Forest disturbances change psychological ownership among traditional private forest owners in North Rhine Westphalia

Forests in Germany are experiencing crises due to climate change, dry summers, storms, and widespread damage from pests and diseases. By understanding how private forest owners experience ownership and forest disturbances due to climate change, this study provides valuable insights to better meet the needs of forest owners with family tradition and inform policy decisions and implementations. The literature on forest disturbances primarily concentrates on the economic significance for the forest industry and its ecological consequences. Although studies have shown that severe storms and windthrows alter forest owners' identities and lead to shifts in awareness and emotional responses, the psychological effects of significant forest disturbances remain unexplored. The impact of forest disturbances on forest owners' psychological ownership and subsequent management responses has yet to be investigated, leaving a significant research gap. In this study, we show (a) that different dimensions and manifestations of psychological ownership can be observed among forest owners and (b) that forest disturbances influence all three pathways of forest owners' psychological ownership in various ways, resulting in changes of the motives of psychological ownership. Connectedness to the forest and intergenerational forest family tradition are essential aspects of forest-related identities challenged by disturbances. However, traditional forest owners integrate disturbances into their narrations and counterbalance the loss of control through further knowledge acquisition and greater self-investment. We suggest peer-to-peer learning and communication to foster psychological ownership and address diverse knowledge, values, and identities. • owners see the forest as a symbol of their embeddedness in a chain of generations • Intimate knowledge is formed through past and living relationships with the forest • Owners maintain self-identity by integrating disturbances into their narratives • Impact of disturbances on ownership feelings is counterbalanced by self-investment • Peer-to-peer communication and learning strengthens psychological ownership