extensionists. A follow-up survey of 500 Extensionists from 70 countries revealed that most of these strategies are used often or sometimes, from 53 to 88%. Only one strategy showed significant difference between regions of the world, and this strategy related to Extensionists being members of a professional society or association

Fire Prevention in the Rural/Urban Interface: Washington\u27s Backyard Forest Stewardship/Wildfire Safety Program

In the state of Washington, there is a combination of aggressive and innovative technical assistance and educational programs to promote sound management practices in rural/urban interface forests. The Backyard Forest Stewardship/Wildfire Safety Program integrates a variety of available information to provide rural/urban landowners with the tools necessary to protect their property, while still allowing them to meet many of their forest management objectives. The program helps landowners better manage their properties by promoting fire safety, the protection of water resources, and improvements to wildlife and fish habitat

Does the Social Capital in Networks of ‘‘Fish and Fire’’ Scientists and Managers Suggest Learning?

Patterns of social interaction influence how knowledge is generated, communicated, and applied. Theories of social capital and organizational learning suggest that interactions within disciplinary or functional groups foster communication of knowledge, whereas interactions across groups foster generation of new knowledge. We used social network analysis to examine patterns of social interaction reported in survey data from scientists and managers who work on fish and fire issues. We found that few fish and fire scientists and managers interact with one another, suggesting low bridging social capital and thus, limited opportunity for generation of new knowledge. We also found that although interaction occurs among scientists—suggesting modest bonding social capital—few managers interact with other managers, indicating limited opportunity for communication of scientific knowledge for the purposes of application. We discuss constraints and opportunities for organizational learning evident in these patterns of social interaction among fish and fire scientists and managers.Keywords: riparian and aquatic issues, natural resource agencies, organizational learning, social network analysis, wildland fire, social capita

Evidence Based Review Workshop for Forestry: Introduction & practical guidance on systematic reviews

Systematic Evidence Based Review Workshop, May 7-9, 2013 (Corvallis, OR). Workshop materials and presentations.This workshop was held in 107 Richardson Hall on the Corvallis campus of Oregon State University with the intended goal of introducing participants to the skills required for evidence-based natural resource analysis. These skills include: framing answerable questions to address policy & practice concerns, finding the best available evidence to answer the question, recognizing the limitations of available studies and problems of bias, critically appraising the evidence for its validity and usefulness, planning a systematic review, and forming a systematic review team. The workshop explored guidance from a variety of fields that utilize an evidence-based approach, and related this to issues of high priority for natural resources regionally. The workshop was facilitated by Dr. Gillian Petrokofsky of Oxford University who has worked on related training programs for researchers at CIFOR. Files attached to this record include speakers’ presentation slides, handouts and the registration webpage with contact information. These are preserved as PDFs. Additional information is available on the OSU Library Guide created for this workshop at: http://guides.library.oregonstate.edu/2013serworksho

Wildlife Ecology and Forest Habitat

Discusses how to manage habitat for deer, elk, bear, birds, cougar, lynx, bobcat, wolf, coyote, fox, and small mammals. Tells what types of food, water supply, and shelter each type of animal needs, and gives ideas on how to provide them. Nice line drawings. 20 pages

Washington State's Forest Regulations: Family Forest Owners' Understanding and Opinions

Abstract Washington State has one of the most restrictive sets of Forest Practice Rules (FPR) in the United States. In 1974, the Washington State legislature passed the Forest Practice Act, with the intent of improving environmental conditions by regulating forest practices such as road building, harvesting methods, and the use of chemicals. We found that a knowledge gap exists within the private forest landowner community in Washington State with regards to some state and federal environmental regulations. The larger-acreage landowners with longer ownership tenures were more familiar with forest regulations than were the newer smaller-acreage landowners, based on a survey conducted in 2002. Regardless of regulation familiarity, a substantial number of respondents expressed concern over the limits placed on their ability to manage their lands as they see fit. This sentiment does not seem to arise purely from the potential for economic loss, because timber does not appear to be an important component of respondent incomes. Rather, the loss of management control and government restrictions placed on private property rights may be more significant. Agencies responsible for enforcing these regulations need to recognize that changes are taking place in the greater forest landowner community, and that the approaches of the past may no longer be appropriate for the future. West. J. Appl. For. 20(3):192–198.</jats:p