Published July 1995. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
The purpose of this study was to analyze the individual reasoning of
24 adults as they made decisions for two communities regarding municipal
wastewater treatment. The two western Oregon communities were both
responding to notices from governmental agencies of higher environmental
standards for the purification of wastewater before it could...
Involving the public in wildlife management is important to achieve effective and acceptable policies. An accurate assessment of public opinion can be complicated by the public's prior knowledge, perceptions, and the method of public input used. This paper evaluates some factors which may have influenced a public involvement project the...
The purpose of this research was to explore patients' perceptions of services provided by hospital dietitians. The two-phase study included: (1) personal interviews of thirty-one patients to determine service attributes believed important when receiving a dietitian's service, and (2) development of a survey instrument, NUTRI-SERVE. Responses were obtained from 103...
Published April 1978. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
The purpose of this qualitative research study was to describe the experiences of secondary teachers who were actively involved in positions of teacher leadership in their schools and to discover the meaning that leadership activities had for them in their work. The informal teacher leaders performed their leadership functions in...
The overall purpose of this research is to assess the Oregon public's capacity to address water resources disturbances through civil society. According to scientists and resource managers, Oregon's water resources are over taxed and at risk, with future projections placing additional stress from climate change and population growth. Oregon's 2009...
Protected area creation, including creation of marine reserves (MRs), is increasingly molded by ecosystem based management (EBM) that integrates biological and social information in the pre and post establishment phases. Collecting social data from large and representative samples of the public (as opposed to other stakeholder groups) before establishing a...
Three research questions are addressed in this study: (1) To what degree do residents
support/oppose various aspects of water resources protection? (2) What factors explain
residents' attitudes? and, (3) How do attitudes vary between participants and nonparticipants
of place-based groups (watershed councils and neighborhood
associations)? The population of interest is...
Published August 1978. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Published July 1961. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Oregon State University researchers conducted a survey in 1994 of non-industrial private forest (NIPF) landowners in western Oregon and western Washington. Private forests provide valuable ecological services, such as fish and wildlife habitat, and are also partially filling the gap created by recent reductions in federal timber harvest in the...
Menopause is a critical life-cycle transition for women, and is associated with osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, leading causes of morbidity and mortality in US women. Efforts to curb symptoms of menopause include HRT and ERT, although conflicting evidence exists linking ERT and HRT with the risk of breast cancer. Physicians...
Innovation is a critical component for long term success of an organization. However, being innovative is rarely easy. Successful implementation of any innovation (product, process, or business system) can heavily rely on the functionality of the current innovation system in a given industry. An innovation system is composed of policies,...
Renewable energy resources, such as wind, solar, and wave, have a number of advantages compared to traditional fossil fuels. Numerous studies attest to the physical potential for wave energy development in Oregon. In transitioning from conventional fossil fuel to alternative energy provision, citizen understanding of the global energy problems and...
Few studies analyze the relationship between ecological knowledge and public preferences for natural resource management options. The Central Cascades Adaptive Management Area (CCAMA) and McKenzie watershed of western Oregon provides an opportunity to examine the relationship. This research project employs a mixed model approach to explore public knowledge of forest...
This is a transcript of a meeting between officials of the Army Corps of Engineers and various local stakeholders about a review study of the Yaquina River, and possible improvements the Corps might make to the river. Participants included local officials, representatives of local industries and concerned citizens. Facsimile copies...
With the baby boomer cohort retiring and arguably having more time for outdoor recreation, coupled with population increases and government agencies encouraging people to recreate outdoors, areas such as state and national parks will likely continue seeing high visitation. It is imperative, therefore, for outdoor recreation managers and researchers to...
Designation of areas as marine wilderness has been proposed as a strategy for managing the increasing threats facing the world’s oceans. Although social factors influence marine protected area success, the human dimensions of marine wilderness remain minimally explored. This thesis examines views of marine wilderness expressed by a representative sample...
This study sought to better understand the voluntary adoption of water quality improving practices by agricultural producers in Northern Malheur County, Oregon. The Reasoned Action Approach/Theory of Planned Behavior was used as a theoretical framework to identify barriers and incentives to adoption. Study findings suggest that producers primarily consider practical...
Today in the United States, herbal supplements are growing increasingly popular, however, little is known about the safety and efficacy of these products. This study contributes to the growing body of information about the prevalence of herbal supplement use among young adults (18 to 24 years) and the beliefs young...
This study used contingent valuation techniques to estimate the willingness of central Oregon Irrigators to donate a portion of their water rights to increase Deschutes River flow. This study was different from previous contingent valuation studies in that it used water rights as the payment vehicles instead of dollars -...
The purpose of the study was to profile perceptions and beliefs of
Oregon State University international student parents who have children in
area public elementary schools. The research methods included a survey to 26
self-selected participants, and seven tape-recorded interviews with volunteers
from the survey sample. These study subjects displayed...
Published November 1991. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Despite the perceived importance of grab bars to facilitate aging-in-place and healthy aging, many community-dwelling older adults do not have them installed. The aim of this study was to investigate predictors of grab bar installation among well-educated community dwelling seniors. Data was collected quantitatively through an electronic survey of Oregon...
The complexity of human/riverine systems has led to an increasing focus on land
use patterns and policy. My goal is to understand the dynamics of a coupled human and
natural system. The central question is how people in the community of Scio, Oregon
perceive flooding, water quality, and riparian habitat....
Changes in forest ecosystem conditions in the region have prompted federal resource agencies to target the health of ecosystems in an effort to learn more about cause and effect relationships, develop plans for restoring healthy forest conditions, and communicate with citizens about treatment alternatives and potential outcomes. Because of the...
Growing urbanization, shifting water uses, and a focus on ecosystem health in the Deschutes River Basin in Central Oregon led to experimentation with new voluntary market-based approaches to water management in the last decade. To meet groundwater demands while maintaining instream flows and upholding prior water allocations, the Oregon Water...
Growing emphasis on ecosystem and landscape-level forest management across North America has spurred an examination of alternative management strategies which focus on emulating dynamic natural disturbance processes, particularly those associated with forest fire regimes. This topic is the cornerstone of research in the Blue River Landscape Study (BRLS) taking place...
Strategic planning for forests subjected to multiple uses is important for management that sustains and balances these many uses. In the wildland urban interface where forests are in the backyards of members of the public who avidly recreate in them, it is also important to include the community in the...
Oregon’s coastal communities grew from the booming logging and fishing industries of the 19th century, but in recent decades have faced not only major declines in both timber and fish resources but also an increasing reliance on tourists and retirees and the resultant glut of seasonal service-sector jobs. As a...
The purpose of this study was to look at occupant satisfaction with Kelley Engineering Center, a LEED registered building. Results from a post-occupancy evaluation of Kelley conducted in spring 2006 were compared to those from a pre-occupancy survey of occupants in non-green buildings disseminated in spring 2005. The results showed...
This study models the household demand for vehicle miles traveled with a focus on the effects from bicycle ridership and transit ridership. Through the use of data from the Oregon Household Activity Survey collected on behalf of the Oregon Department of Transportation, evidence is found that households participating in bicycle...
Oregon is a state with great social and ecological diversity. Unfortunately however, Oregon's water-rich reputation is more rumor than reality. As with many Western states, Oregon struggles with water scarcity, especially during dry summer months. Recent efforts by the state to develop an integrated water resource strategy (IWRS) to manage...
Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) is an interdisciplinary academic field that addresses gender, sexuality, and social justice issues. The research objective of this project was to examine the attitudes of self-identified male students in introductory Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies for winter term 2016 at Oregon State University. This...
The major objectives of this study were to ascertain if certain ethnic and racial groups of first-year Oregon State University students are without access to online admission materials, and to determine what students' point of view are about computer access or applying to Oregon State University online. In addition, the...
The working hypothesis for this study is that the introduction of GIS technology into the ancient procedures of map-making has changed the map-making context sufficiently to require a revision of the way we think about, learn from, and use maps, specifically in the public involvement process in natural resource management....
Within Oregon there is considerable interest in the possibility of converting woody biomass to energy. This interest stems from three converging factors: the desire to reduce the threat of uncharacteristic wildfire by removing excess material from the forests, the possibility to stimulate rural economies that are dependent on forest products,...
A 2014 Pew Research poll revealed large gaps between public opinion and scientific opinion over environmental and biomedical issues (Funk and Rainie). Similarly, a number of recent popular books have described a growing public mistrust in scientific expertise (Mooney; Storr; Specter). Why is it, then, that so much of the...
This thesis combines elements of forestry, interpersonal communication, and rhetoric to describe where residents of Coos Bay and North Bend Oregon obtain information about forests and forest uses, and how they view the credibility of that information. As a qualitative exploratory study, grounded theory methodology was used to develop theme...
Sustainable management of the world’s forests is a key component for conserving biodiversity, soil and water resources, mitigating climate change, strengthening economies, and promoting sustainable communities and human well-being, now and in the future. While international cooperation is important, the actual policies and management actions that affect forest conditions and...
This research analyzes how family forest owners conceptualize biodiversity in one high-conservation value area of oak woodland in the Willamette Valley of Western Oregon. Oregon white oak (Quercus garyanna) woodland, one of the most biologically diverse ecotypes in the state of Oregon, is in decline. Much of the oak ecotype...
The LifeKnowledge curriculum is a recent initiative of the National FFA Organization to develop key learning precepts in agriculture education students. This material utilizes cutting-edge teaching techniques in lesson plans designed to develop leadership, teamwork, personal development, and communication abilities in students. This project surveyed current agriculture teachers in Oregon...
Published February 2009. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
The purpose of this study was to determine new international
students' perceptions of United States professors upon entrance into the
university and after two months in class, and if differences in expectations
exist between groups of students based on demographic variables. A survey
designed to assess these expectations was administered...
Ecosystem management has become an increasingly mainstream paradigm for natural
resource management. Nowhere is this more evident than on the public and private forestland
of the Pacific Northwest. While ecosystem management has become a widely
accepted principle of resource management, substantial questions remain about its
implementation. A case in point...
Biodiesel is a renewable, non-toxic, and biodegradable diesel fuel made from agricultural feedstocks. With a vibrant agricultural industry, Oregon is positioned to play an important role in the future of this energy source. Limiting factors to widespread biodiesel production include low value of biodiesel feedstock crops, lack of infrastructure, lagging...
The ocean off Oregon's coast is a busy place with many activities occurring that can sometimes be in competition or cooperation. Deciding how new uses fit with existing ocean uses is complex, but there are some tools available to help decision-makers. Generating energy from waves is an emerging ocean use...
Watershed management is widely recognized as an important component of healthy ecosystems and its success depends on cultivating the good will, stewardship values, and participation of citizens. Because much of the streamside land in Oregon is in private ownership activities on public lands will not be enough to protect salmon...
The current thesis presents contingent valuation research incorporating social psychological measures that investigates recreationists' willingness to pay recreation access fees at McDonald-Dunn Forest, Oregon. Context is provided through an extensive literature review of recreation fee management, issues and concerns related to recreation fees, recreationists' attitudes toward fees, relevant social psychological...
Passage through The Vagina Monologues: A College Anti-Violence Rite examines the ways in which the audience at Oregon State University (OSU) responds to the annual production of the play in connection with the international college campaign to raise awareness about violence against women and to raise money for community organizations...
Urban forests are fundamental to the health and sustainability of urban communities. In 2012, the U.S. Forest Service launched the Vibrant Cities, Urban Forests: A National Call to Action initiative which posed a variety of recommendations to advance urban forest management and programs throughout the country. In response to that...
This research explores the barriers that prevent stakeholders from changing their hobby behaviors to help prevent the spread of invasive species in Oregon. Invasive species are increasingly causing economic and ecosystem harm in Oregon. This is among the first studies done on the human dimensions of invasive species. Using the...
Forests of the Inland West have been experiencing forest health problems arising from over a hundred years of fire suppression, logging, grazing, and mismanagement. Rural communities, meanwhile, have seen escalating unemployment, an exodus of young families, and a dearth of middle-income jobs. The objectives of this thesis are to: 1)...
As competing uses of our coastlines increase, natural resource agencies are employing marine spatial planning (MSP) to designate areas for different uses or activities in order to reduce conflicts while achieving ecological, economic and social objectives. A central challenge of implementing MSP is development of a rigorous approach for analyzing...
The purpose of this study was to; (1) determine the extent of well water contamination with nitrate and pesticides, and to understand the relationships among nitrate, pesticide, dissolved chloride, dissolved sulfate, well age, and well depth in the southern Willamette Valley, Oregon; and, (2) to investigate local residents' perceptions and...
This ethnographic study explores the social aspects of agricultural land-use in the Marys River region. The study seeks to understand how farmers define sustainability and how their views on agricultural issues help to define a sense of place and identity in the Marys River region, within the context of the...
On the national level, landowners demand for conservation programs like EQIP and WRP has far outstripped federal funding in 2001. Yet within Oregon's Willamette Valley, both EQIP and CREP have had a rough time gaining momentum. Much of the past research on rural landowners' conservation participation has relied on surveys...
Both policy makers and private landowners have come to recognize the importance of streamside areas in the maintenance of water quality and fish habitat. Because non-industrial landowners own 42% of the streamside area in the Coast Range, their management is a significant factor in the streamside health of Western Oregon....
Before 2002, almost all of the approximately 40,000 acres of land in the Wood River Valley, Oregon were used for intensive, flood-irrigated summer cattle grazing, as it had been for over 100 years. Conservation activity in the valley was limited to a couple of wealthy landowners. But a year after...
This dissertation examines learning driven adaptations in salmon recovery efforts and water resources management in Oregon. The case study utilizes a framework highlighting the connections between human and natural systems. Semi-structured interviews are used to analyze interactions between rural riparian landowners and watershed council staffs living and working in Oregon’s...
The initial research question for this study asked whether single women were having their employment needs met by the union in a university setting. Twelve single women who were members of a union at a university participated in semi-structured interviews about their experiences with the union. To the surprise of...
This study assessed implementation of the 1994 Water Protection Rules in the Oregon Forest Practices Act from the perspective of Rule users and post-harvest riparian conditions. A 1993 evaluation found that under the previous rules over half of riparian conifers were removed during harvest, prompting concerns about future sources of...
Three trends are occurring today in the United States which inspired this research. First, America is growing increasingly urbanized. Today, more Americans are living in cities than in rural environments, and this pattern is predicted to continue for the foreseeable future. Urban living has benefits, but there are also challenges...
The passage of Measure 37 in 2004 was met with a great deal of controversy as a number of voters claimed the implications of the Measure did not represent their intentions for supporting the legislation. Namely, significant opposition was aimed towards the Measure 37 claim which offered landowners financial compensation...
With 150 million people visiting accredited zoos and aquariums annually, these institutions have the unique opportunity to present conservation-oriented messages to a large and receptive audience. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of interpretation and/or the viewing of live animals in the communication of these messages....
Working conditions in the international garment industry have long been a concern and a process to assess and certify fair trade practices was developed as a means by which to improve those conditions. Standards for fair trade apparel include safe working conditions, fair wages, compliance with laws, and reduced environmental...
Emerging river policy has launched small dam removal as a viable option to meet the ecological and social demands for river restoration. As small dam removals gain precedence as a policy tool in river restoration projects there exists a glaring gap in the social considerations, in particular how small dam...
Microplastics, plastic marine debris less than 5 mm in size, is a threat to the health of our oceans. One important way to reduce microplastics in our oceans is to educate people about the issue, particularly future decision-makers. In this study, a middle school curriculum was developed using current scientific...
Central Oregon's landscape is rich in dry forests prone to frequent wildfires. Climate change studies and improved modeling indicate this region could experience conditions that result in an increase in number and severity of wildfires. With the potential for increased environmental hazards, the nearby communities face potential risks and vulnerabilities...
Residents in South Falls City, a small town in the foothills of Oregon's Coast Range, battle intense flooding during the rainy season. Disagreements about surface water management pit neighbor against neighbor, but preliminary evidence suggests that groundwater flooding is an underlying cause. OSU researchers pair the emerging literature on groundwater...
In the field of natural resource policy and management, community-based collaboration is a strategy that has been growing in scope and usage over the past three decades, and often offers hope in complex, difficult conflict situations. In Oregon's Illinois Valley, where conflicts over natural resource management have been ongoing for...