ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

 I would like to thank my partner, Jacob, and my family for being supportive of my

endeavors as a graduate student. I will always be thankful for the patience and

participation of the Cherokee farmers in this study and the individuals who helped me

develop the instruments for this research they made this study possible. I would like to

also thank Cherokee Nation's Natural Resources Department for all the help in the field

and the new found friendships. I would like to thank my thesis chair, Dr. M.E. Swisher,

for her hard work, availability, discipline and guidance as an academic mentor. I would

like to thank my committee members, Dr. Hugh Popenoe and Dr. Richard Allen, for their

patience, wisdom and insight. Lastly, I would like to thank Meisha Wade and Cathy

Ritchie from the School of Natural Resources and Environment.