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A Human Dimensions Framework United States Department of Agriculture A Human Dimensions Framework: Forest Service Guidelines for Conducting Social Assessments Southern Research Station Alan D. Bright, H. Ken Cordell, Anne P. Hoover, and Michael A. Tarrant General Technical Report SRS–65 Biological Sustainable Ecosystems Physical Human The Authors: Alan D. Bright, Associate Professor, Department of Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO 80523-1874; H. Ken Cordell, Project Leader, Recreation, Wilderness, Urban Forestry, and Demographic Trends Research, USDA Forest Service, Athens,Jennifer GA 30602-2044; D. Knoepp Anne, Research P. Hoover, Soil Scientist, National andProgram Leader, SocialJames Science M. Research, Vose, Project USDA Leader, Forest U.S.Service, Department Washington, of DC 22209; and MichaelAgriculture, A. Tarrant, Forest AssociateService, Southern Professor, Research Warnell Station,School of Forest Resources,Coweeta University Hydrologic of Georgia, Laboratory, Athens, 3160 GA Coweeta30602-6555. Lab Road, Otto, NC 28763. Abstract This paper provides a framework and guidelines for identifying and organizing human dimension information for use in forest planning. It synthesizes concepts from a variety of social science disciplines and connects them with measurable indicators for use in analysis and reporting. Suggestions of analytical approaches and sources of data for employment of the identified social indicators are provided. Keywords: Forest planning, human dimensions, social indicators. June 2003 Southern Research Station P.O. Box 2680 Asheville, NC 28802 A Human Dimensions Framework: Guidelines for Conducting Social Assessments i ii Table of Contents Page Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Part I: The Need for and Development of the Human Dimensions Framework ................................... 3 Chapter 1: Human Dimensions in Ecosystem Management: Needs, Guiding Principles, and Definitions ............ 5 Toward Developing a Human Dimensions Framework.................................................................................................. 5 Applications of Social Science Information ................................................................................................................... 5 Advancements in Social Science Research Methods ..................................................................................................... 6 Guiding Principles for an Human Dimensions Framework ........................................................................................... 6 The Role of Social Sciences in Land Management Planning ......................................................................................... 7 Using Information from Multiple Social Science Disciplines........................................................................................ 8 The Organizational Role of an Human Dimensions Framework ................................................................................... 8 The Nature of Ecosystems .............................................................................................................................................. 9 Ecosystem Management ................................................................................................................................................. 9 Definition and Principles of Ecosystem Management.................................................................................................... 9 Human Dimensions in Ecosystem Management ............................................................................................................ 10 Societal Trends Toward a Human Dimension in Ecosystem Management .................................................................... 10 What is Meant by Human Dimensions Information ....................................................................................................... 12 Benefits of Collecting Social Information ...................................................................................................................... 12 Integrating Social Information into Ecosystem Management......................................................................................... 12 Integrated Planning and Land Management ................................................................................................................... 13 How Can Integration be Achieved .................................................................................................................................. 13 Using Stakeholder Input into Ecosystem Management .................................................................................................. 14 Chapter 2: The Role of Social Assessment in Integrating Human Dimensions Information .................................... 15 The Nature of Social Assessments.................................................................................................................................. 15 Social Assessment ........................................................................................................................................................... 15 The Role of Social Assessment in Integration ................................................................................................................ 16 The Importance of Scale in Social Assessment .............................................................................................................. 16 The Process of Conducting Social Assessments ............................................................................................................ 18 Chapter 3: The Human Dimensions Framework: Determining Relevant Characteristics of the Social Environment ................................................................................................................................................ 21 The Human Dimensions Framework .............................................................................................................................. 21 Using the Human Dimensions Framework ..................................................................................................................... 21 The Human Dimensions Framework for Guiding Assessments ..................................................................................... 22 Indicators of Social Dimensions and Concepts in Social Assessment ........................................................................... 25 Social Indicators and Their Role in Ecosystem Management ........................................................................................ 25 Criteria for the Appropriate Use of Social Indicators ..................................................................................................... 25 Perceptual Indicators and Their Role in Ecosystem Management ................................................................................. 26 Specifying the Information: Identifying and Measuring Human Dimensions Framework (Dimensions, Concepts, and Indicators) ..................................................................................................................... 26 Dimension I—Historical Background ............................................................................................................................ 27 Dimension II—Population Characteristics ..................................................................................................................... 27 Dimension III—Community Resources ......................................................................................................................... 28 Dimension IV—Social Organization Structures and Processes ..................................................................................... 29 Dimension V—Public Perceptions and Well-Being ....................................................................................................... 31 Part II: Data Collection ................................................................................................................................................ 33 Chapter 4: Collection and Use of Secondary Documentary and Historical Data ..................................................... 35 The Identification and Collection of Secondary Documentary Data ............................................................................. 35 Sources of Secondary Documentary Data ...................................................................................................................... 35 iii Page Conducting a Literature Search from Previous Research ............................................................................................... 39 Advantages and Disadvantages of Secondary Data........................................................................................................ 40 A World Wide Web Tool for Collecting Secondary Information.................................................................................... 40 Chapter 5: Developing and Administering Survey Research ...................................................................................... 41 Factors Affecting the Survey Method Decision ............................................................................................................. 41 Sampling ........................................................................................................................................................................
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