LA ENCUESTA COMO TÉCNICA DE INVESTIGACIÓN SOCIAL Y MECANISMO PARA LA PARTICIPACIÓN DE LOS PROPIETARIOS EN LA GESTIÓN DE SUS TIERRAS: EL CASO DE LOS MONTES VECINALES EN MANO COMÚN DE GALICIA.

Abstract

An opinion poll which allows collecting detailed and objective information about Galician communal forest owner’s interests is carried out. This opinion poll also allows collecting general information about social structure of owner’s community, about historical and present land uses, and about potentials and determinants for rural development. All this information may be used in the decision making process in forest management plans, following the current Spanish rules about these plans structure. These opinion polls have been used in forest management plans (as final year projects) in the University of Santiago de Compostela since the academic year 2000-2001. Students have shown a global comprehension of social and territorial factors, and forest management plans have been better accepted by owners. Keywords: Forest management plans, land use planning, opinion polls