FOREST MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL VALUES IN PENNSYLVANIA AND THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: HATCH
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1019112
• Project Start Date: May 1, 2019
• Project End Date: Mar 31, 2024
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
208 MUELLER LABORATORY
UNIVERSITY PARK,PA 16802

Performing Department
Ecosystem Science & Management

Non Technical Summary
To ensure the continued provision of forest related benefits, natural resource agencies and conservation advocates need a better understanding of public preferences for forest and wildlife management to help inform natural resource policies.Programs that promote biodiversity and healthy wildlife populations on private lands are often significantly underfunded and rely on the good will of forest owners to assume much of the costs. As a result, forest health and biodiversity are often diminished, and are difficult or impossible to replace when lost. Over browsing of the forest understory by large numbers of deer also has the potential to reduce biodiversity in plant species and impede tree regeneration. Hunters are important allies in managing the state's deer population and managing for forest health, however, the emergence of chronic wasting disease (CWD) will likely affect hunter demand for deer related benefits due to changes in the number and quality of deer in the state.Welfare economics and public choice provides the basis for judging the achievements of policies in allocating resources and social benefits associated with forests and wildlife. I plan to assess public and hunter choice for forest and wildlife management by using surveys that contain advanced question design (e.g., choice experiment, attitudes scales) and data collection methodologies that capture a representative sample of the target population. A series of survey studies will be used to examine the social value of increasing biodiversity on private forest lands in Pennsylvania, and to examine potential changes in hunter demand due to the emergence of CWD. The information collected through our research can be used by decision-makers to identify strategies for encouraging forest owners and hunters to support management actions that improve forest heath and biodiversity and enhance social welfare.

Animal Health Component

100%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

100%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
136	0850	3010	50%
136	0850	0001	50%

Knowledge Area
136 - Conservation of Biological Diversity;

Subject Of Investigation
0850 - Wildlife habitats;

Field Of Science
0001 - Administration; 3010 - Economics;

Keywords

wildlife

deer

hunter

economic impact

preferences

value

forest

Goals / Objectives
Goals:Examine the social value of forests in PA under different management outcomesAssess how information about the social value of forests may influence policy development in PAEstimate changes in hunter demand for deer hunting benefits due to increased prevalence of CWD in deerIdentify strategies for encouraging hunters to support management actions in disease management areas.

Project Methods
Goal 1:This project will be conducted by a master's student and use a web-based survey to collect data about public preferences for forest management.More specifically, the objectives of the survey are to (1) examine the factors associated with public knowledge of the relationship between forest management, forest restoration and healthy wildlife populations, (2) estimate public willingness to pay for restoration benefits, (3) examine public preferences for the role of government in encouraging these outcomes on private lands (e.g., incentives, conservation easements).Question design will be informed via a literature review and using a panel of forest management professionals to help link forest management practices with ecosystem service outcomes. Survey questions include choice experiments to understand tradeoffs in utility associated with different forest management outcomes and policy procedures (e.g., conservation easement). Psychometric survey tools will be used to assess psychological factors such as attitudes, and perceptions related to forests and management outcomes.Data collection methods will include multi-stage survey design and implementation methods to develop, test, validate and distribute a web surveys to residents. Data collection will result in a representative sample of the population in PA over the age of 18 (approximately 400 complete responses, 95% CI 5% margin of error). IRB approval will be obtained before data collection. Data will be analyzed using innovative regression analysis procedures (e.g., random parameters logit) and descriptive statistics.Goal 2:We will evaluate our efforts to deliver the above science findings to decision-makers by using an impact survey tool that is currently in development.The impact survey includes a set of 8 to 10 questions designed to assess the likelihood a given policy-maker will use the prescribed science findings in their decision-making by identifying likely barriers. This evaluation will help us assess the impact of our research in local policy decisions.Goals 3 and 4:PhD Research Project 1: The graduate student will use stated preference methods to measure hunters intended willingness to pay (WTP) for recreational hunting benefits and use regression procedures to correlate WTP with future policy scenarios, socio-demographic characteristics and psychological metrics (e.g., trust in science/government, perceived risk associated with CWD). This research will build on the existing survey work done by the PGC, and will use innovative choice modeling procedures (e.g., best-worst scaling) to gain a more contextualized understanding of hunters intended choices and willingness to pay for hunting licenses under different deer management outcomes and policies.The graduate student will use an expert panel to identify model variables and interviews or focus groups with hunters will be used to pre-test the survey. IRB approval will also be obtained. The survey will be implemented using both mail and a web-based techniques, which can help increase response rate and reduce response bias. Our partners at the Game Commission will use their hunter address lists (associated with the sale of hunting licenses) to contact at least 1,200 hunters throughout the state to gain a representative sample of hunters in PA. The Commission will also assume the costs of printing and disseminating the survey. Data analysis procedures for the choice experiment and psychometric assessment tools will include descriptive statistics, validation procedures (e.g., Cronbach's alpha) and regression analysis (e.g., mixed logistic regression).This assessment will provide economic estimates of both use benefits (e.g., trophy buck) and nonuse benefits (e.g., bequest value, option value) associated with recreational deer hunting, and will add to field of forest and wildlife management by being among the first to assess the total value of recreational deer hunting to better understand changes in hunter welfare due to changes in management policy and the emergence of CWD.PhD Research Project 2: The graduate student will use travel cost methodologies and spatially explicit modeling software/techniques (e.g., ArcGIS) to develop spatial and temporal demand models to describe changes in hunter's behaviors due to the emergence of CWD over the last 10 years in difference regions of PA (i.e., Disease Management Areas).Data describing travel destinations, hunter demographic characteristics, license fees, and details about hunter harvest have already been collected by the Game Commission and will be provided by our partners for use in developing the demand model. The other associated costs (e.g., gas prices, food and choice of accommodations) will be estimated using external data sources.This assessment will help describe how hunters are actually behaving in response to CWD, which is more powerful than measuring their intended response, and will be used to validate findings in project 1. This research will add to the field of wildlife management by being the first to examine hunter behaviors in relation to the distribution of CWD over time and space in the Eastern US.PhD Research Project 3: The graduate student will use field research methods to collect quantitative data from deer hunters at their chosen hunting locations and compare it with data describing actual deer habitat to better understand if hunter's choices are more often influenced by the environmental context (i.e., the presence of deer or habitat) or are a feature of the human condition (e.g., cost, perceptions, culturally motivated behaviors).Survey questions will examine hunter perceptions about deer habitat and deer abundance in the location that they are hunting. Survey questions will also seek to understand factors such as past experiences at that location, why the location was initially chosen and level of hunting experience. Survey data will be combined with empirically derived metrics that describe habitat quality and deer abundance at the hunting sites. The combined data set will be analyzed using methods such as principal components analysis and ANOVA to determine if there are correlations or differences among sites in relation to human components (e.g., hunter attributes and perceptions) and actual habitat and deer populations. Data describing empirical measures of deer habitat and deer abundance will be provided by PGC and collaborators at the PA Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research unit. The graduate student will use an expert panel to help develop the experimental design and identify field sites and model variables (e.g., at least 30 observations at each location with treatment and control groups). Interviews with hunters will be used to pre-test the survey.This research will help provide direction to outreach efforts by highlighting the environmental and psychological context that hunters often make decisions in. Analysis at the regional level can allow outreach efforts to be customized for different parts of the state. This research will add to the field of wildlife management by examining both the economic and non-economic motivations of actual behaviors.

Progress 10/01/19 to 09/30/20

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audienceincludesforest owners, the public, recreators and the forest industry. Findings will be used to inform policy among private conservation groups as well as state agencies and advance academic understanding as well. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project provided training for two graduate students who each semester took up to 9 credit hours of graduate level courses in economics, statistics, ecology and policy at Penn State. Part of their credit hours supported their research activities. As their advisor, I provided mentorship in implementing their research projects and provided an individual study course in non-market valuation research methods. The graduate students also attended several conferences and events (see major activities) and were able to participate in department seminars and study groups. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?An extension article on prescribed burning was developed and published on the Penn State Extension website. This article introduces private landowners in Pennsylvania to the benefits of prescribed fire, state laws about prescribed fire, the cost of burning, and some of the risks associated with prescribed fire. Prescribed fire topics were also presented at the Penn State Forestry Webinar Series on Feb 11, 2020 and was attended by 136 natural resource professionals and forest owners. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Goal 2 The economic studies described above will be converted into predictive models and incorporated into easy to use decision-making tools (i.e., calculators) that the public, landowners and decision-makers can use to quantify the economic impact of enhancing forest management on private lands through landowner assistance and public education. We expect that advocates of sustainable forest management and environmental education will benefit from this tool as it can help direct conservation activities and demonstrate the value of education and conservation to investors in green infrastructure. Goal 3 This research is slated to begin this year. Goal 4 These activities will be conducted during and after the deer hunter demand studies are near completion.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Goal1 1) Major activities completed: To understand the social value of enhancing bird habitat through forest management we conducted a statewide web survey to measure demand for bird friendly forestry on private forest lands. To understand forest landowner knowledge and demand for prescribed fire to improve forest health and wildlife habitat we used stated preference methods to estimate economic value for prescribed burning on private lands in Pennsylvania. 2) Data collected: Using a third party survey service (Qualtrics) a total of 821 responses were collected from residents of Pennsylvaniausing a panel selection process based on key demographic variables (i.e., gender, age, race and income) described in the 2010 US Census (confidence interval (CI) 95%, 5% margin of error).Choice experiment questions were used to estimate the economic value of generalists and specialist bird species, mature and young forests and the use and nonuse benefits associated with bird conservation. Survey questions also assessed peoples' knowledge about forest birds, and attitudes towards wildlife and government involvement in private forest management decisions. Data were also collected via another statewide mail/web survey which contained 29 questions including choice experiment questions, to estimate landowner willingness-to-pay (WTP), and Likert scale questions to measure trust in prescribed fire implementors, and knowledge and perceived risk of prescribed fire. The print survey was disseminated in September 2019 to 644 addresses and had a response rate of 41%. The web survey was distributed one time to over 8,000 email addresses and included 125 complete responses. A total of 381 surveys were returned including 256 mails surveys with a response rate of 41% and 125 web surveys. 3) Findings: Both studies used logistic regression techniques to model study parameters. Preliminary analysis of the bird conservation study suggests much of the value associated with bird conservation is influenced by peoples' attitudes towards birds and the processes used to implement bird conservation programs. Just over half of respondents (58%) were classified as having positive attitudes towards birds (across eight dimensions). As attitudes towards birds became more positive (on a five-point scale) the value of bird conservation also increased by an average of $292.78 per household per year. Timber harvesting is an important tool for enhancing bird habitat, especially early successional habitat;however, over half of respondents (58%) were classified as having neutral or negative attitudes towards timber harvesting. Conversely, negative attitudes towards harvesting appeared to increase the value of bird conservation. As attitudes towards harvesting became more positive (on a five-point scale) the value of bird conservation decreased by $142.54 per household per year. This finding points to a significant disconnect in public perceptions about the use of timber harvesting in sustainable forest management and wildlife habitat management, and the need for public education and extension services to address this disconnect. Much of the funding for sustainable forest management comes from state and federal sources. About half of respondents (49%) were classified as having positive attitudes towards government involvement in private lands decisions. Most respondents favored technical assistance and incentive approaches compared to regulatory strategies. As attitudes towards government involvement increased (on a five-point scale), the value of bird conservation also increased by $138.30 per household per year. This suggests that the perceived role of government is to protect public goods, such as wildlife, and trust in government can enhance the perceived value of the wildlife it protects. The perceptions people have about the condition of birds also had an important effect on the social value of bird conservation. We found only 14% of people believe that birds and their habitat are currently in poor condition;but, 76% expressed concern that the condition of birds and their habitats will decline over the next 10 years. As risk perceptions increased (on a five-point scale), the perceived value of bird conservation also increased by an average of $90.67 per household per year. This suggests that much of the value associated with bird conservation is related to the desire to protect future options, rather than the current consumption of bird related benefits (e.g., recreation). We found again that public education and extension can play a key role in enhancing the value of bird conservation policies and programs. As knowledge about birds increased (on a five-point scale), the perceived value of bird conservation also increased by an average of $81.64 per household per year. Public preferences for landowner assistance programs had a lesser impact on the total value of bird conservation but were still significant. On average, people were willing to pay approximately $12.00 more per household per year for conservation programs that helped incentivize forest owners compared to programs that provided technical assistance, such as writing a forest management plan. This finding suggests that the public prefers the state take some fiscal responsibility for enhancing bird population health on private lands, which is in agreement with the idea that wildlife are considered a public good held in trust by the state and not the complete responsibility of forest owners. On average, households were willing to pay approximately $12.00 more for mature forests, compared to younger forests. We also found on average households were willing to pay approximately $11.00 more for common birds, compared to rare birds.Respondents were indifferent towards program attributes describing the expected ecosystem services provided by bird conservation (ecological and cultural services). Preliminary analysis of the demand for prescribed fire study found most forest landowners had a low level of experience and knowledge on prescribed fire mean score (mean score of 1.93, standard error (SE) 1.31 on a five-point scale). Findings also indicated that knowledge was not correlated with the perceived value of prescribed fire indicating that knowledge and experience hadless influence on landowners' preferences of using prescribed fire. Less than a third of respondents reported that they were informed through science-based sources produced by academics or the government. Further, only 12% landowners had a burning experience. Using a five-point scale most landowners expressed generally higher trust in the people and organizations who implement prescribed fire (mean score 3.94 SE 2.09). Results also showed that the overall perceived risks associated with prescribed fire werealso relatively low (mean score 2.09 SE 1.98). We found 75% of landowners were willing to enroll in at least one program with most landowners preferring the low-cost program. The mean WTP ranges between $20-$50 per acre. Trust had a positive and significant impact on mean WTP. Perceived risk was negatively associated with mean WTP. Likewise, variablessuch as acres, income and assistant programswere positively associated while age was negatively associated with landowners WTP. 4) Key outcomes or other accomplishments realized: Both studiesrevealed that the value of conservation is not always a function of which species is being conserved, or burning, but a combination of perceptions about the need for conservation and personal values. Findings revealed the importance of public education and extension about bird ecology, prescribed fireand forest management, in that they add significant value to conservation efforts. Both studies arebeing drafted for graduate students' theses and dissertation papers and for publication in peer reviewed journals. Goals 2, 3 and 4 These activities are scheduled to begin this year.

Publications

• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Kreye J. and M. Kreye (2020) Prescribed fire, Does it have a place on my land? Penn State Extension. Downloaded at https://extension.psu.edu/prescribed-fire-does-it-have-a-place-on-my-land

Progress 05/01/19 to 09/30/19

Outputs
Target Audience:Natural resource professionals attendingthe Natural Areas Association Conference in Pittsburgh, PA and the Association for Fire Ecology meeting in State College, PA. This includes lower to high level managers and professionals who work for private and government organizations. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Both graduate students took research credit hours this year. During this time I workedtraining the student on research practices and developing their research project proposal. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?My graduate students will continue over the next 3 years conducting research associated with these goals.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Goal 1: This year both graduate students launched their research projects by writing up a research proposal and developing the survey tools they will use to collect data. Both projects are working toward goals: One project is looking at the socialvalue of managingfor bird conservation on private lands. The second project is looking at landowner demand for prescribed fire to help enhance oak regeneration and wildlife habitat. I expect to start addressing goals 2, 3 and 4 in the coming year.

Publications

• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Sharma S., and M. Kreye, Social value of Bird Conservation in Pennsylvania Natural Areas Association Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, October 8, 2019.