Abstract

Ecofeminist notions and recent empirical studies of women forest owners attitudes and behaviour suggest that they are more environmental concerned and a less profit-oriented than man forest owners. In the present study on Swedish forest owners, we examine whether expressed values and attitudes are reflected in actual behaviour with regards to the use of the resource and goods that the forest property represents. Two sets of survey data were used to explore attitudes, forestry activities and business activities connected with the forest land. The results indicate that there are differences between female and male forest ownerś silvicultural activities as well as between their inclination of deriving either industrial roundwood or other forest-related values. While both female and male forest owners were almost equally interested in timber production, the female owners were to a higher extent than male owners also interested in ecological, recreational or social values. The female owners were also more inclined to see business opportunities in less traditional forest activities in fields as tourism and health/rehabilitation. The results indicate that management of forest properties owned by women to a greater extent than properties owned by men is based on a combination of traditional production values and other non-traditional values.

Keywords

Ecofeminism; Forest management; Gender; Private forest owners; Sweden

Published in

Forest Policy and Economics
2019, Volume: 99, pages: 52-58

SLU Authors

• Umaerus, Patrik

  • Department of Forest Resource Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Lidestav, Gun

  • Department of Forest Resource Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Sustainable Development Goals

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls


UKÄ Subject classification

Gender Studies


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2017.12.001

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/97179