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Williams GM, Ginzel MD, Ma Z, Adams DC, Campbell F, Lovett GM, Pildain MB, Raffa KF, Gandhi KJK, Santini A, Sniezko RA, Wingfield MJ, Bonello P. The Global Forest Health Crisis: A Public-Good Social Dilemma in Need of International Collective Action. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2023; 61:377-401. [PMID: 37253697 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-phyto-021722-024626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Society is confronted by interconnected threats to ecological sustainability. Among these is the devastation of forests by destructive non-native pathogens and insects introduced through global trade, leading to the loss of critical ecosystem services and a global forest health crisis. We argue that the forest health crisis is a public-good social dilemma and propose a response framework that incorporates principles of collective action. This framework enables scientists to better engage policymakers and empowers the public to advocate for proactive biosecurity and forest health management. Collective action in forest health features broadly inclusive stakeholder engagement to build trust and set goals; accountability for destructive pest introductions; pooled support for weakest-link partners; and inclusion of intrinsic and nonmarket values of forest ecosystems in risk assessment. We provide short-term and longer-term measures that incorporate the above principles to shift the societal and ecological forest health paradigm to a more resilient state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey M Williams
- International Programs, US Forest Service, US Department of Agriculture, Lansing, Michigan, USA;
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Matthew D Ginzel
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Zhao Ma
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Damian C Adams
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Faith Campbell
- Center for Invasive Species Prevention, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Gary M Lovett
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, New York, USA
| | - María Belén Pildain
- Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Esquel, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Kenneth F Raffa
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Kamal J K Gandhi
- D. B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Alberto Santini
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Richard A Sniezko
- Dorena Genetic Resource Center, US Forest Service, US Department of Agriculture, Cottage Grove, Oregon, USA
| | - Michael J Wingfield
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Pierluigi Bonello
- Department of Plant Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA;
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Petit JD, Needham MD, Howe GT. Trust, Perceptions of Risks and Benefits, and Normative Acceptance of Approaches for Restoring American Chestnut Trees. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2022; 42:470-486. [PMID: 34169544 DOI: 10.1111/risa.13766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Revised: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This article examined trust, perceived risks and benefits, and normative acceptance associated with using breeding and genetic engineering (GE) to restore American chestnut (AC) trees. Questionnaires were completed by a random representative sample of the public in the United States (n = 278) and a purposive sample of forest interest groups (FIG) such as scientists and managers (n = 195). These concepts were examined in relation to breeding (breed the AC with chestnut trees from Asia) and GE (add the oxalate oxidase [OxO] gene from bread wheat to the AC) approaches for mitigating chestnut blight and restoring AC trees. The public sample considered adding the gene from bread wheat (GE) to be more beneficial and slightly more acceptable, but also slightly riskier, compared to the breeding approach. The FIGs viewed the breeding approach to be more acceptable, less risky, and more beneficial than the GE approach. The FIGs viewed both approaches as less risky, more beneficial, and more acceptable than did the public sample. Path analysis showed that: (i) perceived environmental benefits were the strongest predictors of normative acceptance of both approaches for the public sample, (ii) perceived environmental risks were the strongest predictors of acceptance of both approaches for the FIGs, (iii) human benefits and risks were mostly unrelated to acceptance, and (iv) trust in government agencies charged with managing forests was only weakly associated with benefits, risks, and acceptance. Implications of these results for both research and management were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua D Petit
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Mark D Needham
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Glenn T Howe
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
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Baird A, Pope F. ‘Can't see the forest for the trees’: The importance of fungi in the context of UK tree planting. Food Energy Secur 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/fes3.371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Aileen Baird
- School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences Birmingham UK
- Birmingham Institute of Forest Research Birmingham UK
| | - Francis Pope
- School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences Birmingham UK
- Birmingham Institute of Forest Research Birmingham UK
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Hanley N, Roberts M. The economic benefits of invasive species management. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nick Hanley
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine; University Of Glasgow; Glasgow UK
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Jepson P, Arakelyan I. Exploring public perceptions of solutions to tree diseases in the UK: Implications for policy-makers. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & POLICY 2017; 76:70-77. [PMID: 28974921 PMCID: PMC5555443 DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2017.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2017] [Revised: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Tree diseases are on the increase in many countries and the implications of their appearance can be political, as well as ecological and economic. Preventative policy approaches to tree diseases are difficult to formulate because dispersal pathways for pest and pathogens are numerous, poorly known and likely to be beyond human management control. Genomic techniques could offer the quickest and most predictable approach to developing a disease tolerant native ash. The population of European Ash (Fraxinus Excelsior) has suffered major losses in the last decade, due to the onset of Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (previously called Chalara Fraxinea) commonly known in the UK as ash dieback. This study presents evidence on the public acceptability of tree-breed solutions to the spread of Chalara, with the main aim to provide science and policy with an up-stream 'steer' on the likely public acceptability of different tree breeding solutions. The findings showed that whilst there was a firm anti-GM and 'we shouldn't tamper with nature' attitude among UK publics, there was an equally firm and perhaps slightly larger pragmatic attitude that GM (science and technology) should be used if there is a good reason to do so, for example if it can help protect trees from disease and help feed the world. The latter view was significantly stronger among younger age groups (Millennials), those living in urban areas and when the (GM)modified trees were destined for urban and plantation, rather than countryside settings. Overall, our findings suggest that the UK government could consider genomic solutions to tree breeding with more confidence in the future, as large and influential publics appear to be relaxed about the use of genomic techniques to increase tolerance of trees to disease.
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Marzano M, Allen W, Haight RG, Holmes TP, Keskitalo ECH, Langer ERL, Shadbolt M, Urquhart J, Dandy N. The role of the social sciences and economics in understanding and informing tree biosecurity policy and planning: a global summary and synthesis. Biol Invasions 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-017-1503-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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