Landowner Perceptions of Protecting and Establishing Riparian Forests: A Qualitative Analysis

Abstract

While the ecological importance of riparian forests is widely recognized, identifying the best policies for reforesting privately owned stream lands also requires an understanding of societal perceptions. Forty semistructured interviews with riparian landowners in central Pennsylvania revealed a study population driven by competing considerations. On one hand, these landowners expressed a community obligation to consider the downstream consequences of their management styles. On the other, they often failed to appreciate their own contributions to water pollution and were reluctant to abandon the ordered landscapes to which they were accustomed. Possible implications of these findings are advanced.