Attitudes of Residents in the Greater Chicago Region Toward Prescribed Burns and Ecological Restoration

A self-administered mail survey of 8,079 residents in 9 counties of the Southwestern region of Lake Michigan (6 in Illinois, 2 in northwestern Indiana, 1 in Wisconsin) was undertaken during February through April 2002 to determine residents value orientation, attitudes toward, and knowledge of ecological restoration in tall-grass prairies and oak savannas of the region. Specific focus was given to attitudes toward prescribed burns as a management practice. A total of 1,690 (21%) completed questionnaires were received. Although the overall response rate was low, the original sample reflected an over-sampling of the 9 counties. The final response was within the 95% confidence interval for a bivariate response given the population of the region. The results of the survey are the basis of this report.