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Title: Cultural Theory, Wildfire Information Source, and Agency Public Trust: A Central Oregon Case Study
As wildfires grow in frequency and severity in the U.S., especially in the western regions, understanding which information sources are trusted by households and the level of trust in natural resource agencies for wildfire management is crucial. The Theory of Motivated Reasoning suggests that trust in information sources and agencies aligns with individuals' value and ideological orientations. This study uses Cultural Theory to examine how cultural traits influence trust and use of wildfire information and management agencies. Surveys of Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) households in Deschutes County, Oregon, reveal that egalitarians are more likely to trust and use information from natural resource agencies, while individualists rely on family and neighbors. Egalitarians also trust resource managers to implement prescribed fire and forest thinning, whereas individualists are less trusting of government agencies in these efforts. The study offers recommendations for policymakers and managers to better communicate wildfire information to diverse audiences based on cultural traits and trust levels.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1922866
PAR ID:
10480468
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ;
Publisher / Repository:
Springer
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Environmental Management
ISSN:
0364-152X
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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