Voluntary best management practice implementation by nonindustrial private forestland owners in New York City's water supply system

Abstract

Protecting the quality of New York City's 5, 180 square-kilometer surface water storage and supply system is not achieved with extensive regulations or comprehensive filtration, but through voluntarism. With nearly 3,885 square-kilometers offorestland, the importance of fostering forest management that is compatible with water quality is paramount, yet challenging, given that approximately 90 percent of the system's forestland is privately owned. The objective of this study was to evaluate voluntary best management practices implementation by nonindustrial private forestland owners in New York City's water supply system. The theoretical constructs of the innovation-decision process model were tested for covariance using data collected from owners and their forestland in New York City's water supply system. Path analysis indicated that certain types of knowledge predict an owner's attitude formation or decision to use best management practices, but attitude formation does not always predict their decision. In addition, analysis of variance demonstrated that the implementation of best management practices does not always depend on a nonindustrial private forestland owner's decision. This empirical result stimulates questions regarding the systemic variables at play in the transition from decision to implementation of forestry practices. Copyright © 2006 by the Society of American Foresters.