New York society of American foresters' perceptions of climate change

Abstract

Climate change may greatly impact forests in the northeastern United States, but no research has been conducted on how forest managers perceive this threat. Foresters' perceptions of climate change could impact their management decisions. We conducted an online survey of professional members of the New York Society of American Foresters (NYSAF). In this exploratory study, we found that although the majority was completely or mostly convinced that climate change is occurring, there was a great deal of disagreement regarding the impacts of climate change on New York State forests. Academic foresters, foresters with less than 10 years of experience, and liberal respondents were more likely to feel that climate change is occurring. These results can facilitate education and discussion within the national forestry community and contribute to a better understanding of the implications of forester perceptions on forest management, providing an important foundation for identifying if foresters feel that it is necessary to implement management regimes to mitigate the effects of climate change. © 2011 by the Society of American Foresters.