Improving Family Forest Knowledge Transfer through Social Network Analysis

To better engage Maine's family forest landowners our study used social network analysis: a computational social science method for identifying stakeholders, evaluating models of engagement, and targeting areas for enhanced partnerships. Interviews with researchers associated with a research center were conducted to identify how social network analysis could improve knowledge transfer in the researcher–stakeholder relationship. Analysis found a large network of family forest stakeholders and organizations in Maine. We recommended that the research center use this information to enhance its role as a boundary organization, facilitating communication among researchers, stakeholders, and their organizations to better address the wicked problems facing family forests.