THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FOREST VALUES AND ATTITUDES AND OPINIONS - PDF document

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FOREST VALUES AND ATTITUDES AND OPINIONS ABOUT VISUAL FOREST MANAGEMENT. VALUES In social science terms, values are cultural ideas about what are desirable goals and what are appropriate standards for judging actions (Rokeach 1973, Borgatta and Borgatta 1992). Put a slightly different way, they are emotionally charged beliefs about what is desirable, right, and appropriate (Howard, 1996). Values are broader in scope than normative beliefs (Hoult 1977) or than attitudes (Hoult 1977) -- two related concepts. To consider the latter term, an attitude refers to a general, learned, and relatively enduring tendency on the part of individuals to respond negatively or positively to a given phenomena (Hoult 1977). Sociologists tend to view attitudes in relation to social values (Hoult 1977) (i.e., as the subjective aspect of values) , while psychologists tend to focus on the relationship between attitudes and other aspects of the individual personality (Hoult 1977). There have been inconsistencies from time to time regarding how these phenomena have been defined, but the definitions provided above dominate across the non-economic social sciences (e.g., sociology, psychology, anthropology, social psychology, and political science). To the extent that different emphases are given in different disciplines (e.g., the relationship between attitudes and values as conceived by sociologists and psychologists) this article will provide a sociological perspective.

Table 1: Groups Anayzed. 1. Artists/Writers 2. Community Representatives 3. Educators 4. Environment and Parks (Govt.) 5. First Nations 6. Forest Industry 7. MOF Managers, Employees 8. Environmental Organizations 9. Recreation Groups 10. Scientists 11. Tourism/Recreation Operators. 12. Trappers/Ranchers 13. Unions

Table 2. Groups Identified for Sampling Purposes: Relationship to Forests Quota Matrix MAIN GROUPS SUBGROUPS � Artists (General) Artists/Writers � Painters � Photographers � Writers � Sculptors Community Groups � Local Politicians � Community Forestry Organizations � Chamber of Commerce � Local Environmental Groups � Regional Environmental Groups � National/International Environmental Groups � Primary Educators Educators � Secondary Educators � Post Secondary Educators � Outdoor Educators Environment/Parks Managers and � Federal Parks Managers/Employees Employees � Provincial Parks Managers/Employees � Local/Municipal Parks Managers/Employees � Parks Canada Administration -- Managers/Employees (Dept. of Canadian Heritage) � B.C. MELP Parks Division Managers/Employees First Nations (Cultural Background) � Representatives of First Nations from a cross-section of Different Language Families in the Six Forest Regions. � Small Business Owners/Operators Forest Industry Managers and Employees � Managers/Supervisors (Private Sector ) : Including: Harvesting, Saw Mills, Pulp Mills, Fine Paper Making, Value � Workers Added/Remanufacturing, � Private Forestry Consultants Forestation/Silviculture, Non-Traditional. Forest Managers and Related Government � Forest Managers — MOF Regional Employees (Public Sector) � Forest Managers — MOF District � Forest Managers — MOF Operations � Forest Managers/Employees Other

(Continued) Relationship to Forests Quota Matrix. MAIN GROUPS SUBGROUPS Recreation Groups � Mountain Climbing � Outdoor Recreation � Naturalists � Hunters � Anglers � Birders � Local Hiking Groups � Other Recreation Groups � Scientists — Ecologists Scientists � Scientists — Trees � Scientists — Plants � Scientists — Animals � Scientists — Soil � Scientists — Water � Scientists — Other Tourism/Recreation Operators � Tourism Workers � Recreation Operators — Owners (General) � Guides � Outfitters � Trappers Trappers and Ranchers � Ranchers Unions � Cross-section of unions involved in the Forestry Sector.

Table 3. Items Used to Construct Abstract Value Indices. Section 1 of the Forest Values Questionnaire required respondents to rate the importance of 79 value indicators. The categories, and codes for these items were: 1 = Not Important, 2 = Somewhat Important, 3 = Very Important, 4 = Extremely Important. These value indicators were treated as interval-ratio level variables in the analyses. Based on theoretical, and substantive considerations, and upon results from factor analysis and reliability analysis, a set of abstract value indexes were created. These indexes, and the items that comprise them, are listed below. To construct each index, responses for the indicators comprising the value index were summed and the aggregate value was then divided by the number of indicators included in the index. The value of Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of reliability is provided for each index below. Ecological Values � = .84 � Healthy populations of wildlife and fish species � Maintaining biodiversity � Clean water � Clean air � Healthy soils Recreation and Outdoor Experiences � = .83 � Outdoor recreation in wilderness (e.g., large unlogged natural areas) � Outdoor recreation in large natural but non-wilderness settings (e.g., areas that have logging actvity) � Outdoor recreation in developed natural environments (e.g., provincial car campgrounds, lakes or beaches with facilities) � Gaining survival knowledge and skills � Having a sense of competence in the woods � Having a sense of competence in recreation activities � Knowing and identifying natural phenomena (e.g., birds, plants) � Gaining an understanding of natural systems and processes � Having a sense of connection to nature � Sharing time spent outdoors with friends and family � Having a sense of place (getting to know and feel at home in a particular natural environment)

Table 3. Items Used to Construct Abstract Value Indices (Continued). Aesthetic Values � = .84 � The beauty of your community � The beauty of natural areas surrounding your community � The beauty along major transportation corridors � The beauty of natural areas in which people recreate Community Sustainability � = .75 � Continued existence of smaller cities/towns around the province � Low unemployment in communities and the province � Community social stability (absence of large population fluctuations) � Community economic diversity � Community economic stability � Community economic growth Cultural Values � = .83 � First Nations traditional beliefs and way of life � First Nations sacred sites and artifacts � Sites and artifacts of Canada’s history Economic Values � = .81 � Provincial economic growth � Provincial economic diversity � Provincial economic stability � High paying work � Companies or industries that are profitable

Table 3. Items Used to Construct Abstract Value Indices Continued. Work Values � = .71 � Physically challenging work � Work that provides a variety of job experiences and required a range of skills � Work where there is a sense of community � Meaningful work (work that give you a sense of purpose or meaning) � Intellectually challenging work � Working outdoors Science and Education Values � = .77 � Scientific information and education about the functioning of natural ecosytems � Scientific information and education about the habitat needs of wildlife � Scientific information and education about growing trees and tending plantations � Scientific information and education about forest pests and diseases � Scientific information and education about the effects of different timber harvesting methods � Scientific information and education about First Nations’ traidtional knowledge and use of natural products and areas � Scientific information and education about British Columbians’ values associated with forests Equity Values � = .66 � Rights of future generations (inter-generational equity). � Rights of non-human plant and animal species to exists in their natural habitat (regardless of their use to humans) � Rights of First Nations to resources on their traditional territories � Equity between resource communities and large cities in the province � Equity among different resource communities of the province