Public values and engagement

Public values, attitudes, and beliefs about forests and the management of forest resources are not fixed, but can shift over time. Changing demographics related to urbanization, amenity migration, or population growth can result in a potential shift in environmental values, beliefs, and behaviors, as well as connections people have to place. Outdoor experiences on federal lands also have evolved due to emerging consumer trends, economic factors, or changes to geo-physical conditions. How citizens engage in natural resource management and share their views with land-management agencies have also changed, as people express a greater need to be involved in decisionmaking about public lands.