Cross-boundary cooperation in a watershed context: The sentiments of private forest landowners

• Published in: Environmental management (New York) Vol. 30; no. 4; pp. 584 - 594
• Main Authors: RICKENBACH, Mark G, REED, A. Scott
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Springer 01-10-2002; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Conservation of Natural Resources; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Cooperation; Data Collection; Ecosystem management; Environmental management; Ethics, Professional; Forest management; Forestry; Forests; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; General forest ecology; Generalities. Production, biomass. Quality of wood and forest products. General forest ecology; Humans; Landowners; Landscape ecology; Oregon; Ownership; Private Sector; Property rights; Social psychology; Sustainable forestry; Water Supply; Watershed management; Watersheds; United States; North America; America; Oregon; USA, Oregon; Forest management; Owner; Environmental management; Private sector; Cooperation; Watershed
• ISSN: 0364-152X; 1432-1009
• DOI: 10.1007/s00267-002-2688-5

Ecosystem management and sustainable forestry on mixed ownership landscapes will require some level of cross-boundary coordination or management. Oregon's experiment with local, voluntary, collaborative forums, called watershed councils, is one mechanism to foster cross-boundary management. Fifty qualitative, in-depth interviews in three study areas were conducted with nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) landowners, watershed council members, and agency employees to learn how and why landowners participate (or not) on watershed councils. Study areas were located in three different areas of the state to reflect different ecological and organizational settings. Our case study identified three themes-stewardship ethic, property rights amid uncertainty, and action orientation-that were most salient among landowners when deciding to participate in their local watershed council. Other factors related to competing opportunities were also identified. Our results relate to the social psychological antecedents to cooperation of perceived consensus, group identity, and legitimacy of authority as well as to applied situations where cross-boundary coordination and management are goals.