Forest resource dependency in the West Gulf Region

Abstract

Factor analysis and unweighted average clustering techniques were employed to reduce the West Gulf Region into 10 more homogeneous subregions for forest resource dependency analysis. Factor analysis utilized 32 variables describing social, economic, and resource characteristics for each county or parish in the study area. Unweighted average clustering technique used factor score data for final grouping. The 10 groups identified by unweighted average clustering were characterized as 3 predominately agricultural, 1 urban, and 6 predominately forest based. Forest resource dependency analysis indicated high and medium dependency with 3 levels of industrial ownership, national forest ownership group, and nonfarm nonindustrial ownership group. All other groups (5) indicated low dependency on forest resources. Those counties and parishes with high forest resource dependency were highly dependent upon manufacturing activities to provide a local employment base. In most cases these local economies did not have an adequate service employment component. This lack of local service facilities tended to minimize the impact of forest resource based employment as employees were forced to spend their wages outside the county or parish of employment. Income leakages appeared to be high for forest resource dependent local economies. For those counties and parishes with a dependency on forest resources to provide a stable manufacturing employment base, the long run impact of technology and timber supply is critical. Maintenance of current levels of employment is strongly dependent upon increasing timber supplies as trends in technology show decreasing labor demands. The skill levels required of the labor force will be continually increasing as capital investment per worker increases.