Environmental ethics, religion and forestry in the southern United States

Humans define what is appropriate and inappropriate in their inevitable interaction with nature by using environmental ethics. These ethics encompass "the diversity of ideas that drive human-nature relationships." (Manning & Valliere, 1996 p. 28). According to the literature, environmentalism is an increasingly popularly held value in the U.S. (Dunlap, 1992, Olsen, Lodwick & Dunlap, 1992; Milbrath. 1984, Mohai 1990). However, there are several distinct gaps in this literature: (1) unidimensional measures, (2) lack of analysis of the southern United States, and (3) lack of understanding of the role religion plays in environmentalism. Our study of a multi-state region in the mid-Gulf South assesses five categories of environmental ethics among respondents: anti-environmentalism, utilitarian conservation, religious stewardship and deep ecological. To understand the dynamics of environmental ethics of people in the South, we must address the role religion plays in relation to environmental ethics. Debate exists as to the nature of the influence of religion, especially Judeo-Christian religions, on the treatment of the environment in the Western hemisphere. In this study, we found that religious stewardship is the prevailing environmental ethic in the mid-Gulf South. In addition, we found no relationship between anti-environmentalism and Christianity.