Forest owners’ social networks – possibilities to enhance knowledge exchange

Abstract

Forest owners’ decision making is influenced by the people around them. In this thesis, social network approach was used to examine owners’ relationships with different individuals and organisations. The motivation of the thesis was to detect effective information channels that reach owners and the network structures that support owners’decision-making. Social network data from Finnish, small-scale forest owners were collected with a mail questionnaire and by phone interviews in two decision-making situations, timber trade (n=753) and voluntary biodiversity protection (n=44). For examining owners’ peer networks,data were collected via forest owners’ and forest professionals’ focus group interviews (n=43) and by interviewing and observing a study circle(n=7). Characteristics of egocentric networks were calculated with quantitative methods of social network analysis. Protection processes and owners’ mutual interactions were analysed with qualitative theory driven content analysis. Results indicate that several owners have one trusted professional with whom they deal both in timber trade and in voluntary protection.When owners have large holdings or significant decisions to make, such as permanent protection, their networks are large and diverse. To keep owners actively making forest-related decisions,it is important to transfer functioning channels between the professional and the owner to the next generation of owners. A forest management plan is a way to promote activities other than silviculture, such as biodiversity protection. Owners’ peer networks particularly exist among families and in the countryside between neighbours. In urban areas, owners meet mainly in expert-led extension events, where they have only a little space for mutual communication. One of the few owner-led practices is forest owner clubs. To strengthen forest owners’ identities, owner-driven and sufficiently homogenous peer groups that focus on diverse and interesting topics need to be created. Moreover, it is important to support the delivery of forest-related knowledge among families and via mentor owners.