Agreement in Tree Marking: What Is the Uncertainty of Human Tree Selection in Selective Forest Management?

New methods for sustainable forest management are being introduced in Ireland and other countries worldwide. These require different approaches to thinnings. This study explored how different levels of expertise in managing forest ecosystems affect the way individuals approach the task of selecting trees before and after training. Both experts and novices responded differently when provided with the same task. Before training, when presented with the task to carry out a thinning without specific instructions, experts applied the method of thinning they were most familiar with. When trained in one of these alternative thinning methods, novices successfully applied this method, whereas the experts did not. The level of agreement as to the choice of trees for removal was generally surprisingly low and among experts it was highest before training and declined most after training. Prior knowledge in managing forest environments affected how participants approached the task; the longer an expert applies a task in a particular way, the harder it is to change this strategy. This is crucial information, suggesting that if new approaches to selective forest management are to be successfully implemented, more effort should be made to convince experts and/or training should focus on individuals who have yet to become familiar with using a specific approach. The results of this study also suggest that the success rate of applying new methods should be monitored. This will ensure the application of forest management most suited to a given environment.