Rural communities in forested regions across the US are in the midst of a transformation driven by a complex mixture of economic, policy, and demographic dynamics. While many studies have explored the effects that these... [ view full abstract ]
Rural communities in forested regions across the US are in the midst of a transformation driven by a complex mixture of economic, policy, and demographic dynamics. While many studies have explored the effects that these changes have on adult populations, little attention has been paid to how local labor markets and perceptions of future opportunities influence the next generation of workers, entrepreneurs, and rural community leaders. Youth are essential components for endogenous development in many rural areas, especially those facing population decline, and youth decisions in human capital investment and future residences have implications for the resilience and health of rural communities.
This project illuminates the relationships between economic restructuring, community characteristics, and young people’s aspirations in rural, traditionally forest-dependent communities through the delivery of a survey to middle and high school students in northern Maine. Northern Maine presents an interesting case study of these factors as it is a very rural area with a long history of resource dependence and a high degree of local attachment to the outdoors and the rural quality of life. Across the region, communities are faced with an aging and declining population, perceptions that the forest-based economy is failing, and low student numbers that are on the edge of school viability. For these towns with uncertain economic futures, maintaining community infrastructure is essential to town persistence.
Our conceptual framework incorporates the influences that the educational system, local economy, and social/community influences play on personal youth aspirations and expectations for future education goals, desired community of residence, and employment plans. Our hypothesis is that youth in the region are attached to place and the forest around them, but also heavily influenced by the local perceptions of a limited economic future, and that these influences will be community-specific. Survey development and dissemination included engagement with local educators, community representatives, and non-profits interested in furthering local youth opportunities and rural community persistence. This presentation will summarize preliminary results of the survey in northern Maine to further our understanding of rural youth aspirations, decisions about human capital investments, and the potential impact that community-level factors have on individual expectations.
