Public acceptance of plantation forestry: Implications for policy and practice in Australian rural landscape

Abstract

Plantations are expanding in many parts of the world, often accompanied by public debate. If policy makers and plantation managers seek to better align land use policy with social values and to reduce social conflict, they require a clear understanding of public expectations of land use, and the kinds of plantations that are socially acceptable. This paper presents results of a large postal survey (n=2167) conducted in two regions of southern Australia. Residents of Tasmania and southwest Western Australia reported their acceptance of a range of plantations characterised with regard to factors such as type of product, location and size of plantation and ownership. Participants also indicated their beliefs about the impacts of commercial eucalypt plantations. The results showed that participants generally prioritised public good outcomes over individual gains from rural land use, and tended to view plantations as providing more benefits for owners than positive outcomes for the environment or the broader community. Plantations were more acceptable when grown for timber rather than pulp, when planted in areas with good water availability and poorer soils, when planted on part of a property rather than a whole property, and when owned by an individual landholder rather than a plantation company. Results are interpreted to highlight the implications for plantation policy and management in the Australian context, and to illustrate how social research can inform these practices.