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US Forest Service Research & Development
Contact Information
  • US Forest Service Research & Development
  • 1400 Independence Ave., SW
  • Washington, D.C. 20250-0003
  • 800-832-1355
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David N. Bengston

Research Forester
1992 Folwell Ave
St. Paul
Minnesota
United States
55108

Phone: 651-649-5162
Contact David N. Bengston


Current Research

My current research includes three main areas:

  • Listening to Neglected Voices: I analyze the natural resource related needs, concerns and perspectives of racial and ethnic minority communities, including American Indians, Latinos, and Hmong Americans. These studies use focus groups and/or content analysis to listen to groups that have often been neglected by natural resource managers and policy makers.
  • Forest Values: I analyze the nature and structure of the values linking social systems to forest ecosystems and their implications for planning, management, and policy making. We need an understanding of the nature of forest stakeholder values, how forest values are changing, and what these changes imply for forest management and policy.
  • Monitoring the Social Environment: I develop and test new methods to continuously monitor the social environment for forest planning, management, and policymaking. Traditional social science methods for monitoring the social environment (e.g., surveys, focus groups) are slow and expensive, and often produce results long after they were needed. Innovative approaches are needed. I serve as the leader of a team developing a web-based system for monitoring key forest policy issues. The website will enable planners, managers, policymakers, public affairs officers, communications officers, policy analysts, and others to monitor the public discourse on key Forest Service issues expressed in news media discussion, blogs, and a variety of other forums.

    • Research Interests

    Valuing and Conserving Forest Ecosystem Services: The goods and services provided by forest ecosystems are vital to human well-being. But few ecosystem services have clearly established economic values. My research on forest ecosystem services will focus on (1) developing innovative, transdisciplinary methods for valuing the life-supporting services of forests, and (2) developing and evaluating innovative public policies, including market-based approaches, to conserve ecosystem services.

    Why This Research is Important

    Listening to Neglected Voices: The communities served by public forestry agencies are becoming more racially and ethnically diverse. Racial and ethnic communities often differ from the general population in their environmental attitudes and values and in their needs and concerns related to public land management. An important challenge for land management agencies is responding to an increasingly diverse society in ways that ensure that the views of all citizens are included in management and policy. My research on the needs and concerns of minority communities will help ensure these often neglected voices are heard.

    Forest Values: We have found evidence that we are currently in a period of rapid and significant change in forest values. Some have argued that managing forests in ways that are responsive to diverse and changing values is the main challenge faced by forest managers. We need an understanding of: the nature of forest stakeholder values, how forest values are changing, and what these changes imply for forest management and policy for sound decision making.

    Monitoring the Social Environment: Forest managers and policymakers need to monitor and assess both the biophysical and social environment. By monitoring the environment, we can make decisions that are responsive to the changing conditions and needs of the natural environment and society. We have already made progress in monitoring the biophysical environment. But traditional methods for monitoring the social environment, such as surveys, are slow and expensive, and often produce results long after they were needed. Innovative approaches to developing social information and monitoring systems are needed.

    Education

    • University of Minnesota, Ph.D. Forest Economics 1986
    • University of Minnesota, M.S. Agricultural and Applied Economics 1983
    • University of Minnesota, B.S. Future Studies 1980

    Professional Organizations

    • International Association for Society and Natural Resources
    • International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), Coordinator

    Featured Publications & Products

    Publications

    Research Highlights

    HighlightTitleYear

    NRS-2016-135    		Alternative Futures for Wood-based Nanomaterials

    Forest products researchers are exploring the potential of nano-products from wood. Possible uses of these renewable products could include high ...

    		2016

    NRS-2017-12    		Children’s connections to nature prove to be lasting

    Childhood nature experiences have lifelong positive effects. Children’s voluntary engagement with nature, as opposed to exposure through schoo ...

    		2017

    NRS-2011-12    		Culturally Appropriate Conservation Education for the Hmong American Community

    Forest Service researchers produced a conservation education DVD in partnership with the Hmong community titled The Wildlife and Wilderness Expl ...

    		2011

    NRS-2013-073    		Environmental Futures Research: Experiences, Approaches, and Opportunities

    A Forest Service scientist organized a conference session that explored the trans-disciplinary field of futures research and its application to ...

    		2013

    NRS-2014-019    		Scientists Examine the Future of Forests in the Anthropocene

    Forest Service researchers analyzed the major issues and factors affecting forests in the decades ahead: deforestation, mega-fires, urban forest ...

    		2014

    Last updated on : 07/12/2019