Forest Values, Forest Management Attitudes, and Organizational Commitment among Forest Law Enforcement Officers in Negros Oriental, Philippines

Abstract

The literature has been silent on the forest values and management attitudes of forest law enforcers. We argue that it is also worthwhile to study these values and attitudes to inform forest management. Thus, we aim to determine the forest values and management attitudes among forest law enforcers in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. We also aim to test the value-attitude-behavior hierarchy by using it to predict an organizational behavior – organizational commitment. Data from a survey of all Department of Environment and Natural Resources personnel who have direct and indirect participation in forest law enforcement in the province were used to answer the research objectives. We found that the most dominant values of forest law enforcers are environmental, future, aesthetic, moral, and medicinal, while the prevailing management attitude is pro-environmental management. In addition, findings support the value-attitude-behavior model: forest values are related to organizational commitment through environmental management attitudes.