Non-industrial private forestlands, red-cockaded woodpeckers, and a safe harbor

My research explored the attitudes and risk perceptions of non-industrial private forest landowners (NIPFLs) in the Sandhills and lower Coastal Plain regions of North Carolina relative to the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW). The data for my research was generated from a mail survey that I conducted of 2,000 randomly selected NIPFLs in the 2-region study area. I found that forest management decisions were influenced by a NIPFLs' perceived risk of RCW inhabitation on their property. The sole factor responsible for influencing forest management decisions was a NIPFLs' level of concern regarding potential restrictions the Endangered Species Act (ESA) may place on their ability to harvest timber. Furthermore, a NIPFLs' perceived risk seemed to be fueled by the priority placed on owning forestland for timber production, their frequency of prescribed burning, the next planned timber harvest, and the receipt of technical assistance in managing their forestland.; I also examined current and future RCW habitat availability on non-industrial private forestlands in the 2-region study area. Only 1%, 5%, and 4% of survey respondents indicated that they owned both sufficient acreage (≥34.8 ha) and appropriate aged (>65 years) loblolly, longleaf, or pine/hardwood forests, respectively, to support RCWs at present. What is available is reduced even more by the minimal levels of habitat management occurring on private lands. The amount of RCW habitat that may be provided on private lands in the future improves moderately due to an increased level of habitat management occurring on these lands.; Finally, I examined the attitudes of participants involved in the Safe Harbor Program (SHP), a region-wide habitat conservation plan that has been implemented in the Sandhills region of North Carolina to facilitate RCW recovery. Safe Harbor participants perceived less risk from RCWs and the ESA than landowners not involved with the SHP and held a more favorable and cooperative attitude toward endangered species and the ESA than those not participating in the SHP. Moreover, no differences were found concerning pre- and post-enrollment attitudes among landowners involved in the SHP.