(Re)claiming forestry : a case study of women's empowerment

Nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) owners control a significant portion of forestland nationwide. Even though women own or manage NIPF lands, we know very little about how women manage forestland and what barriers women face in forest management. In addition, while there are several forestry organizations available to NIPF owners, few are geared specifically to women. Women Owning Woodlands network (WOWnet), an OSU Forestry Extension program for women woodland owners in Western Oregon, proved an ideal community to study women in forestry. I approached my research from a feminist perspective and, using qualitative mixed methods, I interviewed 16 women to learn about women's experiences in forestry, women's roles in forest ownership and management, and women's use of communication and networking in forestry. I examined all of these questions through the theoretical lens of empowerment. Despite evidence of an overall shift in forestry towards a more gender-inclusive field, gender roles can still be limiting for many women. Some still feel the need to prove their abilities in working in forestry, and some expressed that femininity can be a barrier for women in forestry. However, many women emphasized that they had positive experiences in forestry. Women also play important roles in the ownership and management of their land, particularly as it pertains to current stewardship and land transfer. Women may face unique challenges to forest management. The irregular lifestyle associated with forestry may be especially difficult for women who also run a household. Accessing information poses a barrier as well. Women communicate and network in forest management through involvement with a variety of natural resource-based communities, in general, and WOWnet, in particular. WOWnet, however, is unique from other communities because it is more horizontal, small-group and praxis-based in its approach. The female perspective, both in terms of the kind of information and the delivery of information, also draws many women to WOWnet. Forestry is dynamic and women are an increasingly important part of forestry, especially when it comes to establishing a vision of good land stewardship. Yet, women's varied roles in the ownership and management of forest land are frequently circumstantial. Women face barriers in accessing forestry knowledge that hinders their achievement of management goals. WOWnet, because it focuses on a female perspective and because it attracts diverse women interested in learning and sharing knowledge about forestry, is an important community for many women in forestry. Recommendations are for extension to shift away from the traditional top-down model of knowledge diffusion to a more holistic approach where university, extension, and landowners equitably engage in discussions of land management. In sum, WOWnet can empower women and serve as a model for other women's groups seeking to empower women

Reported theory use by digital alcohol interventions and association with effectiveness: meta-regression

Background: Applying theory to the design and evaluation of interventions is likely to increase effectiveness and improve the evidence base from which future interventions are developed, though few interventions report this. Objective: The aim of this paper was to assess how digital interventions to reduce hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption report the use of theory in their development and evaluation, and whether reporting of theory use is associated with intervention effectiveness. Methods: Randomized controlled trials were extracted from a Cochrane review on digital interventions for reducing hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption. Reporting of theory use within these digital interventions was investigated using the theory coding scheme (TCS). Reported theory use was analyzed by frequency counts and descriptive statistics. Associations were analyzed with meta-regression models. Results: Of 41 trials involving 42 comparisons, half did not mention theory (50% [21/42]), and only 38% (16/42) used theory to select or develop the intervention techniques. Significant heterogeneity existed between studies in the effect of interventions on alcohol reduction (I2=77.6%, P<.001). No significant associations were detected between reporting of theory use and intervention effectiveness in unadjusted models, though the meta-regression was underpowered to detect modest associations. Conclusions: Digital interventions offer a unique opportunity to refine and develop new dynamic, temporally sensitive theories, yet none of the studies reported refining or developing theory. Clearer selection, application, and reporting of theory use is needed to accurately assess how useful theory is in this field and to advance the field of behavior change theories

Behaviour change techniques used in digital behaviour change interventions to reduce excessive alcohol consumption: a meta-regression

Background: Digital behavior change interventions (DBCIs) appear to reduce alcohol consumption, but greater understanding is needed of their mechanisms of action. // Purpose: To describe the behavior change techniques (BCTs) used in DBCIs and examine whether individual BCTs, the inclusion of more BCTs or more Control Theory congruent BCTs is associated with increased effectiveness. // Methods: Forty-one randomized control trials were extracted from a Cochrane review of alcohol reduction DBCIs and coded for up to 93 BCTs using an established and reliable method. Random effects unadjusted and adjusted meta-regression models were performed to assess associations between BCTs and intervention effectiveness. // Results: Interventions used a mean of 9.1 BCTs (range 1–22), 23 different BCTs were used in four or more trials. Trials that used “Behavior substitution” (−95.112 grams per week [gpw], 95% CI: −162.90, −27.34), “Problem solving” (−45.92 gpw, 95% CI: −90.97, −0.87) and “Credible source” (−32.09 gpw, 95% CI: −60.64, −3.55) were significantly associated with greater alcohol reduction than trials without these BCTs. The “Behavior substitution” result should be treated as preliminary because it was reported in only four trials, three of which were conducted by the same research group. “Feedback” was used in 98% of trials (n = 41); other Control Theory congruent BCTs were used less frequently: for example, “Goal setting” 43% (n = 18) and “Self-monitoring” 29%, (n = 12). // Conclusions: “Behavior substitution,” “Problem solving,” and “Credible source” were associated with greater alcohol reduction. Many BCTs were used infrequently in DBCIs, including BCTs with evidence of effectiveness in other domains, such as “Self-monitoring” and “Goal setting.

WOWnet: A Communication and Networking Model for Women

We interviewed members of Women Owning Woodlands network (WOWnet), an Extension program in Western Oregon and an ideal community to study how women communicate and network. We found that WOWnet women are involved in a variety of natural resource-based organizations. However, WOWnet is unusual because of its small-group, praxis-based approach. If more Extension and forestry organizations followed the WOWnet example of supporting women new to forestry and focusing more on women-centric knowledge, they can become more inclusive of women with diverse interests and backgrounds. Programming that incorporates women-centric knowledge has implications for Extension programs throughout the U.S. and elsewhere

Effect of silane treatment of e-glass on the cross-linking kinetics of an epoxy resin

The primary focus of this study was to demonstrate that conventional reinforcing Eglass fibres can be used for in-situ monitoring of cross-linking reactions using evanescent wave spectroscopy. The effect of silane treatment on the cross-linking kinetics of a thermosetting resin is also presented.</p

Effect of silane treatment of e-glass on the cross-linking kinetics of an epoxy resin

The primary focus of this study was to demonstrate that conventional reinforcing Eglass fibres can be used for in-situ monitoring of cross-linking reactions using evanescent wave spectroscopy. The effect of silane treatment on the cross-linking kinetics of a thermosetting resin is also presented.</p