Perceptions of Sustainable Forest Management practices: an application from the forestry sector in southern Italy

Abstract

SUMMARY Community perception of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) provides decision makers information useful to define forest policies and strategies. This paper aims to contribute to the SFM discourse and focuses on perception of SFM in a case study (Comunita Montana Matese, Italy). Perceptions and perspectives of forestry sector stakeholders are assessed using a survey methodology based on questionnaires and cognitive maps. “Cognitive mapping” is an approach to strategic thinking in order to explore the values, perspectives and objectives of the stakeholders. A collective cognitive map is used to identify stakeholder groups' perceptions of forest management practices effects on SFM criteria. The knowledge of the stakeholders' perceptions and the cognitive network of forest management practices and SFM criteria were used to compare agreements and disagreements among the categories of stakeholders. Findings of the research can support managers in the development of the forest management strategies.