Forest values and attitudes in the South: Past and future research

Abstract

At the turn of the 20th century, southerners favored economic utilization of forests over environmental protection. Today with few exceptions, southerners rate environmental protection and noneconomic values as higher priorities than economic uses of forests. We consider a vision of forest science and management that reflects the changing values and attitudes of southerners. We highlight four issues that we feel will help create such a vision: (1) increasing pluralism and conflict, (2) more collaboration and citizen science, (3) the need for politically viable indicators of environmental quality, and (4) the need to move beyond a preservation-intervention polarization.

Parent Publication

• Southern forest science: past, present, and future

Citation

Tarrant, Michael A.; Hull, R. Bruce, IV. 2004. Forest values and attitudes in the South: Past and future research. In: Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS–75. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. Chapter 21. p. 231-239.