Blacksburg, Va., Dec. 17, 1998 --A forest is more than trees, animals, and plants. There are social attributes, too.
Bruce Hull, a forestry professor at Virginia Tech, recently conducted a study of the relationships between the forest of Mount Rogers, Va. and its surrounding communities.
The study, part of the national research agenda to understand "human dimensions of ecosystem management," was sponsored by the Southern Research Station of the U.S. Forest Service.
"There is more to the forest than trees, water, and hunting," says Hull. "These things are significant, but there are some other qualities that we don't talk about as much or recognize."
Virginia Tech researchers worked with eight focus groups to get public perceptions of the forest. The groups of fewer than 20 people each represented "different communities of place" and "different communities of interest," Hull says.
The Mount Rogers focus groups included citizens from the nearby small towns of Abingdon, Damascus, Marion, and Independence, and were made up of real estate professionals, tourism officials, politicians, environmentalists, and members of the media.
Mount Rogers was chosen as the study site because it is an area of regional and national significance. Not only is it part of the Jefferson National Forest, but it is also a National Recreation Area and receives about a million visits each year.
This forest has a history of relations to the community. It was condemned and taken from private hands years ago. Now it is changing from remote Appalachia to a place of tourism and retirees as people head there for the quality of life.
Mount Rogers is also an example of local initiative applying the national research agenda to improve the quality of life.
Hull's study found that the informants recognized that
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Contact: Bruce Hull
hullrb@vt.edu
540-231-7272
Virginia Tech
17-Dec-1998