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Exploring the Factors that Characterize the Decision Process for the Use of Prescribed Fire in South Carolina

Singh, Devyani
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1339767070

Abstract Details

2012, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Environment and Natural Resources.
The decision to use prescribed fire for the management of forests is a complex and uncertain process. The interplay of the risks and benefits from prescribed fires creates a high degree of uncertainty in outcomes that can lead to the use of various decision-heuristics, or mental shortcuts, for decision-making. A variety of factors can affect a manager’s decision to use fire, and may include both cognitive factors internal to the decision maker (e.g. risk-aversion, affect, and availability), and factors that provide guidelines or expectations for behaviors (e.g. existing legislation, management plans, and social influences). Substantial research has examined the cognitive factors that affect human decision-making, but research is limited on factors influencing natural resource decision-making, especially for the use of prescribed fire. This project addresses the gap by providing data which illustrate the influential factors when making decisions about prescribed fire. Semi-structured interviews were completed with fire, smoke, and air quality experts, private burn consultants, and landowners who work in areas adjacent to the Francis-Marion and Sumter National Forests in South Carolina. The study identified the role of risk and uncertainty, and WUI expansion as the most important influences on the decision to use prescribed fire. These were followed by smoke regulations and restoration of the longleaf pine ecosystem as other major factors. The paper concludes with implications from this project for fire and smoke management in the region.
Eric Toman (Advisor)
Kristi Lekies (Committee Member)
Robyn Wilson (Committee Member)
70 p.
Environmental Studies
Decision-making; prescribed fire;

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Singh, D. (2012). Exploring the Factors that Characterize the Decision Process for the Use of Prescribed Fire in South Carolina [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1339767070

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Singh, Devyani. Exploring the Factors that Characterize the Decision Process for the Use of Prescribed Fire in South Carolina. 2012. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1339767070.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Singh, Devyani. "Exploring the Factors that Characterize the Decision Process for the Use of Prescribed Fire in South Carolina." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1339767070

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1339767070
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© 2012, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.