Abstract
This thesis combines current research on grassroots environmental interest groups attitudes and behaviors toward collaboration, with (Theory XYZ about EIG motivations) to better understand factors determining the groups' decision to litigate or collaborate on U.S. Forest Service vegetation management projects authorized under the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP). This study departs from previous research by analyzing documentary evidence generated by the interest groups in the form of the administrative comments made on CFLRP sponsored projects as part of the National Environmental Policy Act's (NEPA) notice and comment requirements to gain judicial standing to sue. Results indicate that the attitudes and behaviors of grassroots environmental groups toward collaboration are heavily influenced by trust in both the impetus to manage the forest at all, and the stakeholders doing the managing.