Why Forest Management Why Forest Management is a “Social” enterprise: is a “Social” enterprise: How We Assess Public How We Assess Public

Wants & NeedsWants & Needs

Stanley T AsahStanley T Asah

Associate Professor: Human Dimensions of Natural Resource ManagementAssociate Professor: Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Management

School of Environmental & Forest SciencesSchool of Environmental & Forest Sciences

College of the EnvironmentCollege of the Environment

University of WashingtonUniversity of Washington

What is management?What is management?

• The identification, mobilization, and deployment of resources to The identification, mobilization, and deployment of resources to accomplish set goals/address identified problemsaccomplish set goals/address identified problems

• PeoplePeople• Identify problemsIdentify problems

• Identify, Mobilize, and Deploy resourcesIdentify, Mobilize, and Deploy resources

• Set goals and determine goal attainment/problem solvingSet goals and determine goal attainment/problem solving

• Set goals implicitly/explicitly Set goals implicitly/explicitly relate to the life, welfare, and relate to the life, welfare, and relations of human beings in a community or another social unitrelations of human beings in a community or another social unit—the PNW, US, etc.—the PNW, US, etc.

• Human judgement/subjectivityHuman judgement/subjectivity

• These, and especially science, drive managementThese, and especially science, drive management

Science & ScientismScience & Scientism

• People do science, according to certain:People do science, according to certain:• Clearly specified procedures, Clearly specified procedures,

• Assumptions, and Assumptions, and

• Analytical techniquesAnalytical techniques

• It is learned behavior; culture, that isIt is learned behavior; culture, that is• Some sciences are not done correctlySome sciences are not done correctly

Science & ScientismScience & Scientism

• People/scientists People/scientists interpretinterpret findings and findings and

suggestsuggest management actions management actions• Assumptions and other caveats, are often Assumptions and other caveats, are often

inadequately elaborated uponinadequately elaborated upon

• Or ignored, depending on who is interpreting and Or ignored, depending on who is interpreting and

for what purpose—to serve what interestsfor what purpose—to serve what interests

• E.g., Old growth 80-140 years: “Caveat”—E.g., Old growth 80-140 years: “Caveat”—

depending on ecological contexts—“other factors”depending on ecological contexts—“other factors”• Other factors are either ignored or emphasized Other factors are either ignored or emphasized

depending ondepending on

• Judge says 80 years—lets peculate on why the judge might Judge says 80 years—lets peculate on why the judge might

have suggested 80 years as old growthhave suggested 80 years as old growth

Science & ScientismScience & Scientism

• Scientific findings, within the same discipline, are Scientific findings, within the same discipline, are sometimes:sometimes:

1.1.Conflicting,Conflicting,1.1. 40 years ago—wolves should be killed; ecology40 years ago—wolves should be killed; ecology

2.2. Today—wolves should be restored; ecologyToday—wolves should be restored; ecology

2.2.Inconclusive or not very precise/nuanced—80-Inconclusive or not very precise/nuanced—80-140 years140 years

1.1. Criteria: 80-140, depending on….Criteria: 80-140, depending on….

2.2. Standard: 80, there is no dependencies/contingenciesStandard: 80, there is no dependencies/contingencies—the —the judgejudge is not a scientist is not a scientist

3.3. Management based on standards (human Management based on standards (human judgmentjudgment) ) not criteria (science)not criteria (science)

Science & ScientismScience & Scientism

• So science is the basis for developing of So science is the basis for developing of management standards, not management management standards, not management decisionsdecisions

• Most importantly, people, the public, know Most importantly, people, the public, know that’s the case/they know about:that’s the case/they know about:• Conflicting findingsConflicting findings• UncertaintyUncertainty

• So, leads toSo, leads to• Conflicting understandings tailored to align with Conflicting understandings tailored to align with

specific interestsspecific interests• Conflict: even contesting science when there is Conflict: even contesting science when there is

misalignmentmisalignment

Assessing the socialAssessing the social

• Multitude of approaches; depends on what the issue isMultitude of approaches; depends on what the issue is

• You may want to understand public attitudes and You may want to understand public attitudes and

potential behaviors pertinent to that issuepotential behaviors pertinent to that issue

• Public engagement and public Public engagement and public

representation/representative participation are two representation/representative participation are two

different thingsdifferent things

• Public procedural engagement pertains to the Public procedural engagement pertains to the

knowledgeable, and highly and directly investedknowledgeable, and highly and directly invested

• Representative participation pertains to the salience Representative participation pertains to the salience

and prevalence of views, attitudes, stakes and issues and prevalence of views, attitudes, stakes and issues

across the entire population of interestacross the entire population of interest

Assessing the socialAssessing the social

• Representative participation through social Representative participation through social assessments can be a powerful leverage for assessments can be a powerful leverage for procedural engagement procedural engagement

• E.g., survey of a representative sample of people in the E.g., survey of a representative sample of people in the Deschutes county showed that the USFS is more trusted than Deschutes county showed that the USFS is more trusted than some environmental groupssome environmental groups

• Same population “highly” belief that science rather than Same population “highly” belief that science rather than public opinion should drive managementpublic opinion should drive management

• Environmental groups are known, to some, for their judicious Environmental groups are known, to some, for their judicious use of scienceuse of science

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Assessing the socialAssessing the social

• Before decisions—run that by peopleBefore decisions—run that by people

• Ensuring the public uses their own expressions to Ensuring the public uses their own expressions to

articulate issues from their own frames of articulate issues from their own frames of

references can put the situation in more favorable references can put the situation in more favorable

light than managers would have ever thought oflight than managers would have ever thought of• E.g., volunteering in the DeschutesE.g., volunteering in the Deschutes

• Fortifies social desirability and acceptability Fortifies social desirability and acceptability • E.g., ESs focus group interviews—social appreciation for E.g., ESs focus group interviews—social appreciation for

seeking public input via face-to-face conversationsseeking public input via face-to-face conversations

• Qualitative methods are very importantQualitative methods are very important

Assessing the socialAssessing the social

• Surveys are also very important and Surveys are also very important and where relevant, could be informed by where relevant, could be informed by interviewsinterviews• elucidate prevalence and salience of issues, elucidate prevalence and salience of issues,

attitudes, etc.attitudes, etc.• Illuminate contradictionsIlluminate contradictions

• Ensure methods are proper for the issue at handEnsure methods are proper for the issue at hand

• Ensure relevant analysis beyond measures of Ensure relevant analysis beyond measures of central tendency are conductedcentral tendency are conducted

• E.g., Asah & Blahna, 2012, Conservation LettersE.g., Asah & Blahna, 2012, Conservation Letters

• Asah & Blahna, 2013, Conservation BiologyAsah & Blahna, 2013, Conservation Biology

Thank youThank youI am not Allergic to I am not Allergic to

Questions or Questions or conversations/dialogueconversations/dialogue