Heimo Karppinen, Mika Korhonen. (2013). Do forest owners share the public’s values? An application of Schwartz’s value theory. Silva Fennica vol. 47 no. 1 article id 894. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.894

Keywords: demographics; family forest owners; objectives of forest ownership; the public; Schwartz’s value theory

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The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences in value priorities between Finnish forest owners and the general public. A conclusion is drawn whether and to what extent value changes in society are reflected in forest owners’ values and objectives, and, finally, in their actual forestry behavior. In addition, the study highlights the differences in value priorities among forest owners in various demographic groups. The data set used in this study was based on a nationwide mail survey on Finnish non-industrial private forest owners conducted in 2009 and consisting of 2116 observations of forest owners. Schwartz’s value theory was a good fit for testing the value priorities of forest owners. The three most important values were benevolence, security and conformity, both among the forest owners and the public. Tradition was ranked the fourth most important value by the forest owners, but very low by the public. The forest owners ranked universalism slightly lower than the public in general. This difference was clearly greater when the female forest owners were compared to women in the whole population. The probability of a forest owner belonging to the Softies (high emphasis on universalism and benevolence) increased with age and was higher for the female owners and the owners with recreational or multiple objectives compared to the indifferent owners. The multiobjective owners and recreationists had relatively similar value profiles. The previous literature suggests that multiobjective owners are the most active forest owner group and that recreationists and indifferent owners are the most passive groups in their timber supply behavior. The relationship between values and forestry behavior thus remains ambiguous.

Karppinen, Department of Forest Sciences, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland E-mail: heimo.karppinen@helsinki.fi
Korhonen, Kämnerintie 7e 41, FI-00750 Helsinki, Finland E-mail: mika.korhonen@gmx.com

article id 699, category Research article

Heimo Karppinen. (1998). Values and objectives of non-industrial private forest owners in Finland. Silva Fennica vol. 32 no. 1 article id 699. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.699

Keywords: non-industrial private forests; landowner objectives; forest values; owner characteristics; forestry behavior

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The purpose of the study was to create an empirical typology of non-industrial private forest owners based on forest values and long-term objectives of forest ownership, to identify these types by owner and holding characteristics, as well as to analyze silvicultural and harvesting behavior in these groups. The analysis was based on survey data on 245 forest owners in southeastern Finland. The results indicated that general forest values and long-term objectives of forest ownership are not strongly correlated. The results further suggested that the sole emphasis on economic benefits of forests does not lead to the most active silvicultural and harvesting behavior. Multiobjective owners, who underlined both monetary and amenity benefits of their forest property, were the most active in their silvicultural and cutting behavior. Non-timber objectives seemed not to exclude wood production: a group called recreationists harvested slightly less than other owners. Recreationists were willing to invest in forestry but were selective with respect to management practices. The results can be used in planning and implementation of public forest policy such as allocation of the resources of forestry extension services. Forest industries should also benefit from a knowledge of the objectives of roundwood sellers.

Karppinen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Helsinki Research Centre, Unioninkatu 40 A, FIN-00170 Helsinki, Finland E-mail: heimo.karppinen@helsinki.fi

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