Fair and effective decision making in forest management planning

Creating a fair and effective decision-making process in forest management planning is more than a lofty public policy goal; it is increasingly becomi ng a legal requirement. An integral component of a fair and effective decis ion-making process is an effective public involvement process. By increasin g public involvement, both the process and outcomes from the process should be perceived as fairer and, consequently, more effective. This study exami nes the utility of applying the social psychology paradigm of procedural fa irness to decision-making processes in forest management planning. Specific ally, we examine whether the involvement level that resource-based tourism operators have with Ontario's forest management planning process influences their evaluations of the process and outcomes from the process. The study also contributes toward identifying effective and measurable indicators to assess fair and effective decision making in forest management planning, wh ich could serve in a criteria and indicator framework of forest sustainabil ity.