| Climate change has the potential to greatly impact forestland in the Northeastern United States. In order to understand the implications of climate change on forest management, an online survey of professional forester members of the New York Society of American Foresters was designed to measure four main concepts and demographics: general environmental attitudes, attitudes towards climate change in general, attitudes towards climate change impacts in New York State, and observations of climate change. Although the majority of respondents were completely or mostly convinced that climate change was occurring generally, there was a great deal of disagreement regarding the impacts of climate change on New York State forests. Professional category, years working as a forester, and political view were all found to affect forester attitudes towards climate change. Professional organizations were found to be the source that respondents used most to learn about climate change. This study provides exploratory baseline data that fills an important gap in the understanding of foresters' perceptions of climate change. The results can be used to facilitate education and discussion among the forestry community as well as contribute to a better understanding of the implications of forester attitudes on forest management.;Keywords: Climate change, professional foresters, attitudes... |
