Forest Landowner Participation in State-Administered Southern Pine Beetle Prevention Cost-Share Programs

摘要

Healthy pine trees in low-density stands offer the best defense against the southern pine beetle (SPB), helping to ensure that timber resources and other benefits of forests are protected against infestations. Through the SPB prevention cost-share program, landowners of nonindustrial private forestland are able to receive a financial incentive for improving forest health by proactively undertaking forest management practices. In this study, two surveys were used to analyze this program: (1) a survey of enrollees in the SPB prevention cost-share program, and (2) a survey of forest landowners who have not participated in a cost-share program. Data are used to examine similarities and differences in the two samples (e.g., background awareness of the SPB, sources of their information about the SPB). Information obtained from cost-share program enrollees is also presented to characterize their participation and to provide an overall evaluation of the program. Data indicate that the SPB prevention cost-share program is very successful in terms of the satisfaction of its customers (i.e., the actual program participants).