The sociology of landowner interest in restoring fire-adapted, biodiverse habitats in the wildland-urban interface of Oregon's Willamette Valley ecoregion

Abstract

In many parts of the world, the combined effects of wildfire, climate change, and population growth in the wildland-urban interface pose increasing risks to both people and biodiversity. These risks are exemplified in western Oregon's Willamette Valley Ecoregion, where population is projected to double by 2050 and climate change is expected to increase wildfire risk. Restoring elements of the region's historic fire-adapted prairie, savanna, and woodland habitats may help to reduce future wildfire risk and help conserve the region's threatened biodiversity. We report on a mail survey (n = 939) examining the socio-demographic factors influencing private landowners' likelihood of restoring fire-adapted habitats in the future.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the second conference on the human dimensions of wildland fire

Citation

Nielsen-Pincus, Max; Ribe, Robert G.; Johnson, Bart R. 2011. The sociology of landowner interest in restoring fire-adapted, biodiverse habitats in the wildland-urban interface of Oregon’s Willamette Valley ecoregion. In: McCaffrey, Sarah M.; Fisher, Cherie LeBlanc, eds. 2011. Proceedings of the second conference on the human dimensions of wildland fire. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-84. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 58-66.