Jessica Leahy
Jessica Leahy – Jessie Jess Layhey Lahey Leay
School of Forest Resources SFR faculty professor teacher teaching
Natural resource management
Communication
Land forest management use
Social capital
Public participation participating involvement
Citizen science
Decision-making processes
Attitudes and behavior
Sustainability sustainable
Jessica Leahy was born and raised in Alaska, adjacent to the second largest state park in the United States. As a result, she’s always been curious about the connection between humans and forests. Leahy researches environmental attitudes and behaviors towards forests, forestry, and other natural resource management topics using a social psychology and communication approach. She tends to study four populations: outdoor recreationists, forest landowners, natural resource managers, and the “general public.” Her research program encompasses the role of social capital and trust in public involvement, participation, and citizen science; forest landowner decision-making processes; and influence of media and educational campaigns on attitudes and behavior.