Linking quality of life and forest values in rural areas: an exploratory study of stakeholder perspectives in the rural community of Konitsa, Greece

This study attempts to identify and associate the perceivedforest and rural quality of life values that people hold inrural areas in order to form a basis for improving forest managementdecision-making. The perceived forest and rural values of twodistinct local stakeholder goups are summarized from a surveyundertaken in the rural community of Konitsa. The empiricalevidence suggests that the respondents associate quality ofrural life mainly with the attractiveness of nature and landscapeas well as a sense of community life. In particular, multi-purposeforestry remains not only an issue within the scientific communityand forest policymakers but also is espoused widely by the localcommunity. The analysis identified certain value preferencepatterns between contemporary rural values and major forestvalues; it acknowledged forests as an integrative part of people'sinteraction with the living conditions in Konitsa. The natureof these preference patterns shows that there may be opportunitiesfor enhancing forest contributions to rural development whichevolve from a purely productive-based practice into a styleof forestry to improve environmental public goods, strengthencommunity stability, create amenity forests, and enhance thequality of life in the broader sense. Local forest decision-makersshould consider not only the socio-economic environment or thedynamic of the area but also the perceived standard of livingin the area. The study observed the dissonance between currentforest practices and local expectations. It implies that anintegrated and ecosystem-based forest strategy should be adoptedto evaluate more accurately the contributions of forestry tolocal demands and rural well-being, be open and democratic andlay claim to involvement at the local level.