The Story of the National Woodland Owner Survey

1. The Story of the National Woodland Owner Survey The official statistics of the nation’s forest owners

2. Conclusions – Research Findings • Family forest owners rule! • Amenity values dominate • Landowners are old • Most owners are not being reached

3. Conclusions – Research Directions • Modules • Base • Science • Urban • Corporate • Annualize • Intensification and customization • Tools and integration • All lands survey

4. Conclusions – Research Needs • Continued financial support • More landowner program evaluation • More research coordination

5. The Ownership of Small Private Forest-land Holdings in 23 New England Towns (1948) • First (?) forestland owner survey in US • Conclusions • Most forestland in small private holdings • Most not well managed • Timber value is important to owners

6. Ownership of Forest Land and Timber (1953) • First national forest ownership report • Very limited data • Conclusions • Most commercial forestland in small private holdings • Many own for reasons other than timber • Farmers predominate • Most private forests are young stands

7. The Private Forest-land Owners of the United States (1978) • Appended to an Economic Research Service survey • Conclusions • Most commercial forestland privately owned • 16% are farmers • Most are white, male, over 50, and live in the county • 48% of private forestland owned by <1% of owners

8. Private Forest-land Owners of the United States (1993) • First “modern” national forest ownership survey • Conclusions • Most forests are privately owned • 45% of acreage in holdings 500+ ac • 40% of owners acquired land in previous 15 years • 5% have management plans

9. Family Forest Owners of the United States (2006) • First to be fully integrated with FIA sampling grid • Added depth • Conclusions • 35% of forestland owned by family forest owners • 61% of family forest owners own <10 ac • 53% of family forest land in holdings of 100+ ac • Most common reasons for owning are beauty, legacy, privacy, and nature

10. Family Forest Owners of the United States (2006) • Conclusions (cont.) • 58% have commercially harvested trees • 20% have a management plan • Major concerns include insects, keeping land intact, fire, trespassing, and property taxes • 20% owned by someone planning to sell or transfer in next 5 years • Most owners are older, white, male, well educated, and relatively wealthy

11. Family Forest Owners of the United States (2013) • First set of remeasured data • Conclusions • 36% of forestland owned by family forest owners • 62% of ownerships have holdings <10 acres • 56% of acres owned by ownerships with 100+ acres • The most common reasons for owning are beauty, privacy, wildlife, and nature

12. Family Forest Owners of the United States (2013) • Conclusions (cont.) • 13% have a management plan • 20% have received management advice • 48% owned by people 65+

13. Forest Ownership in the USA Family Federal Corporate State Other private Local

14. Forest Ownership in the USA

15. NWOS 2013 Basic FindingsFamily Forest Ownerships with 10+ ac • Area: 265 million ac • Ownerships: 4.0 million • Average holding size: 65.8 ac • Primary reasons for owning: beauty, wildlife, privacy, and nature • Management plans: 13% • Average age: 62.6 yrs

16. Family Forest Ownership Generational Shifts

17. Family Forest Ownership Gender Trends

18. NWOS 2013 Methods • Implemented from 2011 to 2013 • Based on FIA sampling grid • Self-administered mail back survey • 37 questions • Across 50 states • 8,576 respondents • Cooperation rate of 51.6%

19. NWOS 2013 Products • Journal of Forestry • Forest Service Resource Bulletin • 2,000+ tables • NWOS Table Maker • Two-page state summaries • Brochure • Scientific articles

20. NWOS 2018 Increased Content Improved Methods Annual Faster results Documentation Database Better FIA integration Tools • Urban survey • Large corporate survey • Science Modules • State intensification • Longitudinal • US territories

21. NWOS 2020 and Beyond • All lands • All land uses • Forest • Agriculture • Urban • All ownerships • Family and individual • Large corporate • Other private • Tribal • Public

22. Portfolios • Base National Woodland Owner Survey • Urban Landowner Survey • Corporate Forestland Owner Survey • NWOS in territories and protectorates • Tools and integration • State intensifications • Science modules • All Landowners Survey

23. Family Forest Research Center Team NWOS Core Team • Brett Butler • Sarah Butler • Jesse Caputo • Amanda Robillard

24. Conclusions – Research Findings • Family forest owners rule! • Amenity values dominate • Landowners are old • Most owners are not being reached

25. Conclusions – Research Directions • Modules • Base • Science • Urban • Corporate • Annualize • Intensification and customization • Tools and integration • All lands survey

26. Conclusions – Research Needs • Continued financial support • More landowner program evaluation • More research coordination

27. Comments or Questions? Brett Butler U.S. Forest Service, Amherst, MA USA bbutler01@fs.fed.us; 413.545.1387 www.fia.fs.fed.us/nwos www.FamilyForestResearchCenter.org