Introduction

In the past several decades there has been a growing interest in the human/social dimensions of forestry and other natural resource industries. In the past several years a specific interest in the role of social networks in these domains has arisen (Hubacek et al., 2006, Prell et al., 2009). There are many possible ways in which social networks might be important to societies/communities and natural resources. Communities themselves can be thought of as social networks (Wellman, 1979). Networks play an important role in diffusing information (Coleman et al., 1966). Beliefs, values, and attitudes are formed partly in the context of network structures (Erickson, 1988; Harshaw and Tindall, 2005). Individuals are connected to one another through organizations (Breiger, 1974) in what are sometimes called two-mode networks. Political economists sometimes look at interorganizational ties, and the ways in which business leaders are linked through interlocking directorships (Carroll, 2004). Collective actions and social movements usually have a network basis (Diani and McAdam, 2003). Network analysts have examined the role of social networks in environmental movements that have arisen vis-à-vis various environmental and natural resource issues (Diani, 1995; Tindall, 2002, 2004).