Values Suitability Analysis: A Methodology for Identifying and Integrating Public Perceptions of Ecosystem Values in Forest Planning

Abstract

National forest planning cannot resolve all resource management issues but improved planning methods can more fully engage the public and lead to better public participation in decision making. This paper presents a planning methodology known as ‘values suitability analysis’ (VSA) that combines the features of expanded public participation with a rational, analytic framework for incorporating human values into forest plan decision making. The VSA methodology provides a means to evaluate and compare how ‘logically consistent’ potential management prescriptions (set of activities) are with publicly held forest values. Based on a spatial inventory of ecosystem values, the VSA methodology constructs a numerical rating, or set of ratings, for each management prescription and ecosystem value interaction. These ratings are used to determine (1) which management prescription is most compatible with the dominant ecosystem value within a given management area, as well as (2) the marginal difference in overall compatibility between alternative management prescriptions. The VSA methodology can be used to generate forest plan alternatives or serve as a benchmark to evaluate different forest plan alternatives. The adoption of VSA may be hampered by lack of trust and other institutional issues.