Public attitudes about forest pest outbreaks and control: Case studies in two Canadian provinces

Chang, Wei-Yew; Lantz, Van; MacLean, David A.

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2008.11.031

Cited by 37 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 22 publications

(36 reference statements)

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“…For instance, Beaton et al (2002) have used the SBWDSS to infer effects of moderate and severe SBW outbreaks on several ecological values in a southern NB landbase, including: deer wintering areas, old spruce-fir habitat, buffers along watercourses and highways, future forest structure including species composition and diameter distribution, and conservation and unique areas. Additionally, Chang et al (2009) have shown that a large majority of the public in NB and SK support SBW control, but with priority for protection given to ecologically sensitive areas and wildlife habitat during the next outbreak. Integrating these previous analyses with economic analysis conducted in the current study can provide policy makers with a more complete picture of the full implications of SBW management options.…”

Section: Article In Pressmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing costs and benefits of pest management on forested landbases in eastern and western Canada

Slaney

Lantz

MacLean

2010

JFE

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JEL classification: Q23 Q28 Q00 Keywords:Spruce budworm Decision support system Timber product value Protection costs Insecticide use Benefit/cost ratio Net present value a b s t r a c t To assist pest management planning, the Canadian Forest Service developed the Spruce Budworm Decision Support System (SBW DSS), which quantifies the timber supply impacts of protecting stands against spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana Clem.) defoliation. We incorporated protection costs and timber product values in this system to evaluate economic aspects of spruce budworm control. The analysis allows pest managers to evaluate the degree to which the traditional volume protection priority objective corresponds to three economic criteria, namely the volume protected per dollar protection program cost, the benefit-cost ratio of the protection program, and the net present value of the protection program. Twelve alternative spruce budworm protection strategies were analyzed on Crown License 1 in New Brunswick and Prince Albert Forest Management Area (PAFMA) in Saskatchewan, based on a number of protection program extents and intensities. For both landbases under basecase market conditions, the largest, most intensive protection scenario provided the highest amount of volume saved and net present value (at 3.94 Mm 3 and $39.98 M for PAFMA, and 4.04 Mm 3 and $41.49 M for License 1, respectively) while smaller, less-intensive programs provided the highest benefit-cost ratios and volume protected per present value dollar of protection cost (at 8.22 and 0.52 m 3 /$ for PAFMA, and 10.26 and 0.65 m 3 /$ for License 1, respectively). Sensitivity analysis on product values and protection costs revealed that smaller, less-intensive programs could also produce the highest net present values when costs are higher and/or product values lower. These results highlight the conditions under which pest managers should consider deviating ARTICLE IN PRESS

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Section: Article In Pressmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing costs and benefits of pest management on forested landbases in eastern and western Canada

Slaney

Lantz

MacLean

2010

JFE

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“…Less attention has been paid to the natural control of forest pests even though forest pests, especially leaf consuming insects, provoke severe damage for forestry worldwide every year (ICP Forest, 2011). In 2005, e.g., herbivorous insects defoliated over 16 million ha of forests in Canada alone (Chang et al, 2009). The situation is similarly serious in Europe, where the proportion of trees with moderate (more than 25 %) defoliation has generally covered more than 20 % of deciduous forests, and has shown a clearly increasing trend (UN-ECE/ FAO, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of forest heterogeneity on the efficiency of caterpillar control service provided by birds in temperate oak forests

Bereczki

Odór

Csóka

et al. 2014

Forest Ecology and Management

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Controlling herbivore insects by insectivorous birds is a major ecosystem service, nevertheless little is known about how local habitat features and forest management influence the efficiency of this service and about how the pest control service birds provide can be maintained and improved. We conducted an experiment in temperate oak forests in the Mátra Mountains, northern Hungary to measure bird predation rate of artificial caterpillars resembling winter moth (Operophtera brumata L.) larvae, to evaluate the relationships among insectivorous bird communities, caterpillar populations and leaf damage caused by caterpillars and to assess the effect of forest heterogeneity on these processes. We found, that structurally heterogeneous forests maintained a significantly higher abundance of insectivorous birds.Especially the tree size heterogeneity increased bird abundance. The rate of bird predation was positively related to the abundance of insectivorous birds as well as to caterpillar abundance, which indicates that birds were able to respond to caterpillar density. We were not able to demonstrate a direct negative effect of bird predation on caterpillar abundance and a positive effect of caterpillar abundance on leaf damage. Structurally heterogeneous forests, however, suffered from less leaf damage than did homogeneous forests, which result may indicates that the higher activity of insectivorous birds in heterogeneous stands resulted in 3 lower activity of insect herbivores. Thus, we concluded that forest management can contribute to the mitigation of insect damages by maintaining the suitability of forest stands to the insectivorous bird communities through the maintenance of high stand heterogeneity and the presence of some key elements (e.g. retention tree groups, tree diversity, shrub layer).

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“…For example, Chang et al (2008) suggested that familiarity with agricultural chemicals in Saskatchewan may have contributed to greater acceptance of chemical control of insects. A common response by resource managers has been to provide information materials and scientific evidence that chemical products used in forest management are safe for humans when used as directed.…”

Section: Concerns About Human Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Another national survey conducted in 1996, showed that the use of herbicides to control unwanted vegetation was perceived negatively, while responses to sheep grazing and manual methods were more favourable (Robinson et al 1997). Other studies to compare public views of forest treatments for vegetation or insects have indicated clear preferences for biological over chemical control techniques (MacDonald et al 1998, Wagner 1998a, Chang et al 2008. In a study of public values and attitudes towards forest management, Nadeau et al (2008) found that New Brunswick residents perceived the use of herbicides as more detrimental than beneficial.…”

Section: Preferred Vegetation Management Alternativesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a study of public values and attitudes towards forest management, Nadeau et al (2008) found that New Brunswick residents perceived the use of herbicides as more detrimental than beneficial. In another study comparing public attitudes towards controlling insect infestations, Chang et al (2008) found that residents of New Brunswick were more concerned about chemical treatments than those in Saskatchewan. The authors suggested that this could be due to a long history of concerns and media coverage about forest spraying in New Brunswick or to greater familiarity and comfort with the use of agricultural chemicals in Saskatchewan.…”

Section: Preferred Vegetation Management Alternativesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Social Concerns, Risk and The Acceptability of Forest Vegetation Management Alternatives: Insights for Managers

Wyatt

Rousseau

Nadeau

et al. 2011

The Forestry Chronicle

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Although public opinion and social issues have significant influence on policy-making, research on forest vegetation management (FVM) in Canada has a strong focus on biological aspects, with less attention being paid to social concerns. This paper reviews the social context in which FVM occurs. Individual views about FVM reflect a combination of values, beliefs, and attitude while also including differing perceptions of risks. Public views and the broader social acceptability of management decisions can be linked to five key factors: context, risk, aesthetics, trust, and knowledge. Judgements about acceptability will usually change over time and across specific situations and various segments of a population could make opposing judgements. We identify a variety of public concerns related to FVM in Canada, synthesizing research that can help resource managers consider the social impacts of their choices. We also note particular concerns related to Aboriginal peoples and the FVM workforce. Information about the benefits and disadvantages of FVM options can help resolve public concerns, but using technical information to convince the public is rarely successful. Forest management agencies and resource managers need access to reliable information about social values and concerns to make management decisions that will be socially acceptable.Key words: social acceptability, vegetation management, silviculture, forest policy, public participation, forest values, risk management, scenic values RÉSUMÉBien que l' opinion publique et les enjeux sociaux exercent une influence significative sur l' élaboration des politiques, la plupart des travaux de recherche sur le contrôle de la végétation en forêt au Canada ont été consacrés aux aspects biologiques et ont négligé les considérations sociales. Cet article fait la synthèse du contexte social dans lequel s'inscrit le contrôle de la végétation. Les perceptions individuelles du contrôle de la végétation sont le reflet d'une combinaison de valeurs, de croyances et d'attitudes et de perceptions différentes des risques encourus. Les perceptions publiques et, de manière plus large, l'acceptabilité sociale des choix d'aménagement, sont liées à cinq facteurs fondamentaux : le contexte, les risques, l' esthétique, la confiance et les connaissances. Les jugements sur l'acceptabilité vont généralement évoluer dans le temps en fonction des situations. De même, différents groupes dans la population pourront avoir des jugements opposés. Nous identifions une série de préoccupations sociales associées au contrôle de la végétation, sur la base d'une synthèse des travaux de recherche susceptibles d'aider les gestionnaires dans la prise en compte des impacts sociaux de leurs choix. Nous notons également des enjeux particuliers associés aux Premières Nations et à la main-d' oeuvre en contrôle de la végétation. L'information au sujet des bénéfices et des désavantages de différentes approches en contrôle de la végétation peut aider à répondre aux préoccupations du public. Cependant, le re...

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Public attitudes about forest pest outbreaks and control: Case studies in two Canadian provinces

Cited by 37 publications

References 22 publications

Assessing costs and benefits of pest management on forested landbases in eastern and western Canada

Assessing costs and benefits of pest management on forested landbases in eastern and western Canada

Effects of forest heterogeneity on the efficiency of caterpillar control service provided by birds in temperate oak forests

Social Concerns, Risk and The Acceptability of Forest Vegetation Management Alternatives: Insights for Managers

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