Examining Loggers’ Attitudes and Behaviors Toward Invasive Forest Plants: A Minnesota Case Study

Logging activities and its associated infrastructure are potential pathways for invasive forest plants, yet little is known about logger activities regarding invasive plants during logging operations. Logging business owners in Minnesota, USA were surveyed about invasive forest plants as a case study to learn about their awareness, interactions with landowners and land managers, actions to control the spread of invasives, perceived business impacts, and information needs. Fifty-one percent of respondents indicated they were either somewhat or very knowledgeable about invasive forest plants in the state, although most were not confident they could correctly identify various plants in the field. Approximately half of the respondents reported voluntarily undertaking activities to prevent the introduction or limit the spread of invasive plants. An association was found between voluntary and contractual invasive plant control activities. While 2% had developed invasive plant treatment expertise as an additional business offering, 51% expressed interest in doing so. Almost 90% were concerned that if additional invasive plant best management practices (BMPs) were to be developed, business impacts would be moderate to large. On their timber sales in the past year, respondents reported that 68% of landowners and 47% of land managers did not discuss invasive plants with them.