Fire is an important ecological process that shapes structures and compositions in many ecosystems worldwide. Changes in climate, land use, and long-term fire exclusion have altered historic fire regimes often leading to more intense and severe wildfires and loss of biodiversity. There is an increasing interest by resource managers to reintroduce fire in historically fire-dependent ecosystems while enhancing the provision of ecosystem services. Restoring fire, however, is complicated by a diverse mix of public and private land ownerships in regions like the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic US, where private lands make up the majority (~ 70%) but prescribed burning is less common. To help inform policies that promote prescribed burning on private lands, we conducted a regional survey of forest landowners regarding their perspectives and willingness to pay (WTP) for prescribed fire as a management tool. We also used spatial hotspot analysis to detect regional variations in landowner opinions. Respondents had limited knowledge and experience with burning overall, but many also perceived fire as a low-risk tool and were trusting of burning professionals. Most landowners (64%) expressed interest in a variety of prescribed fire programs to help achieve management outcomes. Preferred outcomes include protecting forest health, controlling invasive species, and wildlife habitat. Also significant in explaining landowner choices were economic (e.g., cost of burning), governance (e.g., state coordination, cost-share assistance, and access to consultants), and demographic factors. According to two models, the mean WTP for the prescribed fire was $10 ha−1 and $40 ha−1 ($4 ac−1 and $16 ac−1) but could be as high as $220 ha−1 ($89 ac−1) for specific outcomes and programs. Spatial analysis revealed a north–south gradient in landowner opinions across the region, with opinions about burning more positive in the south. Pennsylvania landowners were unique within our study in that they placed the highest economic value on prescribed fire, despite having limited knowledge and experience. There is significant support by landowners to use prescribed fire to achieve management objectives on private lands in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic region. Pennsylvania landowners, in particular, were strongly motivated to use prescribed fire; however, knowledge and experience are severely limited. Education, technical support, financial assistance, and access to professionals will be important for helping landowners use prescribed fire to achieve management objectives.

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美国东北部/大西洋中部地区林地所有者的价值观和对规定火灾的看法

火灾是一个重要的生态过程，它塑造了全球许多生态系统的结构和组成。气候、土地利用和长期防火的变化改变了历史上的火灾状况，往往导致更加强烈和严重的野火和生物多样性的丧失。资源管理者越来越有兴趣在历史上依赖火灾的生态系统中重新引入火灾，同时加强生态系统服务的提供。然而，在美国东北部/大西洋中部等地区，由于公共和私人土地所有权的多样化，恢复火灾变得复杂，其中私人土地占大多数（约 70%），但规定燃烧并不常见。为了帮助制定促进私人土地规定燃烧的政策，我们对林地所有者进行了一项区域调查，了解他们对规定燃烧作为管理工具的看法和支付意愿（WTP）。我们还使用空间热点分析来检测土地所有者意见的区域差异。受访者对燃烧的整体知识和经验有限，但许多人也认为火是一种低风险的工具，并且信任燃烧专业人员。大多数土地所有者 (64%) 表示对各种规定的火灾计划感兴趣，以帮助实现管理成果。首选成果包括保护森林健康、控制入侵物种和野生动物栖息地。在解释土地所有者的选择时也很重要的是经济（例如，燃烧成本）、治理（例如，国家协调、成本分摊援助和咨询顾问）和人口因素。根据两个模型，规定火灾的平均支付意愿为 $10 ha−1 和 $40 ha−1 ($4 ac−1 和 $16 ac−1)，但可能高达 $220 ha−1 ($89 ac−1)具体成果和计划。空间分析显示，该地区土地所有者的看法存在南北梯度，南部地区对焚烧的看法更为积极。宾夕法尼亚州的土地所有者在我们的研究中是独一无二的，因为尽管他们的知识和经验有限，但他们对规定的火灾给予了最高的经济价值。土地所有者大力支持使用规定的火灾来实现东北/大西洋中部地区私人土地的管理目标。宾夕法尼亚州的土地所有者尤其有强烈的动机使用规定的火。然而，知识和经验严重有限。教育、技术支持、财政援助和接触专业人员对于帮助土地所有者使用规定的火灾来实现管理目标非常重要。