Understanding place meanings for wilderness: Personal and community values at risk

Abstract

Abstract: Information about human relationships with wilderness is important for wilderness management decisions, including decisions pertaining to the use of wildland fire. In a study about meanings attached to a national forest, local residents were asked to identify places they valued on the forest, why they valued them, and how fuel treatments affected those values. Local residents attach many meanings to the wilderness part of the landscape and they have opinions about the use of wildland fire as a fuel treatment there. Understanding the meanings humans attach to wilderness and how it influences their perceptions of fire and fuels manage-ment there can help managers anticipate public response to planned activities. Introduction the meanings local people attach to the wilderness portion Information about human relationships with wilderness is of a national forest landscape and their opinions about the important for wilderness management decisions, includ- use of wildland fire in fuels management there. ing decisions pertaining to the use of wildland fire. In a study about meanings attached to a national forest, local Human Connectivity to Public Lands