The symbolic infrastructure of natural resource management: An example of the U.S. forest service
- 1 January 1988
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Society & Natural Resources
- Vol. 1 (1) , 241-251
- https://doi.org/10.1080/08941928809380656
Abstract
Symbolism is usually associated with religion or primitive cultures, and its pervasiveness is easily overlooked by natural resource professionals. This paper argues that natural resource issues such as herbicide use, wild horse management, or forest die‐back (Waldsterben) are rich in symbolic meaning that must be understood by competent professionals. Theories of symbolism, developed in other fields, are applied to natural resources management in the Western world. Examples are presented illustrating the magnitude, variety, and changing meaning of important natural resource symbols. These examples focus on forest management, foresters, and the USDA‐Forest Service.Keywords
This publication has 6 references indexed in Scilit:
- Professional Styles of Federal Forest and Marine Fisheries Resource ManagersNorth American Journal of Fisheries Management, 1986
- Conceiving forest management as providing for current and future social valueForest Ecology and Management, 1985
- State of the environment reportEnvironmental Policy and Law, 1983
- The four stages of professional careers— A new look at performance by professionalsOrganizational Dynamics, 1977
- Fire and WaterPublished by Harvard University Press ,1962
- General Systems Theory—The Skeleton of ScienceManagement Science, 1956