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Forest Health Diagnostics Facebook Page: Impact and Natural Resources Programming Implications
Abstract
The Southern Forest and Tree Health Diagnostics Facebook page, managed by Extension and forestry professionals in the southeastern United States, is designed to deliver forest and tree heath information to the public via a web-based, crowd-sourced diagnostic service. We conducted an online survey to quantify the page's impact by identifying audience demographics, engagement levels, and perceptions of the page's value. Results indicated that stakeholders consider the Southern Forest and Tree Health Diagnostics page to be an effective diagnostics service and a valuable educational tool. This model could be used in other natural resources program areas to increase the reach of Extension professionals.
... Research from 2005 on social media found that social media use among adults was around 5% in 2005, increased to 50% in 2011, and continued to increase to 72% as of 2021 (Pew Research Center 2021). This suggests that social media and other forms of electronic communication may have transitioned into effective platforms for communicating about invasive forest pests and other natural resource issues, given their continued rise in popularity (Darr et al. 2021;Stafne 2020;Stock 2020). Handing out flyers at state parks and sending an email when making a campsite reservation are likely to be a more successful means for conveying information for the portion of the population that does not rely on social media or has only periodic use of electronic communication. ...
Invasive forest pests are damaging North American forests, and their intracontinental spread can be accelerated through the movement of infested firewood. We assessed the general public’s awareness, attitudes, and perceptions of forest health issues and identified potential strategies for more effective delivery of information about invasive forest pests and firewood transport. We analyzed data obtained from five surveys conducted between 2005 and 2016 (n = 4,840). Awareness, choice of mode of information, and trusted messenger were predicted using linear regression models based on selected independent variables including age, race, gender, education level, and the participant’s type of residential area. Overall, awareness regarding invasive forest pests was low among participants. Participants stated they would be most likely to pay attention to a flyer handed out when entering a state or national park or receiving an email after making a campsite reservation. State forestry agencies were the most believable source of information regarding forest health issues. For the modes of information listed on the survey, older participants and those with higher education levels were more likely to have greater awareness levels and to pay attention, while female and younger participants were more likely to indicate they believed the messengers. We conclude that awareness is key for modifying behavior related to firewood transport; as such, educational campaigns with effective messaging strategies could be a successful approach to reducing the movement of firewood by members of the public.
... While respondents indicated a variety of preferences for receiving information, which is consistent with similar efforts to understand grower needs (e.g., Alston & Redding, 1998), most participants preferred online formats. Online communication could take many forms, including traditional Extension outlets and social media (Darr et al., 2020). ...
A survey of commercial nursery and Christmas tree growers was implemented online and by mail in 2018 to understand disease issues and information preferences. Overall, the majority of the respondents reported that they prefer online sources of information and many are using Extension bulletins and sources. Cultural, chemical, and weed control methods were considered extremely effective by participants and very few used biological control methods to control disease. Participants identified spruce decline, boxwood blight, and hemlock woolly adelgid as emerging disease threats, so future information to growers should focus on identification and management of these threats.
Social -media platforms correlate with educational curricula and contribute to improving students’ learning of the use of digital technologies, which is necessary for their understanding of information management. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of social media engagement and content quality of educational programs on user perceived value and information seeking behaviour. This study was conducted in the context of China and a sample of 319 postgraduates was collected from universities located in Wuhan China. JASP version 0.19.0 was used to analyze the statistical data for this research. The study found that social media engagement and user perceived value have a significant impact on information seeking behavior; that social media engagement has a significant impact on user perceived value; and the content quality of educational programs has a significant impact on user perceived value but have no impact on information seeking behaviour. The findings have a significant contribution to knowledge and implications for practitioners and policymakers for implementing educational programs through social media platforms to regulate information-seeking behavior
There is growing demand for a broader conception of tree and forest health by commercial and private timberland owners, who make up a substantial proportion of Extension clientele in the southeastern United States. There has been little research to comprehensively capture and represent Extension agents' needs, concerns, and perceived barriers as they respond to client questions and requests regarding tree and forest health topics. Our needs assessment results highlight needs and barriers Extension agents encounter as they address tree and forest health requests from clientele. We provide recommendations for research and practical applications for improving relevant resource support in Extension.
After more than a decade of damage in pitch pine forests of New Jersey, an unprecedented range expansion of southern pine beetle (SPB), Dendroctonus frontalis, has recently occurred with populations established or detected in parts of the northeastern United States. Widespread tree mortality in pitch pine stands has occurred on Long Island, New York, an area previously free of SPB. Tree mortality has also been documented in several small pine stands in Connecticut. Trapping surveys have detected SPB farther north than it had previously been known to exist, with positive trap catches in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Integrated pest management plans that consist of preventative silvicultural treatments, landscape prioritization, detection and monitoring, and direct control provide the best opportunity to reduce the effects of SPB in northeastern US pine ecosystems. Most hard pine species present in the region are at risk to SPB, but less is known about white pine susceptibility. Unmanaged pine barrens are a particular concern, as they provide stand conditions conducive to SPB outbreaks. Infestation suppression implementing cut-and-leave tactics has been used in some areas of Long Island and will continue to be the primary management tool to limit damage from SPB.
Significance
When houses are built close to forests or other types of natural vegetation, they pose two problems related to wildfires. First, there will be more wildfires due to human ignitions. Second, wildfires that occur will pose a greater risk to lives and homes, they will be hard to fight, and letting natural fires burn becomes impossible. We examined the number of houses that have been built since 1990 in the United States in or near natural vegetation, in an area known as the wildland-urban interface (WUI), and found that a large number of houses have been built there. Approximately one in three houses and one in ten hectares are now in the WUI. These WUI growth trends will exacerbate wildfire problems in the future.
Although research on human-mediated exchanges of species has substantially intensified during the last centuries, we know surprisingly little about temporal dynamics of alien species accumulations across regions and taxa. Using a novel database of 45,813 first records of 16,926 established alien species, we show that the annual rate of first records worldwide has increased during the last 200 years, with 37% of all first records reported most recently (1970–2014). Inter-continental and inter-taxonomic variation can be largely attributed to the diaspora of European settlers in the nineteenth century and to the acceleration in trade in the twentieth century. For all taxonomic groups, the increase in numbers of alien species does not show any sign of saturation and most taxa even show increases in the rate of first records over time. This highlights that past efforts to mitigate invasions have not been effective enough to keep up with increasing globalization.
Medical students use Facebook to interact with one another both socially and educationally. This study investigates how medical students in a UK medical school use Facebook to support their learning. In particular, it identifies the nature of their educational activities, and details their experiences of using an educational Facebook group. Twenty-four medical students who self-identified as being Facebook users were invited to focus groups to attain a general overview of Facebook use within an educational context. A textual analysis was then conducted on a small group of intercalating medical students who used a self-created Facebook group to supplement their learning. Five of these students participated in semi-structured interviews. Six common themes were generated. These included 'collaborative learning', 'strategic uses for the preparation for assessment', 'sharing experiences and providing support', 'creating and maintaining connections', 'personal planning and practical organization' and 'sharing and evaluating educational resources'. Evidence from this study shows that medical students are using Facebook informally to enhance their learning and undergraduate lives. Facebook has enabled students to create a supportive learning community amongst their peers. Medical educators wishing to capitalize on Facebook, as a platform for formal educational initiatives, should remain cautious of intruding on this peer online learning community.
Social media should enable professional bodies to improve their communication with members, policy makers and the general public. Current use of the internet, particularly of social media, by foresters in the United Kingdom was surveyed to determine opportunities for their professional body, the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) to improve engagement. Existing use of social media was high, especially by younger early career Associate Members. This indicated an opportunity for the ICF to provide continuing professional development training via forms of social media such as live streamed on-line seminars (a webinar). A pilot webinar on forests and carbon was given to a small group of participants who then completed a short on-line survey to record their experience. Responses to the pilot webinar were positive. Implications for forestry in the UK and for other professional bodies are discussed.
Spanish
Los medios de comunicación sociales permiten a las asociaciones profesionales mejorar la comunicación con sus miembros, así como con quienes formulan políticas y con el público en general. Hemos estudiado el uso actual de Internet, y en particular de las redes sociales, por los profesionales forestales del Reino Unido para determinar posibles oportunidades de mejorar la interacción de su organización profesional, el Instituto de Profesionales Forestales Colegiados (Institute of Chartered Foresters o ICF, siglas en inglés). El uso actual de los medios sociales resultó elevado, especialmente por parte de los Miembros Asociados más jóvenes que están comenzando sus carreras. Esto presenta oportunidades para que el ICF imparta formación profesional continua utilizando medios sociales tales como la emisión en línea (streaming) de seminarios en directo (seminarios web). Se impartió a un pequeño grupo de participantes un seminario web piloto sobre bosques y carbono. Los participantes completaron a continuación una breve encuesta en línea para documentar su experiencia. Las respuestas al seminario web piloto fueron positivas. Se discuten las implicaciones para el sector forestal en el Reino Unido y para otros organismos profesionales.
French
Les médias sociaux devraient permettre aux corps professionnels d'améliorer leur communication avec leurs membres, les créateurs de politique et le grand public. L'utilisation actuelle de l'internet, particulièrement en média social, par les forestiers au Royaume-Uni, a été examiné pour déterminer les opportunités qu'il offre à leur corps professionnel, l'Institute of Chartered Foresters ( ICF ), d'améliorer son engagement. On a remarqué une forte utilisation des médias sociaux, tous spécialement chez les membres associés jeunes, en début de carrière. Ceci indique une opportunité pour l'ICF de fournir un programme de développement professionnel continu par le truchement de formes de médias sociaux telles que les séminaires “live” en ligne (un “webinar”). Un webinar pilote sur les forêts et le carbone a été donné à un petit groupe de participants qui complétèrent une courte enquête en ligne leur permettant de faire part de leur expérience. Les réponses au webinar pilote étaient positives. Les implications pour la foresterie au Royaume-Uni et pour d'autres corps professionnels sont débattues.
Canadian Extension has reached a critical point: the last 20 years have seen drastic reduction in governmental agricultural Extension services in Ontario. This article proposes that the breakdown of the Canadian Extension system has been the result of a variety of factors. The situation in Ontario suggests that Extension in the United States needs to recreate itself: it must address the changing profile of rural residents, shift program foci and delivery models, document and promote its benefits, redefine its contribution to the research system, (re)train Extension experts, use technology creatively, and maintain field staff to protects its role in rural development.
Extension Forestry has long acted as a medium for landowner education and engagement through a variety of programs that encourage peer learning. We describe recent trends and innovations in Extension Forestry programming by reporting the results of surveys and focus groups with the managers of 39 (of 42 identified) Extension Forestry master volunteer and other peer-learning programs. These programs combine instruction from experts with peer learning and volunteerism to provide nonformal adult education for family forest owners. Results indicate that Extension Forestry peer-learning programs are evolving to address emerging issues and to use recent developments in communication and educational technologies, such as online programming and social media. With median annual budgets of just over S10,000, several programs target small and often underserved segments of the landowner population, such as women and absentee landowners. Although program outputs and demands for service are increasing, many program managers face reduced budgets and a variety of challenges to program sustainability.
Landowner education is the foundation of a broad suite of public investments designed to encourage sustainable forest management. Extension Forestry programs are the primary providers of landowner education in the United States. We report the results of a census of the 50 state-level Extension Forestry Program Leaders on status, trends, and innovations in their programs. These programs employ 249 full time equivalent (FTE) state specialists, educators, and support staff. Reported cuts in base funding from public sources have led to reduced FTE capacity as vacated positions remain unfilled. A majority of state-level programs report increased use of digital communication tools compared to 5 years ago. Over half have increased instruction on forest health and invasive species, intergenerational land transfer, and the effects of climate change on forests. These trends and innovations create both challenges and opportunities for efforts to encourage sustainable forest management on private lands.
This overview and the accompanying case studies (Finley and Jacobson, Glover and Jones, and Reed) showcase three models for encouraging forest stewardship through informal education. All three cases are rooted in a fundamental premise that knowledge leads to better forestry decisions by landowners. Each case characterizes and emphasizes the importance of partnerships and shared domains, generating leveraged resources and enhanced impact. Through forestry extension and the multiple partnerships involved with educating private forest landowners, we can achieve greater sustainability on the nation's 278 million acres of private forests.
The lower response rate in web surveys has been a major concern for survey researchers. The literature has sought to identify a wide variety of factors that affect response rates in web surveys. In this article, we developed a conceptual model of the web survey process and use the model to systematically review a wide variety of factors influencing the response rate in the stage of survey development, survey delivery, survey completion, and survey return. Practical suggestion and future research directions on how to increase the response rate are discussed.
Social media use in 2019
- A Perrin
- M Anderson
Perrin, A., & Anderson, M. (2019, April 10). Social media use in 2019. Retrieved from
https://www.pewresearch.org/wpcontent/uploads/2019/04/FT_19.04.10_SocialMedia2019_topline_methodology.pdf
Using Facebook as an educational resource in the classroom
- C M Shaw
Shaw, C. M. (2017). Using Facebook as an educational resource in the classroom. In Oxford
Research Encyclopedia of International Studies.