20.500.12556/RUL-185741 How policy addressees intend to respond to EU policy change? a cross-country survey analysis of forest owner behavioral types and responses to EU biodiversity and climate objectives How do forest owners and managers – as policy addressees - intend to respond to EU policy – such as biodiversity and climate policy objectives - across different national contexts? Addressing this question, the study builds on social science behavioral theories to derive forest owner and manager types (FOTs) based on distinct decision-making logics. Using survey data from 1573 respondents in five European countries (Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden) and applying hierarchical cluster analysis, the study quantitatively identifies and validates these behavioral types across diverse institutional and ecological settings. The results show that multifunctionalists consistently support EU biodiversity and climate objectives, while optimizers tend to prioritize economic outcomes and often oppose regulatory interventions. Environmentalists display generally positive but context-dependent responses, whereas traditionalists show more limited support, particularly for stricter conservation measures. Across countries, the presence of similar behavioral types but varying response patterns highlights the importance of national context in shaping policy support and resistance. By linking behavioral typologies to EU policy objectives, the study advances forest policy and Europeanization research by introducing an actor-centered explanation of differentiated policy implementation outcomes. The findings provide insights for more targeted and context-sensitive policy design, while acknowledging the limits of survey-based measures of behavioral responses. land use policy EU policy forest owners politika rabe zemljišč EU politika lastniki gozdov true false true Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Članek v reviji 2026-08-19 14:32:32 2026-08-19 14:32:40 2026-08-20 04:19:42 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2026 0 0 18 str. [art. no.] ǂ108263 Vol. 171 Dec. 2026 0000-00-00 PostprintKoncna Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 2029-08-12 630*92+630*93(4-6EU) 1873-5754 10.1016/j.landusepol.2026.108263 287682307 RAZ_Pezdevsek_Malovrh_Spela_2026.docx RAZ_Pezdevsek_Malovrh_Spela_2026.docx 1 8449497C883E08B829AE578E986499F5 49567791b4cb6d6799f5d9a46d0e54dae6c11c3b0d6ea4a96e2d02327a4a3c0b ea0072a3-9bcb-11f1-9b0d-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=244602 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0264837726003479?via%3Dihub 1 b0ba52a9-9bc9-11f1-9b0d-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=244596 Biotehniška fakulteta 0 0 0