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- Info
Land use perceptions and motivations affecting southeastern Oklahoma nonindustrial private forest landowners
| Author: |
Walkingstick, T. L. |
| Date: |
1984 |
| Periodical: |
Still Water, OK: Oklahoma State University. M.S. thesis |
| Abstract: |
Research on NIPF management behavior is necessary because of rapidly changing ownerships and inadequate understanding of landowner perceptions and attitudes. Generally, forest tracts are becoming increasingly fragmented as this land is split and sold or distributed between family members. As the forestland passes to new owners, landowner demographic characteristics and land use perceptions will likely continue to change resulting in smaller forest tracts held by more urban individuals who perceive timber production as a minor ownership objective. One key to understanding NIPF landowner behavior is further understanding of the values and motivations behind land management decisions in addition to landowner descriptive or demographic characteristics affecting those decisions. Recent studies focusing on underlying motivations, attitudes, and perceptions of NIPF landowners have provided increased insight into landowner behavior (Raymond, 1988: Straka and Doolittle, 198?). This type of information is vital to designing appropriate education and extension programs aimed at increasing the knowledge of the forest landowner concerning forest management. Appropriate programs must incorporate and accommodate landowner objectives, perceptions, and experience so that management practices applied meet the multiple needs of the landowner society. The primary objective of this research is to document the objectives, management practices, and perceptions of NIPF landowners in southeastern Oklahoma. The specific objectives of this research are: To describe the personal background, experiences, and characteristics of private forest landowners in three southeastern Oklahoma counties; to investigate how resident landowner status influences forest management practices; to investigate how-experiences, attitudes, and perceptions of different types of landowners affect applied forest management practices, land-use attitudes, and future harvesting plans. |
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