Urban perceptions of national forests: three examples from the Northern United States

Abstract

A study of the perceptions of the management and use of proximate National Forests by residents of the Boston, Detroit, and Minneapolis Metropolitan areas was conducted in 2000. Respondents were contacted by telephone and surveyed about their perceptions of the management and use of nearby National Forests. These include the Green Mountain and White Mountain National Forests for Boston; the Huron-Manistee, Ottawa, and Hiawatha National Forests for Detroit; and the Chippewa and Superior National Forests for Minneapolis. A total of 600 interviews were completed for each Metropolitan area using computer assisted interviewing and up to 10 calls to each number, resulting in a response rate of 72 percent. Responses included the personal importance that individuals placed on the National Forests, including benefits, attributes, their use of the Forests, and the importance they attached to goals for National Forest management and particular management practices. Results have implications for managers of public lands who are working to build a constituency among the residents of major Metropolitan areas within a half-day drive of the Forest. The study also provides information that can help guide research aimed at supporting urban outreach efforts.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the 2002 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium

Citation

Dwyer, John F. 2003. Urban perceptions of national forests: three examples from the Northern United States. In: Schuster, Rudy, comp., ed. Proceedings of the 2002 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-302. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station. 159-162