Economic Impact of a Large-Scale, Collaborative Forest Health Project: A Model for Making a Difference

Authors

• John D. Kushla, Mississippi State University
• Stephen G. Dicke, Mississippi State University
• James E. Henderson, Mississippi State University
• Jason Gordon, Mississippi State University
• Andrew J. Londo, Ohio State University
• James Meeker, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service

Volume

57

Issue

3

DOI

10.34068/joe.57.03.23

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Mississippi State University (MSU) Extension, and the Mississippi Forestry Commission partnered on the Southern Pine Beetle Prevention Project, a collaboration on forest health. MSU Extension provided educational outreach to a wide audience of forest landowners and screened applications for the project's tree-thinning cost-share program. From 2006 to 2016, the collaboration spent $4.5 million on educational outreach and cost sharing. Using IMPLAN, we estimated the project's economic contribution to the state at $60.2 million, a value representing a benefit–cost ratio of 13:1. Collaboration is an effective means for agencies to leverage resources, and impact analysis is a useful tool for evaluating Extension program effectiveness.

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Recommended Citation

Kushla, J. D., Dicke, S. G., Henderson, J. E., Gordon, J., Londo, A. J., & Meeker, J. (2019). Economic Impact of a Large-Scale, Collaborative Forest Health Project: A Model for Making a Difference. Journal of Extension, 57(3), Article 23. https://doi.org/10.34068/joe.57.03.23