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Project ID: 10-1-03-7

Year: 2010

Date Started: 10/01/2010

Ending Date:  06/30/2014

Title: Examining the Influence of Communication Programs and Partnerships on Perceptions of Smoke Management

Project Proposal Abstract: This project examines how communication programs and fire and fuels-related community partnerships influence public perceptions of smoke management across multiple regions. Using a case study design, we will compare communities where smoke (from wildfire or prescribed fire) has impacted citizens and examine the factors that influence acceptance levels. We will identify communication strategies that were used in relation to smoke, assess community preparedness for fire and presence of partnerships, and explore whether these strategies and partnerships influence citizen tolerance of smoke. Preliminary results will be synthesized and used in a series of behavioral experiments at each study site to assess the influ-ence of different interventions on participants attitudes and behaviors towards smoke. This project ad-dresses RFA 2010-1, Task Statement 3, Questions 4 and 5. The purpose of this project is to improve our understanding of the factors that influence citizen tolerance of smoke and assess the effectiveness of management interventions, including communication programs, to influence citizen responses. 1. Identify appropriate research sites where prescribed fires have recently occurred or are planned, or there has recently been a wildland fire. Sites will be chosen to represent a variety of geographic, ecological, and social regions. The intention is to choose sites employing different com-munication strategies and with varying degrees of preparedness for wildfire and community partner-ships. At least three sites will be included in this research (see description of candidate sites below). 2. Compare perceptions about and tolerance of smoke across multiple regions. The research team will conduct a series of interviews with agency personnel and key community members across loca-tions. These interviews will inform the development of a general population survey that will be repli-cated across the study sites. Results will enable comparisons across locations to identify similarities and key differences in public understanding, attitudes, and acceptance. 3. Evaluate factors that influence perceptions of smoke, prescribed fire, fuel reduction, and citi-zen-agency communication. Grounded in the Augmented RISP social-psychological model, the re-search team will examine the factors that influence citizen acceptance of smoke within and across lo-cations. The analysis will examine the role of beliefs (including risk perceptions, trust, perceived knowledge, etc.) in influencing information seeking and processing behaviors, norms, and perceived behavioral control on attitudes toward smoke. The analysis will also account for the role of site char-acteristics, history of citizen-agency interactions and communication strategies, and wildfire prepar-edness and other important contextual factors in the analysis. 4. Develop experimental communication approaches and examine their effectiveness. Based on findings to Objective 3, the research team will develop different communication designed to influence those variables most strongly associated with citizen acceptance of smoke. A series of experiments will be conducted with participants to examine the effectiveness of these messages. 5. Conduct regional workshops to discuss findings and implications with JFSP cooperators and partner groups. This research will be useful if it is relevant to those who can benefit most. We will work with agency partners to conduct workshops and provide technology transfer materials for ap-propriate audiences (e.g., decision-makers, fire management and outreach personnel, community leaders). Discussion will include how to best use the information resulting from this study.

Principal Investigator: Eric L. Toman

Agency/Organization: Ohio State University

Branch or Dept: School of Environment & Natural Resources-Columbus

Other Project Collaborators

Type	Name	Agency/Organization	Branch or Dept
Co-Principal Investigator	Christine S. Olsen	Oregon State University	Department of Forest Ecosystems & Society
Federal Cooperator	Alexandra P. Fischer	Forest Service	PNW-Forestry Sciences Lab-Corvallis
Federal Fiscal Representative	Rebecca A. Slick	Forest Service	PNW-Pacific Northwest Research Station

Project Locations

Consortium

Other

Level	State	Agency	Unit
NATIONAL		BLM
NATIONAL		FS
NATIONAL		STATE

Project Deliverables

There is no final report available for this project.

	ID	Type	Title
	10189	NonRefereed Publication	Public Perceptions of Smoke and Smoke Communication: A General Population Survey
	9899	NonRefereed Publication	Perceptions of Smoke Management: a Summary of Interview Findings in South Carolina
	9898	NonRefereed Publication	Perceptions of Smoke Management: a Summary of Interview Findings in Oregon
	9897	NonRefereed Publication	Perceptions of Smoke Management: a Summary of Interview Findings in Montana
	9896	NonRefereed Publication	Perceptions of Smoke Management: a Summary of Interview Findings in California
	9881	MS Thesis	Influencing Public Perceptioins of Smoke Management and Prescribed Burning Programs: An Analysis of Opportunities Existing in Communication Tactics, Community-Based Partnerships and Interagency Decision Making (D. Mazzotta)
	10211	Conference/Symposia/Workshop	Perceptions of Smoke Management: Survey Results From Communities Near Four National Forests
	10210	Conference/Symposia/Workshop	Who Hates Smoke? Some Ideas About How to Talk to Them
	9880	Conference/Symposia/Workshop	Fire Managers and Air Quality Regulators on Communicating With the Public About Smoke: Stories From Four States
	9879	Conference/Symposia/Workshop	The Influence of Communication Strategies on Public Acceptance of Smoke: Preliminary Results From Communities Adjacent to Four US National Forests
	9766	Conference/Symposia/Workshop	Perceptions of Smoke: An Examination of the Challenges and Opportunities in Smoke Management Across Four U.S. National Forests
	9210	Conference/Symposia/Workshop	Communication Strategies and Sustainable Partnership Development in Forest Management: An Examination of Tolerance for Smoke From Prescribed Fire in Four U.S. Communities
	9767	Conference/Symposia/Workshop	Public Tolerance for Smoke and Influencing Factors: A Preliminary Look at Survey Findings From Four States

Supporting Documents

There are no supporting documents available for this project.

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