"A house in the woods": values, attitudes and behaviours towards forests

Abstract

Forests are an important source of resources, but public attitudes towards the forests have rarely been studied. This paper focus on this topic aiming at: (a) describing the attitude towards the forest and its correlates; (b) testing the hierarchic relationship between ecologic values, attitudes and use of the forest; and (c) testing the moderating role of attitudinal ambivalence in the association between attitudes and forest related behaviours. A sample of residents living close to forests was collected (N = 1206). Results show that the attitude towards the forest is quite favourable. More positive attitudes were found in the North, among those working in the forestry and those who live close. Universalistic values are associated with the use of the forest but this relationship was partially mediated by the attitude towards the forest. Finally, attitudinal ambivalence was a predictor of the behaviour, but not a moderator of the attitude behaviour association.