Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

This master thesis explores the phenomenon of passive forest management among Non-Industrial Private Forest (NIPF) owners in Castanheira de Pera, a municipality in Central Portugal highly susceptible to wildfires. The primary research problem is to understand why NIPF owners in this fire-prone area exhibit passive, or partially passive, management behaviors, focusing particularly on emotional factors in addition to socioeconomic ones. Through identifying and analyzing the meanings that NIPF owners assign to their forest lands, this study is guided by understanding how these meanings are influenced by place-making and have evolved over time (1st research question), and how the emotional connections arising from place meanings characterize place attachment (2nd research question). Ultimately, this study investigated how the forest’s place attachment of passive, or partially passive, NIPF owners impacts their forestry behavior (3rd research question).

Utilizing a place-based theoretical framework, the research combines semi-structured interviews, a questionnaire, analysis of grey literature and spatial data. The findings reveal that NIPF owners' passive management is not solely due to economic unviability, such as high maintenance costs and low timber prices, but also deeply rooted in emotional connections to the forest land. These feelings manifest as a view of the forest linked to personal and familial histories, indicating a strong place attachment that influences forestry decisions. Additionally, the study uncovers that emotional connections are also driven by economic challenges, power asymmetries, the increasing spread of eucalyptus, and the impact of wildfires, leading to a pervasive sense of frustration and disempowerment within the community, further complicating active forest management.

By integrating place attachment theory, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of how emotional connections and place meanings influence NIPF owners' forestry practices. The findings underscore the necessity for community-centered initiatives that acknowledge these emotional connections and foster sustainable forest management strategies tailored to the unique socio-emotional landscape of Castanheira de Pera. These insights offer valuable recommendations for policymakers, local authorities, and stakeholders aiming to enhance rural development and climate change mitigation and adaptation through sustainable forest management.