Public satisfaction with forest management in western Montana: an evaluation of trust and public engagement

Author

Haley R. Hodge, The University Of MontanaFollow

Year of Award

2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Name

Resource Conservation

Department or School/College

W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation

Committee Chair

Dr. Elizabeth Metcalf

Commitee Members

Dr. Philip Higuera, Dr. Erin Semmens, Dr. Alexander Metcalf

Keywords

trust, engagement, satisfaction, forest management, collaboration

Publisher

University of Montana

Abstract

Trust is an integral component of the public engagement process involving land management agencies and local stakeholders. Traditional methods of public engagement, such as public meetings and comment periods, often result in low public satisfaction with the participation process and management outcomes. Two components of public engagement, process control and decision control, are critical for successful engagement processes and satisfaction with management decisions. Process control requires providing opportunities for public input, whereas decision control involves the public perceiving influence over management decisions. While recent studies have examined the relationships among process control, decision control, and public satisfaction, trust in a land management agency has not been examined. Data were obtained from a social monitoring survey that was administered to residents in the Swan Valley, Montana in 2018, which evaluated public perceptions with forest management. A path analysis was conducted to quantify the relationships among process control, decision control, trust, and satisfaction. Decision control and process control had a positive, direct effect on satisfaction; however, trust emerged as a significant predictor of satisfaction with management decisions. This finding suggests that simply providing the opportunity for input will not increase stakeholder satisfaction. Rather, stakeholders need perceived influence over the management decision and trust in the agency to be satisfied with management outcomes. Increasing trust between agencies and stakeholders will allow agencies to improve their relationship with the public, resulting in more public participation and comprehensive management decisions.

Recommended Citation

Hodge, Haley R., "Public satisfaction with forest management in western Montana: an evaluation of trust and public engagement" (2020). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 11571.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/11571