Minnesota's Private Forest Management Assistance Program: An Evaluation of Aspen Timber Sale Assistance

Abstract

Abstract State and federal expenditures for Minnesota's private forest management (PFM) program approached $1.9 million in 1987. Nearly 15,000 landowners received PFM assistance in 1986. Seven paired harvests were studied to determine the cost-effectiveness of PFM forester assistance on aspen harvests. PFM forester assistance was found to have little effect on physical harvest conditions (e.g., regeneration and soil impacts) but did result in significantly higher stumpage prices received by landowners. On average, assistance costs exceeded incremental tax returns by $19.70/ac; assisted landowners received a net incremental return of $16.25/ac. Thus, public costs exceeded private landowner returns by $3 45/ac. Increasing the advisory role of PFM foresters while reducing their provision of on-site technical assistance could reduce program costs, as could imposition of larger assistance fees. Cost-effectiveness could be different for other assistance and timber types. North. J. Appl. For. 7(1):31-34, March 1990.