Private forest landowners (PFL) own a significant portion of forestland in the United States and globally. Growing concerns about deforestation, continued population expansion, and an increased demand for forest products, are combining to pressure PFLs to supply a larger proportion of domestic wood products. Forest aesthetics are among one of the non-economic considerations that guide forest landowner behavior and management objectives. Due to a negative association of forest aesthetics following a timber harvest and/or other forest management activity with damage, PFLs are often less likely to actively manage their forestland.
Defining forest sustainability has become a much debated topic between policy makers, resource managers and other stakeholders. The definition of a sustainable forest or sustainable forest management practice (SFM) changes considerably based on an individual’s sociodemographics and core beliefs. Adding additional complexity, the concept of sustainability addresses the temporal issue of intergenerational equity. Many agencies and interest groups have defined sustainability, but little consensus has been reached.
Forest aesthetics are a fundamental element of sustainability. Previous research has identified various visual preference themes associated with timber harvesting but little has been done to assess how PFLs associate these features with forest sustainability. This study examines possible linkage between aesthetics and forest sustainability. Through the use of qualitative data analysis, a better understanding of forest landowner motivations is obtained.
