Contribute to the 2022 Maine Forest Stewards Community Study

An NE CASC-affiliated research team at the University of Vermont and the University of Maine seeks the assistance of the NE CASC community in completing the 2022 Maine Forest Stewards Community Study.

Overview
The goal of this study is to gain new perspectives from individuals who work for state agencies, Tribal Nations and industry in present day Maine’s forestry community. It will ask forestry professionals about:

• The role that different governing institutions (i.e. rules, norms and behaviors) play in posing barriers to climate change adaptation
• How Maine’s forestry community uses and exchanges different types of knowledge to enhance adaptation efforts

The  study results will be compared and contrasted among diverse governance structures (e.g. State, Tribal and industry) to provide new insights that support existing adaptation efforts. 

What’s Involved? 
Contributing to the study requires completion of a brief questionnaire that will take approximately 10 minutes and participating in a 60- to 90-minute interview session.

Who Can Participate? 
To be eligible for this study, individuals must:

• Be 18 years or older 
• Work for a State agency, Tribal Nation or forestry industry in Maine 
• Be engaged in forest related management 

Why Should You Participate? 
By participating in this study, you will help:

• Offer recommendations to overcome barriers that impede climate change adaptation 
• Enhance collaboration among Maine’s forest stewards 
• Inform future outreach, education and research efforts 

How To Participate
If you are eligible to participate and are interested in helping, please sign up for the study by submitting your RSVP.  You can expect to hear from our research team shortly after the submission of your RSVP. At that time, we will provide you with our questionnaire and schedule your interview, which you can opt to complete either virtually or in-person. 

Compensation
We would be delighted to have you participate in our study. To show our appreciation, we can offer the following to study participants: 

• One continuing education credit (category 2.0) from the Society of American Foresters 
•  A $150 honorarium is available for staff members affiliated with Tribal Nation agencies

Project Leaders
This project is led by Dr. Anthony D’Amato (faculty member, University of Vermont), Dr. Rachel Schattman (faculty member, University of Maine) and Rachel Swanwick (master’s student, University of Vermont).  All work was developed in collaboration with researchers at the University of Maine, including Dr. Darren Ranco and Dr. Adam Daigneault. 

Questions and Contact Information 
If you have any questions about this study now or in the future, you may contact Anthony D’Amato at @email or Rachel Swanwick at @email. 

Please Share
Please share this notice with anyone in your network who you think may be a good fit for our study. If interested, they may RSVP or contact Rachel Swanwick at @email.