Agent-Based Modeling of Harvest Decisions by Small Scale Forest Landowners in Maine, USA
Small-scale forests are an excellent example of coupled social-ecological systems, which involve human and biophysical subsystems with complex two-way feedback interactions. The multifaceted nature of landowner decisions drives a significant need to better understand decision-making processes, react...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2013-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Forestry Research |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/563068 |
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| _version_ | 1832545546670178304 |
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| author | Jessica E. Leahy Erika Gorczyca Reeves Kathleen P. Bell Crista L. Straub Jeremy S. Wilson |
| author_facet | Jessica E. Leahy Erika Gorczyca Reeves Kathleen P. Bell Crista L. Straub Jeremy S. Wilson |
| author_sort | Jessica E. Leahy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Small-scale forests are an excellent example of coupled social-ecological systems, which involve human and biophysical subsystems with complex two-way feedback interactions. The multifaceted nature of landowner decisions drives a significant need to better understand decision-making processes, reactions to policy, and combined impacts on ecosystems in a comprehensive manner. Small-scale forests require an integrated approach to modeling the social and biophysical components comprehensively. Agent-based modeling involves modeling individualistic behavior and interpreting patterns that emerge. The interaction between agents and their environments makes this a valuable tool to assess repeated decisions of individual landowners responding to changing environmental conditions. Agent-based models can be used to determine potential ecological, economic, and social outcomes of landowner decisions and reactions to changing conditions. A forest landowner agent-based model experiment was developed to model timber harvesting in Maine, USA. We present baseline simulation results and compare the effect of a social change (an increased tax rate) and a biophysical change (a pest outbreak resulting in increased tree mortality) on the system. These three scenarios were analyzed using ANOVA and MANOVA tests on harvested hectares and landowner goal scores to assess landowner behavior and priorities by action. We conclude by reviewing implications for future modeling efforts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d932de6cc48f4134b40348dc493e8643 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1687-9368 1687-9376 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Forestry Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-d932de6cc48f4134b40348dc493e86432025-02-03T07:25:31ZengWileyInternational Journal of Forestry Research1687-93681687-93762013-01-01201310.1155/2013/563068563068Agent-Based Modeling of Harvest Decisions by Small Scale Forest Landowners in Maine, USAJessica E. Leahy0Erika Gorczyca Reeves1Kathleen P. Bell2Crista L. Straub3Jeremy S. Wilson4School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, 241 Nutting Hall, Orono, ME 04469, USASchool of Forest Resources, University of Maine, 241 Nutting Hall, Orono, ME 04469, USASchool of Economics, University of Maine, 200 Winslow Hall, Orono, ME 04469, USASustainability Solutions Initiative, University of Maine, 104 Norman Smith Hall, Orono, ME 04469, USAHarris Center for Conservation Education, 83 King’s Highway, Hancock, NH 03449, USASmall-scale forests are an excellent example of coupled social-ecological systems, which involve human and biophysical subsystems with complex two-way feedback interactions. The multifaceted nature of landowner decisions drives a significant need to better understand decision-making processes, reactions to policy, and combined impacts on ecosystems in a comprehensive manner. Small-scale forests require an integrated approach to modeling the social and biophysical components comprehensively. Agent-based modeling involves modeling individualistic behavior and interpreting patterns that emerge. The interaction between agents and their environments makes this a valuable tool to assess repeated decisions of individual landowners responding to changing environmental conditions. Agent-based models can be used to determine potential ecological, economic, and social outcomes of landowner decisions and reactions to changing conditions. A forest landowner agent-based model experiment was developed to model timber harvesting in Maine, USA. We present baseline simulation results and compare the effect of a social change (an increased tax rate) and a biophysical change (a pest outbreak resulting in increased tree mortality) on the system. These three scenarios were analyzed using ANOVA and MANOVA tests on harvested hectares and landowner goal scores to assess landowner behavior and priorities by action. We conclude by reviewing implications for future modeling efforts.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/563068 |
| spellingShingle | Jessica E. Leahy Erika Gorczyca Reeves Kathleen P. Bell Crista L. Straub Jeremy S. Wilson Agent-Based Modeling of Harvest Decisions by Small Scale Forest Landowners in Maine, USA International Journal of Forestry Research |
| title | Agent-Based Modeling of Harvest Decisions by Small Scale Forest Landowners in Maine, USA |
| title_full | Agent-Based Modeling of Harvest Decisions by Small Scale Forest Landowners in Maine, USA |
| title_fullStr | Agent-Based Modeling of Harvest Decisions by Small Scale Forest Landowners in Maine, USA |
| title_full_unstemmed | Agent-Based Modeling of Harvest Decisions by Small Scale Forest Landowners in Maine, USA |
| title_short | Agent-Based Modeling of Harvest Decisions by Small Scale Forest Landowners in Maine, USA |
| title_sort | agent based modeling of harvest decisions by small scale forest landowners in maine usa |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/563068 |
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