Climate-Resilient Forest Restoration on Public Lands in Minnesota’s Northwoods Region: A Behavior Change Case Study

Our case asked: How can social science factor into conservation program design as it relates to partnership development and behavioral “nudges”? How might these tools be used to influence public forest management decisions on a landscape scale? Our results indicate that using a combination of so-called behavioral “nudges” and intentional partnership collaboration, The Nature Conservancy’s projects have helped influence the process by which large public landholders incorporate climate change adaptation and resilience into decisions about the siting of restoration projects, and the composition of species used in forest restoration projects. Although the project in this case was not originally motivated by social science considerations, including those falling under the heading of behavioral science, it nonetheless illustrates how common-sense strategies, developed through partnerships, can be useful in creating long-term change. The case further illustrates how these changes could be amplified through a more intentional application of behavioral and social science tools. In this case, the “nudges” included demonstration sites, partner commitments and championship, and decisions tools. This case will help readers to understand how social science, and more specifically behavioral science, may be used to augment collaborative partnerships to achieve change in forest restoration practices.