43. THE NEED OF OWNER-SPECIFIC POLICIES AND COMMUNICATIONS TO ADVANCE FOREST CONVERSION IN

The conversion of secondary conifer plantations into well-structured native broadleaf forests is a growing issue in both the academic and policy arenas of today. One crucial factor necessary for the implementation of any strategy or program is the readiness of countless small landowners to engage in forest conversion. This paper examines the emerging theme of forest conversion through presenting a recent study among small owners of pine plantations in Flanders (the northern part of Belgium). In order to capture the variety in ownership motivations relevant to decision-making, a typology of forest owners was built using a forest owner survey. Three types of owners were identified, named as the ‘economist ’ (wood production and financial investment being the main goals), the ‘recreationist ’ (personal amenities and relaxation considered most important), and the ‘passive owner ’ (no clear motivations). Focus groups were subsequently used to examine those factors likely to influence small-scale forest owners ’ decision-making regarding forest conversion, and how these factors may vary between owner types. Generally, economists would favour a gradual forest conversion scenario (thinning and giving space to broadleaves), recreationists appear to be reluctant to change the forest scenery and passive owners tend to believe that forest conversion happens naturally without need for intervention. The research findings suggest that rapid conversion will not be a feasible option on private land. Policies and communications which could motivate small forest owners to engage in forest conversion include capacity (provide the knowledge, resources, or ability to make the decision towards forest conversion), learning (rely on the interaction between policy targets and policy-makers to determine the best way to address a problem) and symbolic tools (rely on the assumption that if a policy is viewed as consistent with the target population's values, it will be accepted and followed)