Determining forest harvest impact assessment criteria using expert opinion: a delphi study

Abstract

Nonindiistrial private forests (NIPFs) accountfor 58% of the nation's commercial forest. The stewardship of these forests is important to the sustainability of a broad array afforest values. However, little is known about the stewardship behaviors ofNIPF owners, particularly as they relate to timber harvesting. As a first step in exploring the stewardship of harvested NIPFs, criteria were developed to aid in evaluating the postlogging condition of these forestlands. A Delphi procedure was used to systematically elicit expert opinion on the establishment of these criteria. Twenty experts in the fields afforest management, silviculture, and timber harvesting participated in the process that involved 3 iterations and spanned 7 months. A rating system of prioritized evaluation criteria and measures emerged that could be used to assess an array of posthan'est attributes. Applications of the system, in either its current or a modified form, include logger training program assessments and future studies afforest stewardship as it is reflected in posthan'est site conditions.