The United States has committed itself to sustainable forest management (SFM), managing its forests to meet the needs of present and future generations. Requiring an informed, aware, and engaged public, SFM theoretically calls attention to the social aspects of forest management reflecting the diversity of society. The literature suggests those participating in forestry research are mostly middle- to senior-aged, college-educated, white males, resulting in data that do not accurately represent the diversity of people living in the U.S. Though many natural resource professionals commonly equate this phenomenon to a lack of interest from those that do not participate, research indicates that people do not participate because of the lack of opportunity and access. Understanding perceptions from the diversity of people is vital because perceptions may influence opinions and acceptability of every aspect of forest management. As the racial and ethnic composition of the U.S. continues to diversify in the coming years, addressing this lack of access and representation becomes increasingly significant.This study attempts to address the issue of the under-representation of racial minorities and women in forestry research by testing the mixing of survey sampling and data collection modes. Following a national focus group study that identified many ways that forests and trees are important to diverse people, a survey questionnaire was developed and administered to residents of the urban midwestern city of Lansing, Michigan. The survey was administered either via mail or in-person, and the sampling occurred in one of three ways: random, disproportionate random, and purposive. Following the survey data collection, interested participants were contacted to participate in an evaluative focus group or interview. Most of the scales developed for this study were successful at measuring the importance of forests to people. Positive correlations and level of agreement with scales show that participants had an overall positive attitude towards trees and forests. Many differences on the perceived importance of trees and forests were found based on race/ethnicity, gender, and the mediating effects of education level. Findings suggest that mixing sampling and survey data collection modes increases representation of racial minorities. Follow-up interviews and focus groups with survey participants provided valuable information on perceptions of survey research and tips for improving the survey research process. This study is one step on the path towards creating a more inclusive and diversified research and decision/policy-making process in the field of forestry (and for the natural resources field more broadly). It presents a unique approach to collecting data on the importance of trees and forests from a diverse audience and contributes to the limited body of literature examining racial and ethnic minorities, women, and the environment. Results exemplify the relevancy for participation of women and nonwhite minorities highlighting the need to consider issues of justice and equity in research methodologies.
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