Salient value similarity, social trust, and attitudes toward wildland fire management strategies

Abstract

Using the salient value similarity (SVS) model, we predicted that social trust mediated the relationship between SVS and attitudes toward prescribed burns and mechanical thinning. Data were obtained from a mail survey (n = 532) of Colorado residents living in the wildland-urban interface. Results indicated that respondents shared the same values as U.S. Forest Service managers, and trusted the agency to plan prescribed burns and use mechanical thinning effectively. As hypothesized, social trust fully mediated the relationship between SVS and attitudes toward prescribed burns and mechanical thinning. As SVS increased, social trust in the agency increased. As social trust increased, approval of prescribed burns and mechanical thinning increased. These findings reinforce the role of social trust in gaining public support for wildfire management and support prior SVS research suggesting that trust mediates the relationship between value similarity and attitudes.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the 2006 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium

Citation

Vaske, Jerry J.; Absher, James D.; Bright, Alan D. 2007. Salient value similarity, social trust, and attitudes toward wildland fire management strategies. In: Burns, R.; Robinson, K., comps. Proceedings of the 2006 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium; 2006 April 9-11; Bolton Landing, NY. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-14. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 557-565.