ABSTRACT
Complex social, economic, political, and ecological values cause frequent clashes over how best to manage public lands across the United States. For example, while many people value recreation, disagreement is prevalent over the type and extent of recreational activity that should occur (e.g., motorized versus nonmotorized activities). Allen and colleagues argue, “Values are relatively enduring conceptions about the important principles of life, such as what is good or bad and desirable or undesirable.… Values also refer to people’s orientations to nature and public lands management, specifically what types of public land opportunities or benefits are viewed as the most desirable” (Allen et al. 2009, 5). Values are normally ignored by public land agencies during decision-making processes (Birnbaum 2007). As a result, it has been difficult for public land decision makers to weigh and explain how societal values factor into the decision processes generally followed by public land management agencies.
