|Social Assessment of Hoosier National Forest|
|Socioeconomic Indicators of Indiana | Population Growth in Southern Indiana|

A Social Assessment of Hoosier National Forest
Key-informant Opinions on Recreational Uses of Hoosier National Forest
David Welch, Cynthia Croisannt, Tom Evans, and Elinor Ostrom

Researchers from CIPEC, with the cooperation of the Bedford, Indiana, office of the Forest Service conducted a social assessment of Hoosier National Forest during the summer of 2000.

What is a Social Assessment?
Measures perceptions, interests, and expectations that individuals have about forest management and the communities surrounding the forest. Combined individual and community-level information indicates the needs, expectations, and values of residents in and near a national forest. Information from this study can help the Forest Service in developing future forest management plans

Aspects of the Study
Includes an historical overview that focuses on major social-cultural events that have affected the landscape of south-central Indiana. Analysis of county-level socioeconomic data highlights variations and patterns of population, affluence, and industrial activities across the south-central Indiana region. Personal interview responses indicate how individuals value Hoosier National Forest, as well as how individuals perceive issues related to forest management and different uses of the forest.

Interviews
Researchers interviewed a total of 101 respondents using a snow-ball sampling technique: Respondents were identified from lists of individuals who had some contact with the Forest Service regarding the management of the Hoosier National Forest and were asked to provide names of other individuals interested in participating in the study.

 

Activities Generally Perceived as Positive
	This figure shows a clear trend of four uses among the participants. Two-thirds or more of the interviewees liked or strongly liked these four activities (N=101).
Activities with Mixed Perceptions
	This figure shows less of a trend with the participants. Sixty-five percent of the participants liked or strongly liked non-timber harvesting as a use of the forest. Less than half of the participants liked the other three uses of the forest (N=101).

*N=101 denotes the number of people interviewed that answered this question ORV means off-road vehicle use

The following figures represent some of the data and results from this analysis.

• Figure 1: Location of the Hoosier Region and Management Units within Indiana
• Figure 2: The Hoosier National Forest and Surrounding Region
• Figure 3: Total Population in IN and Northern KY by County 1990
• Figure 4: Population in the Hoosier Region from 1820-2020
• Table 4: Overview of Affluence Indicators for Counties in the Hoosier Region
• Figure 5: Population Change in IN between 1980 and 1992 by County (net change)
• Figure 6: Percent of Population Below Poverty Level in IN and Northern KY by County in 1990
• Figure 8: Change in Acres of Land in Farms in IN by County between 1982-1992
• Figure 9: Communities Related to the Hoosier National Forest by Their Connection to a Large Urban Area
• Figure 10: Communities Related to the Hoosier National Forest by Socioeconomic and Cultural Considerations
• Figure 11: Communities Related to the Hoosier National Forest Based on Use of Management Units

Copy of the above reports in PDF format:
A Social Assessment of Hoosier National Forest
A Social Assessment of Hoosier National Forest: Managers Report

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Last Updated: May 11, 2005
Comments: cipec@indiana.edu 
Copyright 2005, The Trustees of Indiana University.