Nonindustrial Private Forest Landowner Use of Geographic Data: A Precondition for Ecosystem-Based Management

Abstract

Ecosystem-based forest management requires geographic data at a landscape scale that often extends across ownership boundaries. Implementing ecosystem-based management for lands owned by small, nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) land owners depends in part upon their attitudes and experiences regarding geographic data. A mail survey of NIPF landowners in northwestern Connecticut assessed their perceived importance and previous use of geographic data for a variety of ecosystem-based management interests, tasks, and scales. Management activities closely aligned with stewardship objectives scored higher than other activities for both perceived importance and previous use of geographic data . Perceived impor tance scored between two and eight times higher than previous use for all activities. NIPF landowner characteristics of employment status, age, gender, residency, and degree of commitment to forest management goals were related to perceived importance and previous use of geographic data. Assisting NIPF landowners with ecosystem-based management activities will require geographic data that correspond to stewardship objectives .