Developing nudges, nudge+ and boosts to support climate change mitigation in practice – A case study on ash fertilization among Finnish private forest owners

Bibliographic Details
Title: Developing nudges, nudge+ and boosts to support climate change mitigation in practice – A case study on ash fertilization among Finnish private forest owners
Authors: Marjo Maidell, Mats Godenhielm, Annukka Vainio, Paula Salo
Source: Trees, Forests and People, Vol 17, Iss , Pp 100643- (2024)
Publisher Information: Elsevier, 2024.
Publication Year: 2024
Collection: LCC:Forestry
LCC:Plant ecology
Subject Terms: Climate change mitigation, Behaviour change wheel, Cognitive bias, Non-industrial private forests, Ash fertilization, Finland, Forestry, SD1-669.5, Plant ecology, QK900-989
More Details: Forests are crucial for climate change mitigation as they absorb and store large amounts of carbon dioxide. In Finland, ash fertilization of drained peatland forests has been identified as part of the climate change mitigation strategy, yet it is implemented notably less than it could be. Therefore, this study aimed to identify most effective nudges, nudge+ and boosts that could steer Finnish non-industrial private forest (NIPF) owners to adopt ash fertilization in their forest. Semi-structured interviews with 19 NIPF owners were analyzed using the Behaviour change wheel to identify key factors influencing owners’ willingness to engage in ash fertilization. Most factors raised by forest owners were related to reflective motivation encompassing both drivers and barriers to practicing ash fertilization. We also identified possible cognitive biases that were influencing decisions. The suggested nudges, nudge+ and boosts address both the specific concerns of the forest owners and the underlying heuristics. For example, framing ash fertilization as a standard procedure of professional forest management and including it into forest management plans could facilitate overcoming status quo bias that may hinder the adoption of novel forest management practices. These findings are directly applicable for creating nudges, nudge+ and boosts on ash fertilization for experienced, professionally managing NIPF owners with larger forest estates. Our study also offers an approach that can be adapted for broader application in environmental and climate-friendly decision-making, contributing to the growing body of literature on the intersection of behavioral science and environmental management.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2666-7193
Relation: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266671932400150X; https://doaj.org/toc/2666-7193
DOI: 10.1016/j.tfp.2024.100643
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/49d8eefbf7874ab2b4a53c690e623874
Accession Number: edsdoj.49d8eefbf7874ab2b4a53c690e623874
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:26667193
DOI:10.1016/j.tfp.2024.100643
Published in:Trees, Forests and People
Language:English