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Forest-user attitudes toward alternative fire management policies

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Abstract

The formulation and implementation of new fire policies in the national forests depend upon public acceptance. A national survey of organized groups of forest users indicates that, contrary to the concern of many forest managers, considerable support exists for flexible fire suppression policies. Forest users are also willing to accept the risk associated with the manager's use of prescribed fire. However, important intergroup differences do exist. Such variation is discussed in relation to a number of socioeconomic variables, general fire knowledge, specific knowledge about the effects of low-intensity fires, and risk preference levels.

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Gardner, P.D., Cortner, H.J., Widaman, K.F. et al. Forest-user attitudes toward alternative fire management policies. Environmental Management 9, 303–311 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01867302

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