The right trees, planted in the right place, for a specific purpose. But, another kind of research says that getting conservation plantings on the ground requires not only an understanding of the technical data, but also of social data. A model called the Adoption-Diffusion model is what social scientists use to describe, explain, and predict human behavior relative to the adoption and diffusion of technologies. Diffusion is the process by which the adoption of a new idea, practice, or product spreads throughout a group, community, or society.
Innovation is an idea, practice, or product that is perceived as new by an individual or group.
Diffusion scholars have long recognized that an individual's decision about an innovation is not an instantaneous act. Rather, it is a process that occurs over time, consisting of a series of actions and decisions. Throughout the various stages, information, in many forms and from many sources, provides a producer the knowledge used in deciding whether or not to adopt a particular practice or system. The work you, as a natural resource professional, do is an essential link in getting these ideas to the people who need them. Obviously, most of the value of good research lies in putting the new knowledge to use to solve a real problem.