%0 Research article
%T Integrating place-specific social values into forest planning – Case of UPM-Kymmene forests in Hyrynsalmi, Finland
%A Kangas, Annika
%A Haapakoski, Ruut
%A Tyrväinen, Liisa
%D 2008
%J Silva Fennica
%V 42
%N 5
%R doi:10.14214/sf.467
%U https://silvafennica.fi/article/467
%X In participatory forest management planning, the perceived values of  local inhabitants concerning the area under planning are collected. The  results may, however, depend on the methods used. In this study, values  of residents of Hyrynsalmi municipality concerning the nearby forests  owned by UPM-Kymmene Ltd. were evaluated with a questionnaire consisting  of general value questions and mapping of social values of forests. The  data was collected from a public meeting and from a mailed survey from  randomly sampled people and from members of municipal council. The aims  of the study were to 1) test the social value mapping method in  commercial forests in a rural-urban interface as well as to examine the  benefits and drawbacks 2) in place-specific and non-specific data  collection, and 3) in different data collection methods, from the  viewpoint of forest management planning. We noted that while all  respondents can claim to represent local values, different data  collection methods produced statistically significantly different local  values. This needs to be accounted for when planning a participatory  process. In operational forest planning, place-specific information is  more useful than questions concerning the general values, while the  latter may help in defining forest policy goals. The social values  mapping method is also relatively easy for the participants. However, in  the studied case about one fifth of the area was delineated by the  participants per each positive value. The answers were quite scattered,  suggesting that most of the area had some social values for local  people. This indicates that utilising a social values mapping method in  planning needs further development in rural areas, where distinctive  patches can not be easily detected.