Title : Understanding Forest Owners’ Behaviors Toward Natural Insurance in Europe
Author(s) : Fanny Claise, Marielle Brunette, Rasoul Yousefpour
Abstract : Natural insurance, which is based on the provision of ecosystem services, could strengthen forest resilience and reduce vulnerability to natural disturbances. However, little is known about how forest owners behave with regard to providing this forest function. To address this knowledge gap, this study surveyed private forest owners in four European countries, analysisng their behaviors towards natural insurance. Our multi-step approach uses descriptive statistics, cluster and principal component analyses and logit regressions. Our results reveal significant cross-country differences in terms of natural insurance behaviors. Four profiles of private forest owners were identified: incentive-sensitive, proactive managers, disengaged, and highly engaged. The provision of natural insurance is primarily influenced by the socio-economic characteristics of owners and the attributes of their forest properties, while management practices vary depending on the practice and the country considered.
Key-words : Forest; Natural Insurance; Behavioral typology; Logit
JEL Classification : Q23 (Forestry and Forest Management), Q54 (Climate and Natural Disasters), Q57 (Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity)
