Cognitive and demographic drivers of attitudes toward using genetic engineering to restore American chestnut trees

Abstract

This article explored attitudes toward using genetic engineering (GE) for restoring American chestnut (AC) trees, and cognitive and socio-demographic factors related to these attitudes. Questionnaires were completed by a random representative sample of the US public (n = 278) and a purposive sample of forest interest groups (FIG) such as scientists and managers (n = 195). Results showed somewhat positive attitudes toward all three GE applications (change existing AC genes, add genes from distantly related organism to AC, add oxalate oxidase [OxO] gene from bread wheat to AC) for mitigating chestnut blight (CB) and restoring AC trees. FIGs were more aware of CB, had more favorable attitudes, and perceived greater benefits and lower risks of these GE uses. Perceived benefits and risks were among the strongest drivers of attitudes for both groups, with environmental benefits the most strongly related to attitudes toward all three GE uses for the public sample and two of the three uses for the FIGs. Benefits and risks to humans, general environmental value orientations, specific value orientations toward forests, trust in agencies, awareness about CB, and socio-demographic characteristics (e.g., age, income, education, political orientation, forestry involvement, residential proximity to forests) were not as strongly related to these attitudes. These findings can inform research on reactions to using GE for conservation, and enable organizations to effectively communicate about using emerging technologies (e.g., GE) for addressing natural resource challenges.