MPP Essay Submitted to

Educating Pacific Northwest Campers on the Risk of Spreading Invasive Forest Pests through Firewood The spread of invasive species into the Pacific Northwest (PNW) of the United States poses a serious threat to the valuable forest resources of the region. Many insects and diseases that are a threat to these forest resources can be transported inside firewood. When campers transport their firewood across borders and ecosystems they can simultaneously spread invasive species into campgrounds and parks. In response to this risk, a campaign was developed to inform campers in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho about the risk of invasive species being transported through firewood. There are two main objectives of this research study. The first objective is to measure the effectiveness of this campaign in informing campers about the risk of invasive species moving through firewood. The second objective is to conduct an audience analysis of Pacific Northwest campers to identify key characteristics of campers and develop a mental model of their views, knowledge, and beliefs regarding invasive species and firewood that may be use