Perceptions of environmental damage improves over time, despite lack of real change
Invasive pests known as spruce bark beetles have been attacking Alaskan forests for decades, killing more than 1 million acres of forest on the Kenai Peninsula in southern Alaska for more than 25 years. Beyond environmental concerns regarding the millions of dead trees, or "beetle kill" trees, inhabitants of the peninsula and surrounding areas are faced with problems including dangerous falling trees, high wildfire risks, loss of scenic views and increased soil erosion. Now, a researcher from the University of Missouri and his colleagues have found that human perception of the beetle kill problem in the Kenai Peninsula has improved over time, despite little improvement in the environmental conditions. Hua Qin, an assistant professor of rural sociology and sustainable development at MU, says this trend in how time affects human attitudes and behavior is important to understand as environmental changes increase around the world.