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.