LOCAL VALUES AND PREFERENCES REGARDING THE BRIDGERTETON NATIONAL FOREST, WYOMING RESULTS OF TWO STUD

1
LOCAL VALUES AND PREFERENCES REGARDING THE
BRIDGER-TETON NATIONAL FOREST, WYOMING RESULTS
OF TWO STUDIES
Jessica Clement, Ph.D. and Tony Cheng,
Ph.D. Department of Forest, Rangeland and
Watershed Stewardship Colorado State
University jclement_at_warnercnr.colostate.edu
2
Introduction - Purpose of Studies

• Discover what is important to local residents in
  relation to the future of the Bridger-Teton
  National Forest (BT).
• State of Wyoming, Governors Office funds
  Colorado State University studies to explore
  Values and related preferences (a mixture of
  belief and attitudes).
• Values are more enduring, less likely to change
  and will guide residents in the long-term in
  their personal choices.

3
Introduction

• Values and preferences of residents in Fremont,
  Teton, Sublette, Lincoln and Park counties re. BT
  (Survey).
• Main values discourses that prevail in these
  counties regarding the BT and their context
  (Q-Study).

4
Introduction Survey and Q-Study
PEOPLE
DISCOURSES

a. Quantitative Q-Sorts b. Qualitative
Interviews

• What do People Think?
• Survey
• Intensity and Diversity of
• Values
• b. Place attachment of
• values on landscape
• Familiarity and use of
• BTNF
• d. Forest policy preferences
• e. Demographics.

Why do People think what they Think? Q-Study
5
Survey - Methodology

• Survey on BT Website for two weeks
• Input from organizations and individuals
  representing a diversity of stakeholders. Final
  decisions made by Governors Office staff, USFS
  staff and CSU researchers.
• Pretested in Central Wyoming College classes in
  Lander and Riverton.
• Sent four mailings to 300 random addresses each
  in five counties.
• n 483, 33 response rate.

6
Survey - Limitations
1. Non Response Bias Test Non-respondents
significantly less interested in the
Bridger-Teton National Forest than survey
respondents. 2. Non-respondents a little older,
received less education and had lived in Wyoming
longer. This demographic group generally less
inclined to participate in survey studies. 3.
Sample within median income range, Wyoming ethnic
distribution and the median education level. The
sample has a higher median age and a higher ratio
of male respondents. Recommendation for future
research proportionally stratify sample for
gender. 3. Survey methodology generates valid
and reliable, but specific and time-dependent
data. In this case, values might not change but
preferences might.
7
Survey Results of Respondents who Participate
in a Recreational Activity
8
Respondents
PREFERENCE FOR USES ON THE BTNF
9
Survey Results Wilderness Designation

• Congressionally designated Wilderness areas are
  devoted to recreational, scenic, scientific,
  educational, conservation, and historical
  purposes. Today nearly 1.3 million acres or 38
  of the Bridger-Teton NF has been designated as
  Wilderness. How much of the existing unroaded
  areas on the Bridger-Teton NF would you like to
  see recommended to Congress as additional
  wilderness?
• Favor
• None of the unroaded areas. 48
• Some of the unroaded areas. 23
• All of the unroaded areas. 18
• Dont know. 4

10
Survey Results Amount of Oil and Gas Leasing

• Oil and gas leasing is currently taking place in
  some parts of the Bridger-Teton NF. Please tell
  us your preference on this subject related to the
  Bridger-Teton NF (please circle one)
• Favor
• To expand the amount of oil and gas leases. 17
• To decrease the amount of oil and gas leases. 16
• To maintain the amount of oil and gas leasing 35
• at present levels.
• To not having any oil and gas leases. 27
• Dont know. 4

11
Survey Results Motorized Access
Favor
12
Survey Results Reasons for Support or
Opposition to Oil/Gas Leases
13
Survey Results Reasons for Support or
Opposition to Grazing Leases
14
Survey Results Vegetation Management

• On average, 1000-3000 acres of vegetation
  management (logging) occurs on the Bridger-Teton
  NF each year for fire mitigation, forest health,
  forest products and other purposes. How active
  would you like to see the Bridger-Teton NF be in
  relation to vegetation management over the next
  10-15 year Favor
• 1. More active. 472. The same level of
  activity 35
• 3. Less active. 8
• 4. No harvesting of timber on the Bridger-
• Teton NF. 2
• 5. Dont know. 8

15
Survey Results Values held in relation to the
Bridger-Teton National Forest 1
16
Survey Results Values held in relation to the
Bridger-Teton National Forest 2
17
Survey Results - Respondents
18
Q-Study
19
Objective of Study Rollies Subjectivity Survey
size, height, weight, vitals, eyesight (not
great), hearing (what hearing?), stomach size
(absolutely huge), Disposition (sweet But
stubborn) . Q-Study In Constant search of
food because hes very sure hell be
abandoned in some canyon again. Sometimes
overeats affecting weight, vitals, stomach size
and life expectancy. Strongly agrees with
Statement There are no fat dogs, just hungry
ones and strongly Disagrees with the
statement No. Rollies perspective is
reflected in the Dogs Rule Discourse.
Distinguishing Statement A Dog can Never Have
Too Much Food.
20
A Three Dimensional Social Perspective regarding
Forest Issues on the BTNF
RESIDENTS Their Personalities, Experience,
Values, Feelings, Beliefs, Norms and
Behavior Regarding the BTNF
Q-STUDY
Residents in Fremont, Park, Sublette, Lincoln and
Teton Counties.
SURVEY
Reasons for Values Context Prevailing
Discourses re. the BTNF
Forest Values and Preferences on Forest Issues
21
Q-study methodology

• Q-study Method to study the subjectivity/
  context, discover the stories behind the survey.
• Q-Sort Population of Statements from the local,
  ongoing discourse regarding the BTNF.
• Value Statements from Survey
• Selected for clarity, one value type and
  positivity.
• Selection panel of social scientists.
• 36 value statements on cards Q-sort

22
Q Study Methodology

• Person (P) sample People involved in the
  discourse, representing different parts of the
  discourse.
• USFS provided initial list of involved
  stakeholders who represent a wide diversity of
  stakeholders in the discourse regarding the
  future of the BTNF.
• Continued with referential sampling using input
  from local residents.
• P-Sample 33 Participants.

23
Q-Sort Participants place Statements according
to their level of agreement with a value
statement.
24
Q-Study Methodology

• 33 Q-Sorts entered for factor analysis.
• Factor analysis performed resulting in 5 factors
  (i.e. discourses) which explain together 70 of
  the variance in the main discourse re. BTNF.
• 5 Factors analyzed using the position of
  statements (-5 to 5) that loaded in discourses,
  the people that placed the statements, and their
  interviews.
• Participants may not load on only one discourse.
• Each discourse is a combination of nature and
  human-centered values.

25
Discourse 1 Preservation
26
Discourse 2 Traditional Recreation

• Participantsmixture of longer and shorter-term
  residents, hunters, ranch-associated residents,
  self-reliant backwoods men and women.
• This discourse appreciates traditional
  recreation, cultural and historic values,
  traditional economic values e.g. logging and
  grazing.
• Non-motorized rec. favored, motorized recreation
  in the middle or opposed, support older forms of
  rec.
• Wildlife important for life-sustaining,
  subsistence, and recreational reasons. Disagree
  with aesthetic, spiritual, therapeutic, intrinsic
  and most future values, also oil and gas winning.

27
Discourse 3 Place-Based? Conservationist?

• Participants grazing and logging associations
• Majority 20 yr residents.
• Culture, history, a desire for things to remain
  the same for the future, grazing, logging and
  spirituality are favored within the context of a
  peaceful forest.
• Energy activities, motorized recreation, economy
  expressly, grizzlies and wolves not agreed with.
• All other forms of biodiversity strongly favored.
  Logging, grazing, and subsistence activities
  form this discourses foundation these
  occupations not merely means of attaining a
  living and sustenance, they also provides
  spiritual meaning, re-creation and a sense of
  peace.

28
Discourse 4 Recreation

• Participants recreation-related business owners,
  members of rec. orgs., ski enthusiasts and
  largely non-motorized rec. enthusiasts.
• Main theme is rec. supported by biocentric
  values.
• All forms of biodiversity are rated positively,
  including grizzlies and wolves.
• Recreation, intrinsic, therapeutic and general
  spiritual values are favored while future,
  history, motorized rec., economic values are not
  favored. This discourse looks to the present .

29
Discourse 5 Economic
30
Discourse 5 Economic

• Participants business owners, elected officials
  and, predominantly motorized, recreation
  enthusiasts.
• Main focus the economic value of the BTNF.
  Positive about oil and gas winning (although not
  highly), motorized rec. and acknowledges their
  economic value. All forms of rec. and economic
  activities on BTNF rated positively.
• Wildlife important for rec. and in context of
  local economy, e.g. life sustaining and
  subsistence values.
• Statements not agreed with are spiritual, future,
  therapeutic, aesthetic and intrinsic.
• Aesthetic value here too, a statement discussing
  the BTNFs value in terms of love for wild,
  natural beauty is ranked positively but
  prettiness is negative.

31
Q-Study

• Common Sense Approach First, a healthy and
  resilient landscape with healthy wildlife
  populations (grizzlies and wolves?), second
  therapeutic, spiritual and aesthetic.
• Differences between wildlife/biodiversity and
  wildlife/biodiversity with grizzlies and wolves
  indicate solutions.
• Link between economic values and motorized
  recreation.
• Sense of Very Special Place.

32
Q-Study and Survey

• Q-Study triangulates Survey e.g. the same values
  that rank most highly in survey, play the largest
  role in Q-factors i.e. recreation and
  biodiversity.
• Oil and gas leasing on Forest favored by few,
  grazing supported conditionally, logging for WUI
  strong favor, other reasons less. Wildlife Rule
• Survey and Q-Study provide in-depth understanding
  of constituents values and preferences and the
  context within which constituents are
  deliberating issues.

33
Sincere Thanks To Kathie Mattor, M.S. Temple
Stevenson and Mark Toft, State of Wyoming,
Governors Office Mark Nordeen and Central
Wyoming College Rick Fox and Brian Goldberg, USDA
Forest Service, BTNF The Administrative Staff of
the Forest, Rangeland and Watershed Stewardship
Department at Colorado State University
Special Thanks to all the Q-Study Participants
and the Survey Respondents
34
(No Transcript)