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(10) The Social Constraints of Using Prescribed Fire on the National Forests in Arkansas
Janean H. Creighton - Washington State University, Spokane, WA
Tamara Walkingstick - Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, Little Rock, AR
Rebecca Montgomery - Arkansas Forestry Commission, Monticello, AR
Concurrent Session: A1: Addressing Challenges Through Research and Education
The increased use of prescribed fires by land managers along with increases of population in the Ouachita and Ozark Region of Arkansas during the past 20 years has brought to the surface the inherent conflicts with regard to the use of fire as a land management tool. A better understanding of stakeholder concerns, attitudes, and beliefs relating to prescribed fire is needed to minimize potential disputes among stakeholder groups. In addition, dissemination of this information is needed to create a foundation upon which open discussions between divergent stakeholder groups can take place and provide infrastructure for solving disputes related to the application of fire as a land management tool.
The project was organized in a number of specific phases. First, a total of six focus group meetings were held throughout the Ouachita and Ozark region, with participants representing a wide range of stakeholders. In the second phase we developed a mail survey to substantiate and better quantify the findings from the focus group meetings. An additional public-at-large survey was developed to gain a better understanding of public knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs surrounding prescribed fire, for comparison against stakeholder issues and concerns. Lastly, stakeholders in the Ozark region were invited to a day long collaborative learning workshop held in May 2007, and facilitated by UA Extension educators.
We will report on the findings for each project phase with an emphasis on the outcomes of the collaborative learning workshop, and will discuss the implications for Extension in dealing with contentious natural resource disputes.
Janean H. Creighton
Washington State University Extension
222 N. Havana, Spokane, WA 99202, USA
Phone: 509-477-2199
Fax: 509-477-2087
creighton@wsu.edu