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Assessing New England Family Forest Owners' Invasive Insect Awareness

Formally Refereed

Abstract

Family forest owners in the United States have underscored the need for forest insect pest (FIP) information, and numerous Extension programs have been developed to meet pest information needs. We developed the Pest Awareness Index to illustrate the heterogeneity of familiarity, knowledge, and experience regarding three FIPs (hemlock woolly adelgid, emerald ash borer, Asian long-horned beetle) in four New England states. Using mail survey data of family forest owners, we calculated an index from three components and provided comparisons based on region and actual insect presence. The differences in the index across these domains have implications for measurement and delivery of Extension programs.

Keywords

hemlock woolly adelgid, emerald ash borer, Asian long-horned beetle, awareness index, New England

Citation

Simoes, Jody; Markowski-Lindsay, Marla; Butler, Brett J.; Kittredge, David B.; Thompson, Jonathan; Orwig, David. 2019. Assessing New England Family Forest Owners' Invasive Insect Awareness. The Journal of Extension. 57(3): article 16. 17 p.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/64443