Date of Award
12-2016
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science - Forestry
Department
Forestry
First Advisor
Dr. Brian P. Oswald
Second Advisor
Dr. Pat Stephens Williams
Third Advisor
Dr. Ray Darville
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Sarah McCaffrey
Abstract
The Netherlands has been facing a growing threat of wildfires due to warmer
and drier weather patterns. The purpose of this study was to identify public
perceptions toward wildland fire in the forested Veluwe region of the country. The
Dutch have little experience with wildland fires or fire as a management tool. In a
collaborative effort between Stephen F. Austin State University and the Instituut
Fysieke Veiligheid, the Dutch public safety agency, a survey was distributed to
residents and visitors to the Veluwe to reveal and quantify public opinions and
perceptions regarding wildland fire and public expectations of government
agencies in the event of a wildfire. Due to the lack of any significant historical
context of wildfires, the assumption was that the Dutch do not see fire as an
immediate threat. Findings from this survey revealed that visitors and residents of
the Veluwe region are more aware of the wildfire problem in the Netherlands than
originally anticipated. They do not see wildfires as an immediate threat to
themselves, but rather a threat to nature areas within the country. Respondents
to this survey also have high expectations of government agencies to inform
them about wildfires.
Repository Citation
Brennan, Amy, "Determining Public Perceptions toward Wildland Fire in the Veluwe Region of the Netherlands" (2016). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 58.
https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/58
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Included in
Forest Management Commons, Other International and Area Studies Commons, Social Statistics Commons
Tell us how this article helped you.
