Perceptions of Local Government Forest Administrators on their Knowledge and Skills and the Sources

Abstract

This study examined the perceptions of local government officials regarding the requisite knowledge and skills for forest administration. Data were gathered from a questionnaire survey of participants in a 2023 training course aimed at developing support personnel for municipalities. A total of 111 respondents, including municipal and prefectural officials and other support personnel, participated. The findings indicate that forestry education was not deemed highly important; and even those without forestry education perceived that they had acquired a certain level of expertise through their own experience and research as well as communication with experts. Differences in perceptions of knowledge and skills levels were observed among respondents with three or more years of experience in forestry-related work. Many respondents, including support personnel, felt their knowledge and skills were inadequate overall, with a particular emphasis on the lack of time for knowledge acquisition. The study suggests that enhancing forest administrators’ expertise requires the design and improvement of opportunities and environments for post-employment knowledge acquisition, necessitating revisions in the tasks’ volume and scope within local governments.