Seeing the Forest Through the Trees:

Changing Attitudes and Awareness of Residents in the San Bernardino

National Forest

Yellow is USFS Land

Red is Private Land

100s of Private Parcels

A century of fire suppression

+

General moratorium on cutting trees

=

Uniformly dense forests

HISTORYHISTORY

• 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

The Program

Properly thinned, healthy, and fire-safe communities!

ObjectivesObjectives

1. Reduce hazardous fuels across the private inholdings of the National Forest in the short term

2. Change landowner behavior in the long term

Key Factors in Acceptance• Personal importance

– Vegetation amenity– Property rights– Knowledge– Reasoned Action

• Social Importance

• Shared Responsibil i ty

• 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., 2002Brunson and Shindler, 2004

Steelman, 2004Winter et al., 2009

       

 Demographics of the Program  

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

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

               

  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 

  Average Respondent Property Size1.67 acres

          (0.048-19.95 acres)

 

                 

  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%                      

                

  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%

   

                

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.”

                 

  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%   

                 

In their own words:

“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.”

“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.”

                        

  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%  

                         

                     

  Management Changes On Property          

   

  Has your property maintenance changed as a result of participating in the Forest Care program?  

   

 

Yes 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%  

                     

                 

 

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%  

                 

“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.”

             

  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%                 

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.”

                     

  Barriers Preventing Property Owners From Part icipating 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%  

   

                     

•0.5 acre lot

•46 trees removed

•Landowner paid $800 out of pocket

Burned Home

Burned Home 2 Houses Up The Street

Forest Care Home

On the Ground ChangesOn the Ground Changes

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.”

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