Jesse Caputo
Adjunct Professor
Phone: 413-545-1655
Office: 201 Holdsworth Hall
Websites: Family Forest Research Center, National Woodland Owner Survey
Research Interests
Private landowners — individuals, families, trusts, corporations, NGOs and other private organizations — own nearly 60% of the forested land in the U.S., and the decisions made by these landowners overwhelmingly influence the ecological trajectory of our nation’s forest resource. My research focuses on developing a better understanding of these landowners: their needs, motivations, objectives, and activities. To do so, I assist in implementing and analyzing the National Woodland Owner Survey (NWOS), a product of the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program. My research focuses on understanding what makes landowners “tick” — i.e., using social science theory and techniques in order to better understand how owning forestland influences the identity, values, and wellbeing of landowners. This includes research into the ecosystem services — or the social and physical benefits — that private forests deliver to landowners and their family, friends, and neighbors.
More information on my research can be found on the USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) website at Scientists & Staff.