Stakeholders’ views on the global guidelines for the sustainable use of non-native trees
Data files
Jun 26, 2025 version files 5.04 MB
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Data_Dryad.csv
4.92 MB
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Questionnaire.pdf
116.23 KB
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README.md
1.47 KB
Abstract
A large number of non-native trees (NNTs) have been introduced globally and widely planted, contributing significantly to the world's economy. Although some of these species present a limited risk of spreading beyond their planting sites, a growing number of NNTs are spreading and becoming invasive, leading to diverse negative impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and human well-being. To help minimize the negative impacts and maximize the economic benefits of NNTs, Brundu et al. developed eight guidelines for the sustainable use of NNTs globally—the Global Guidelines for the Use of NNTs (GG-NNTs). We used an online survey to assess perceptions of key stakeholders towards NNTs and explore their knowledge of and compliance with the GG-NNTs. This dataset includes the results of such a questionnaire.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.2z34tmps3
Description of the data and file structure
Data were obtained from a questionnaire (see Questionnaire.pdf)
File: Data_Dryad.xlsx
Description: Data collected from a questionnaire
Participants were required to answer all the questions. We only registered responses from participants working within organizations that are involved in one or more of the following activities: studying, planting, using, or managing NNTs. Overall, the data includes:
Column A: ID given to each respondent
Column B. Respondents were asked whether they had heard of non-native trees before. This column includes the answers (Yes or No).
Columns C-E: Respondents were asked to think about the first three words that spontaneously come to mind when they think about non-native trees and to rate these words as something very negative (-2), negative (-1), neutral (0), positive (1) or very positive (2). Only the ratings for these three words (i.e., not the words) were kept.
Columns F-S. Respondent’s agreement or disagreement (on a likert scale) with a series of statements to a series of statements.
Columns T-AC: Answers to the questions on whether stakeholders are complying with the Global Guidelines for the sustainable use of Non Native Trees
Columns AD-AJ: Socioeconomic characteristics of respondents
The questionnaire was comprised of three sections: (1) a section aimed at assessing how respondents perceive NNTs, (2) a section designed to assess whether stakeholders comply with the GG-NNTs, and (3) a section aimed at collecting sociodemographic information about the respondents and their institution. The questionnaire was distributed amon 753 identified relevant stakeholder institutions, divided all identified into seven groups according to the sectors they can be associated with: (1) aesthetics, (2) environmental improvement, (3) research in forestry, (4) forest industry and forest production, (5) research in nature conservation, (6) nature conservation, and (7) other, those that did not fit any of the other categories (e.g. environmental consultancies and governmental agencies).