Forest management decisions of North Carolina landowners relative to the red-cockaded woodpecker

摘要

Nonindustrial private forest landowners (NIPFLs) own 74% of the 7.81 million forested ha in North Carolina. North Carolina also is home to the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis, RCW), the only North American woodpecker species to excavate nest cavities in live pine trees. We conducted a mail survey of 2,000 NIPFLs in the Sandhills and lower Coastal Plain regions of North Carolina to determine whether forest management decisions were influenced by a NIPFL's perceived risk of RCWs inhabiting their land and, if yes, what was exerting the influence. We also determined which factors (biological, spatial, economic, forestland characteristics, Endangered Species Act knowledge, and demographics) contributed most to perceived risk. We found that NIPFLs' perceived risk of RCW inhabitation on their property influences forest management decisions. The sole factor responsible for that influence was a NIPFL's level of concern regarding potential restrictions the Endangered Species Act may place on their ability to harvest timber (Pless than or equal to0.001). Furthermore, a NIPFL's perceived risk seemed to be fueled by the priority placed on owning forestland for timber production (P=0.004), frequency of prescribed burning (Pless than or equal to0.001), and the next planned timber harvest (P=0.03). However, the dominant factor that seemed to determine whether a NIPFL would perceive a risk from RCWs was whether he or she received technical assistance in managing his or her forestland (P=0.001). A forest landowner who received technical assistance was more likely to perceive a risk than a landowner who did not receive assistance. We recommend the implementation of a public education campaign to inform NIPFLs about the RCW and the Endangered Species Act. Moreover, additional research should be conducted into the relationship between consulting foresters and private landowners.