Presentation for International Association of Wildland Fire Social Sciences Conference on natural resources survey I managed.

1. Seeing the Forest Through
the Trees:
Changing Attitudes and Awareness of
Residents in the San Bernardino
National Forest

4. Yellow is
USFS Land
Red is Private
Land

5. 100s of Private
Parcels

6. HISTORY
A century of fire
suppression
+
General
moratorium on
cutting trees
=
Uniformly dense
forests

13. The Program
• USDA Forest Service grants fund cost-share for small
residential forest landowners
• 75% : 25% match
• Private lands in and around the San Bernardino National
Forest – roughly 80,000 parcels!
• Thinning small-diameter (<12”dbh) green trees to reduce
hazardous fuels and increase forest health
• Small parcels (<20 acres) with tree density in excess of 100
trees per acre

14. Objectives
Properly thinned, healthy, and fire-safe communities!
1. Reduce hazardous fuels across the private inholdings
of the National Forest in the short term
2. Change landowner behavior in the long term

15. Key Factors in Acceptance
• Personal importance
– Vegetation amenity
– Property rights
– Knowledge
– Reasoned Action
• Social Importance
• Shared Responsibility
• Agency trust
– Professional skill
– Agency communication effort
– Local concerns versus state/national values and goals
– Immediate resource concerns versus future resource concerns
Sources: Winter et al., 2002
Brunson and Shindler, 2004
Steelman, 2004
Winter et al., 2009

17.
Demographics of the
Program
# of Appts. 2,413
# of Contracts Signed 1,644
# of Parcels Treated 1,616
Total Acreage 695
Communities served 29

18. Homeowner Reactions to Forest
Care
• Survey sent to 1,387 landowners (1,336 deliverable)
• 530 responses within three weeks
• 40% response rate
• Survey sought to evaluate:
– Perceptions of and behaviors relating to creation
and maintenance of defensible space
– Efficacy of Forest Care program in providing
education to landowners on fire safety and forest
health

19.
Survey Respondent Demographics
Yes No
Structure on the property 95% 5%
Full-time resident 43% 51%
Plan to build on vacant lot 4% 25%
Plan to keep the property in the family 84% 12%
Previous experience with wildfire 11% 89%
Previous property loss or damage due to wildfire 11% 89%
Average Number of Years Respondent Has Owned Property 16
1.67 acres
Average Respondent Property Size
(0.048-19.95 acres)

20.
Motivating Factors
Which was more of a motivating factor for your participation in Forest Care?
(n = 500)
Forest health 27%
Fire safety 5%
Both equally 68%
What were the motivating factors for your participation in Forest Care?
To create defensible space 83%
To improve the health of the remaining trees 82%
To contribute to the well-being of the community forest 70%
To make firefighters' jobs easier 59%
To improve the appearance of my property 55%
To learn more about forest health on my property 53%
To create defensible space for insurance purposes 49%
To learn more about fire safety on my property 49%

21.
Fire Safety
What is important for fire safety on your property? (n = 530 )
Vegetation maintained at an adequate distance from structures 39%
Neighbors maintain defensible space 35%
Adequate spacing between tree limbs and the ground (pruning) 28%
Branches are removed 10 ft. away from chimney and roof 26%
Trees and shrubs are spaced at least 15 ft. apart 23%

22. In their own words:
“Our property is so much more fire safe since we thinned
our lot. We did know we needed to thin, but we were not
sure which trees and plants to remove.“
“The young man who came out explained the program well
and the house looks better and seems safer with trees gone.”
“I thought it was beneficial to all. My knowledge about my
trees was greatly increased and I am pleased with the
results. Knowing that I have been pro-active in helping
promote forest care and long term helping the fire dept and
prevent more damage to us/neighbors. This was a win/win
program.”

23.
Forest Health
What is important for forest health on your property? (n = 500)
Health of individual
trees 65%
Low tree mortality (death) due to insects or pathogens 45%
Enough space between trees 42%
Absence of fire 26%
Variety of tree types 20%

24. In their own words:
“Bought property [in mountains] to get away from the
manicured look….”
“Cost-share was a big motivation for me to get going and do the
program. I am so glad I did - our property looks beautiful and our
trees are so much happier and healthier.”
“The area around our property looks better and, I assume, is
healthier. I would have not been able to thin my trees without
the Forest Care program. Thank you! Everyone was generous
with time and information.”

25.
Previous Management On Property
Did you manage the vegetation on your property before you participated in Forest Care?
Yes 85% (n = 409)
No 13% (n = 60)
If yes, what did you do to manage the vegetation on your property?
Raked excess pine needles 79%
Removed dead limbs 71%
Pruned trees 66%
Removed trees 50%
If no, why not?
Did not realize benefits 55%
Did not know where to get help 47%
Financial reasons 45%

26.
Management Changes On Property
Has your property maintenance changed as a result of participating in the Forest Care program?
Ye
s 64% (n = 309)
No 28% (n = 135)
If yes, how have you maintained thinned conditions on your property?
Excess pine needles are raked 58%
Debris from maintenance is removed from
site 55%
Trees are kept pruned 52%
Roof and gutters are cleaned of pine
needles 49%
If no, why not?
Other 53%
Not much vegetation on lot 16%
No structure exists on the lot 13%
Rarely visit the property 11%

27.
Behavior Changes as a Result of
Forest Care
As a result of Forest Care, are you now more
likely to:
Maintain defensible space on your
property 82%
Visually recognize unhealthy trees or unhealthy stands of
trees 68%
Encourage others to learn about forest health and fire
safety 67%
Feel more knowledgable about natural resource
management 58%

28. “We took out 180 trees, about 80 saplings, and our forest is still dense.
Forest Care gave us a great jump start on a truly out of control
situation. Hopefully we can tackle the rest one tree a year, replacing
weak trees with new growth, and saving the giant 1000 year old tree
at the curbside.”

29.
Forest Health Information
From what sources have you obtained information
about forest health and fire safety?
Forester visit from Forest Care program 63%
Information mailed directly to you 25%
Mountain Area Safety Task Force publications 23%
Newspapers 23%
Direct contact with agency representative 22%
Neighbor 16%

30. Key Factors in Compliance
• One-on-one consultation
• Direct mail
• Needs-based financial assistance or cost-share
• Diversity of social response
“Cost-share was a big motivation for me to get going and do the
program. I am so glad I did - our property looks beautiful and our
trees are so much happier and healthier.”

31.
Barriers Preventing Property Owners From Participating in Forest Care
In your opinion, what barriers exist that would prevent property owners from participating in
Forest Care?
They do not have enough money 78%
They do not know that grant funding to assist
landowners exists 78%
They do not live at the property full-time 64%
They do not have the physical ability to perform the work
themselves 59%
They are concerned that the property will not be as
attractive after thinning 55%
They do not want to lose privacy 50%

32. On the Ground Changes
•0.5 acre lot
Forest
Care Home •46 trees removed
•Landowner paid
$800 out of pocket
Burned
Home
Burned Home
2 Houses Up
The Street

33. Wrightwood Fire, 2009
“The house next door burned to the ground,
after the trees were trimmed on our
property. Our house was damaged but not
seriously burned. I’m sure the removal of
some trees between the two properties
contributed to the fact that our home did
not burn. Thank you, Forest Care, CAL
FIRE and Wrightwood Fire Department.”

34. Where to Go From Here
Widely perceived by residents that “others” are responsible for
noncompliance.
“Make it mandatory via the insurance companies or some other ordinance
to create a healthier and fire resistant forest.”
“it doesn't do much good from a fire safety or tree health standpoint when
the [property] above us is a flagrant violator….”
Targeted educational efforts