Values, beliefs, and attitudes technical guide for Forest Service land and resource management, planning, and decision-making

Abstract

In recent years, the Forest Service and the public have placed increasing priority on making sure that management of public lands takes into account the needs of nearby communities, regional residents, national residents, and even members of the public who may not currently visit public lands. As awareness and commitment to this wide range of stakeholders grows, so does the need for forest managers and planners to understand the dynamic linkages among the forest, surrounding communities, and other stakeholders, including the national public. Knowing about public values, beliefs, and attitudes (VBAs) relevant to public land management is one foundation for understanding these linkages. Managers and planners aware of the systematic differences in values, beliefs, and attitudes held by the public and stakeholder groups are in a better position to define resource issues, develop alternative ways of addressing them, assess their social and cultural impacts, identify acceptable management measures, and monitor the results. The VBA technical guide is designed to acquaint Forest Service staff and line officers with the concepts of values, beliefs, and attitudes; to demonstrate ways in which VBAs and associated concepts can be measured and analyzed; and to suggest methods for applying VBA information to decisions about projects and plans.