Private Forest Landowners Research Articles

A Forest Management Evaluation System for Small Private Forest Landowners

A Forest Management Evaluation System for Small Private Forest Landowners

Soil-based assessment of site productivity for southern pine plantations in the coastal plain of the southeastern US: (II) slash pine

Non-industrial private forest landowners and foresters often rely on outdated site index models for forest productivity predictions, which hinders accurate assessment. To address this issue, 157 slash pine plots were established in the coastal plain of Georgia, USA, to collect tree and soil data. Using regression tree and linear regression models, we identified modified Cooperative Research in Forest Fertilization soil groups and surface soil extractable phosphorus as significant predictors of site index. The optimal regression tree model (R2 = 0.490, RMSE = 1.72 m) outperformed the linear regression model. Updated site index and simulated mean annual increments for slash pine were compared with long-term experimental study data, as well as with previous findings for loblolly pine in the same region (Zhao et al., 2024a). The new predictive models will help non-industrial private forest landowners evaluate slash pine productivity in the Coastal Plain region, applicable across diverse sites.

Weather variability risks slow climate adaptation: An empirical analysis of forestry

The timing of climate adaptation decisions can have substantial consequences for the assessment of climate damages. Since weather variability can create risks for natural resource management that differ across adaptation choices, such variability has the potential to alter the speed of climate adaptation. This paper estimates the effect of weather variability on the timing of adaptation decisions of forest landowners in the Eastern United States. A discrete-choice econometric model of forest management is estimated and used in a bio-economic simulation that shows how variability in cold temperatures can significantly slow the rate of adapting from cold-tolerant natural hardwood forests to cold-sensitive, but highly valuable pine plantations. The range of weather variability in climate projections and across the landscape generates large differences in adaptation timing. Ignoring projected future decreases in weather variability results in a large downward bias in estimating future paths of climate adaptation. Since pine plantations produce fewer non-market ecosystem services than natural hardwood forests, an important source of future conservation uncertainty is the economic response of private forest landowners to changing weather variability.

Understanding Landowner Education Needs for Invasive Disease Prevention and Restoration Planting in Southern Oregon

Abstract Understanding the knowledge and behavior of nonindustrial private forest landowners towards Port-Orford cedar (POC) root disease (Phytophthora lateralis), sudden oak death (Phytophthora ramorum), and disease-resistant seedlings can help target effective education and outreach programs. We surveyed two counties in Southern Oregon to gain knowledge about these pathogens, disease-resistant seedlings, landowner behavior, and landowner preferences regarding planting disease-resistant seedlings. Amenity-based management objectives were more associated with planting disease-resistant POC. Respondents were more likely to plant disease-resistant conifers than hardwoods. Disease-resistant planting preferences were associated with years owned and acres of ownership. Designing targeted education and outreach programs will be necessary to achieve broad scale adoption of disease management and restoration practices. Study implications: We present results from a survey of nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) landowners in two counties in Southern Oregon to determine general landowner characteristics and knowledge of two nonnative diseases, Port-Orford cedar root disease, caused by Phytophthora lateralis, and sudden oak death, caused by Phytophthora ramorum. NIPF landowners play meaningful roles in invasive disease management: recognizing and reporting symptoms of nonnative plant diseases with the objective of early detection and control, implementing management actions to help mitigate disease spread, and planting disease-resistant seedlings during restoration efforts. Understanding landowner knowledge about diseases is important for engaging them in insect and disease mitigation.

Non-industrial private forest owners' preferences for fuel reduction cost-share programs in the southeastern U.S.

In the southeastern United States, effective large-scale management of wildfire risk, encompassing both fire occurrence and damage to property or assets, requires the participation of non-industrial private forest landowners (NIPFL) to reduce fuel loads on their land. This research utilizes a survey to assess NIPFL's current management practices, history of wildfire on their property, and willingness to participate in a cost-share program to reduce wildfire risk with a choice experiment. We find 80% of NIPFL have already engaged in some type of fuel reduction practices on their property. When offered a cost-share program to conduct prescribed burns and/or create defensible space, landowners selected to enroll 66% of the time. Results indicate that NIPFL prefer cost-share programs administered by government agencies over those administered by non-governmental agencies. They also prefer programs that require the creation of defensible space instead of the use of prescribed fire. These results provide insights into possible incentive programs to increase wildfire risk management and highlight barriers to participation.

Estimating timber supply elasticity of private forest landowners in the US South

In the US South, private forest landowners own the majority of timberland; therefore, understanding the timber supply behavior of these landowners is a fundamental forest economic question. This study estimates the pine stumpage supply equations and elasticities of private landowners in TimberMart-South (TMS) regions. It uses individual landowner pine stumpage (sawtimber, pulpwood, and Chip-N-Saw [CNS]) sales data from 2010 to 2019 and employs the seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) to estimate supply elasticities. Over the study period, nominal sawtimber stumpage price has decreased, while CNS stumpage and pulpwood stumpage prices have not effectively changed. The SUR estimate results revealed that pine sawtimber (2.452) and CNS (1.675) stumpage supply were price elastic, while pine pulpwood stumpage supply was price inelastic (0.352). Furthermore, there was a significant and negative effect of sawtimber price on pulpwood and CNS volume supplied and vice-versa, however, the effect of the former was larger in magnitude. This study provides not only a nuanced understanding of landowners' supply elasticities of three principal stumpage products but also a valuable empirical basis to better understand the market outcomes and welfare changes that market participants might experience due to new policies and market shocks.

Forest Disturbances and Nonindustrial Forest Landowners: Management of Invasive Plants, Fire Hazards and Wildlife Habitats After a Hurricane

AbstractThere is limited research about the interacting impacts of hurricane damage and forest disturbances like invasive species and wildfires on nonindustrial forest land management. We administered a mail survey to 1,000 randomly selected nonindustrial private forest landowners in the Panhandle of Florida who owned forestlands in the counties most severely affected by Hurricane Michael. Results show that most landowners did little to no forest management to prepare for the hurricane. Following Hurricane Michael, 34% of respondents reported increased invasive plants whereas 82% experienced timber loss, 62% had damaged wildlife habitats, and 53% had increased vulnerability to wildfire hazards. Landowners who experienced timber damage from Hurricane Michael were more likely to reduce fire hazard, eliminate or reduce invasive plants, perform road and trail maintenance, improve wildlife habitat, reforest both salvage harvested and areas that were not salvage harvested, search for information on the internet about forest management, and pass their forestland to family.Study Implications: Forest disturbances such as hurricanes, invasive species, and wildfires are predicted to increase in severity and frequency, consequently affecting forest productivity, sustainability, and management. Despite significant impacts on forest lands, there is limited understanding of how these disturbances may affect nonindustrial private forest landowner management behaviors. This article highlights the attitudes, experiences, and perceptions of nonindustrial private forest landowners, including their awareness and overall forest management plans regarding invasive species control, wildlife habitat improvement, and reducing wildfire hazards after a hurricane. We assessed the important factors that contribute to landowners’ willingness to take action to address these interacting forest disturbances.

Influence of Forester Traits and Advising Approaches on Landowners’ Intention to Follow Recommendations About Maple Sugarbush Management among Sap Producers in Wisconsin

Abstract The maple syrup industry has growth potential in the United States. Foresters can help expand the maple syrup industry by supporting private forest management decisions to improve maple tree health and sap production. This study examined the influence of advice solicitation, active listening, and forester traits (i.e., expertise, confidence, trustworthiness, shared forestland values) on outcomes of professional advice about maple syrup production and sugarbush management. Regression models were used to analyze data from a survey targeted at Wisconsin maple syrup producers (n = 149). Compared with unsolicited advice, advice outcomes were more positive when landowners actively sought it, although advice solicitation had a stronger influence on perceived quality of advice than advice utilization. Landowners evaluated advice more positively and had greater intention to use the advice when the forester actively listened to them. Perceiving positive traits in the forester has the strongest impact on landowners’ evaluations and adoption of advice. Study Implications: By examining the role of forester traits, giving (un)solicited advice, and active listening in affecting private forest landowners’ perceptions and use of advice about maple syrup production and sugarbush management, this study informs the design of training programs aimed at equipping foresters with effective communication skills. To achieve optimal communication outcomes, foresters should tactfully create the perception that the landowner requested their advice, such as by eliciting questions and encouraging landowners to explain their management motivations. Further, foresters should demonstrate expertise, show confidence, build trust, and create compatible management philosophies with the landowner by acknowledging the landowner’s perspectives.

“The cost of doing business”: Private rights, public resources, and the resulting diversity of state-level forestry policies in the U.S.

In the U.S., the combination of federal, state, and local forest rules and programs create the policy environment in which private forest landowners manage their land, which in turn impacts the quality and conservation of ecosystem services produced. While previous studies provide overviews of forest policies impacting private landowners at moments in time, they lack the depth and perspective needed to describe the political context of forest policies, including the mechanisms underlying this diversity: the how and why of particular policies. This study fills that gap by utilizing interviews with policy experts from 12 case-study states to investigate the range of forest policies present in the U.S. We also explored the perceived trade-offs between protection of public trust resources and private property rights on private forest lands in their states, and the key actors (groups) influencing policy changes over time. Overall, the strong role of private property rights in the United States was consistent across case-study states, although most experts indicated a balance between protecting public trust resources and private property rights. The variability of policy tools employed among states suggests many avenues to achieve this balance, including policies that are created through market-based mechanisms rather than the state (i.e., certification). We also found that local-level regulations contributed to diversity and, at times, conflict and confusion within states. Finally, although landowner stewardship is not a policy tool, we found that states implicitly and explicitly relied on landowner knowledge and values to protect public trust resources, a strategy that some participants agreed fostered trust between the state and its private forest landowners.

Monetary compensation for changing forest management practices to increase water availability in Georgia, United States

Forests provide many ecological services, including carbon sequestration, biofuel provision, and recreation, yet the influence of forests on water resources is still often debated. While increased forest cover is generally associated with greater water quality, the value-added component of enhanced water services associated with reduced forest cover is less understood. At the same time, ensuring adequate water supplies remain a common goal of many natural resource managers due to growing concerns over freshwater security. This study derives a baseline of willingness-to-accept estimates to supply water flows by investigating the behavior of tree farm owners in Georgia, United States. Little is known about landowner preferences among incentives related to the adoption of different silvicultural practices to increase downstream water yields. A discrete choice experiment was designed to ascertain monetary compensation amounts required to alter established planting densities and thinning intensities likely to result in increased water yields. Results show that landowners may adopt such forest management strategies if appropriately compensated. Specifically, landowners on average, desired approximately $0.06 to $0.19 more per acre per year for every unit decrease in planting density. These are significant findings given that existing relevant stakeholders on the ‘consumer’ side may be ready and willing to fund such practices. We hope our study can contribute towards establishing market-based incentives for private forest landowners to encourage the conservation and improvement of forested watersheds in Georgia and beyond.

Educational Needs of North Carolina Non-industrial Private Forest Landowners and Barriers to Meeting These Needs

Forest landowners are an important target audience for many state Extension programs. Acknowledging the differences and associations between landownership values, characteristics, and educational preferences of forest landowners should lead to improvement of educational programs and ensuring that educational needs are being met. Through an internet-based survey of forest landowners four distinct landowner typologies were identified based on respondents’ reason for owning forestland. Results also identified the educational needs and barriers to meeting these needs for the landowners. Creating typologies based on attitudinal responses will allow for a more focused approach to developing educational products and services to meet landowner needs.

Understanding Nonindustrial Private Forest Landowners’ Perspectives on the Benefits Associated with Sustainable Forest Management Certification

Sustainable forest management provides ecological, economic, and social benefits to society. Sustaining these benefits in Arkansas relies on 345,000 nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) landowners who own 4.2 million hectares (10.4 million acres) of forests. Forest certification is a voluntary and market-based mechanism aimed to enhance such societal benefits while providing incentives or benefits for the landowners. Understanding NIPF landowners’ perspectives on the benefits associated with adopting forest certification programs would be useful in identifying potential participants and in designing outreach and communication programs to elevate the interests of less interested landowners in participating in certification programs. Using data collected from a mixed mode of mail and online (Qualtrics) survey of NIPF landowners in Arkansas, this study examined the potential factors that influence landowners’ perspectives on different benefits associated with adopting sustainable forest management certification by employing binary logistic regression. Results revealed that ownership and forestland characteristics (i.e., ownership size, whether having a harvesting plan), as well as ownership motivations (biodiversity protection, financial investment, hunting), were significantly associated with landowners’ agreement on the benefits of increasing timber growth and health, expanding markets, having a price premium for certified timber, enhancing public recognition, more environmental-friendly harvesting, and better management practices. These findings improve the understanding of landowners’ expectations after certifying their forestland and provide baseline information for improving certification program design to attract more adoption among private and family landowners.

Crown Lifting of Low-Density Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) Plantations on Nonindustrial Private Forest Lands

AbstractPruning or the physical removal of lower branches, in combination with wider tree spacing, offers an alternative management scheme for small nonindustrial private forest landowners in areas lacking markets for small diameter wood. A 5-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantation was thinned to 495 trees/ha (200 trees/ac). Four crown-lifting treatments of 35%, 40%, 45%, and 50% live crown ratio (LCR) were then implemented. An additional unmanaged plot was established in an unthinned, unpruned area. Two replications were established for all pruning treatments. The target LCR was maintained throughout the study with the additional crown-lifting activities in 2003, 2004, and 2008. At age 8, the average diameter of the unmanaged plot was 13.5 cm (5.3 in), and the diameter of the 50% LCR treatment, which had the greatest diameter growth of all the treatments, was 20.8 cm (8.2 in). The highest mortality rate (22%) was observed in the unmanaged plot, but it was not significantly greater than the other treatments. Low density plantings maintained with pruning could allow small nonindustrial private landowners to obtain a high value sawtimber product while eliminating the need for thinning practices commonly used in traditional pine plantation management.

Understanding Forest Landowner Attitudes, Perceived Risk, and Response to Emerald Ash Borer in Kentucky

AbstractEmerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis), an invasive nonnative beetle, is responsible for the mortality of ash trees in the eastern and midwestern United States. Despite efforts to contain this beetle through various control options, human-induced spread of EAB has caused damage to ash forests in many states. Because most ash trees are under private ownership, it is important to understand how landowners evaluate the risk of EAB and perceive the effectiveness of various control options. A mail survey of private forest landowners was conducted in Kentucky in 2020 to assess their awareness and perception of various control options of EAB infestation. Results from this survey suggest that landowners are concerned about EAB and the associated increased risks, reduced quality of scenic views, and increased cleanup costs. Landowners experiencing EAB infestation believed that EAB management needs collective actions and that current efforts by government agencies are not sufficient. However, few landowners are taking actions themselves to manage EAB on their property. These findings shed light on the extent to which landowners are concerned about EAB impact and emphasize the need for development of effective control options and outreach programs to increase landowner engagement and actions in EAB control and management.

Natural Resource Manager Perceptions of Forest Carbon Management and Carbon Market Participation in Minnesota

Forests and wood products, through the mechanisms of carbon sequestration and storage, can slow the rate of global climate change that results from greenhouse gas emissions. In recent years, both natural resource managers and the public have placed greater focus on the role of forests and wood products as a solution to help mitigate the effects of climate change. Little is known about the perceptions and viability of carbon sequestration and storage as a management goal for natural resource managers of public agencies. We explored these perceptions in Minnesota, USA. Minnesota has 7.2 million hectares of forest land managed by a diverse array of landowners, from public agencies (55% of forest land) to private (45%) owners. We sought to (1) understand natural resource managers’ and forest owners’ perspectives on forest carbon opportunities and (2) understand the feasibility of management strategies that could be implemented to increase forest carbon sequestration and storage at a state level. We conducted two focus groups with 15 mid- and upper-level natural resource managers and non-industrial private forest landowners, representing both rural and urban perspectives and a variety of agencies and organizations. Minnesota natural resource managers and non-industrial private forest landowners indicated that they thought managing forests for carbon was compatible with other management goals but nonetheless represented a trade-off. However, they viewed the carbon credit market as the “Wild West” and noted several barriers to entering the carbon market, such as inconsistent carbon accounting protocols and a lack of connection between the price of carbon credits and the cost of managing forest land for carbon sequestration and storage.

Private landowners’ willingness-to-pay for certifying forestland and influencing factors: Evidence from Arkansas, United States

Forests offer provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting ecosystem services, and sustaining these services is becoming increasingly important. Forest certification programs serve as a viable market-based mechanism for enhancing sustainable forest management and achieving broader sustainability goals. However, certification cost has consistently been identified as a substantial barrier to enrollment in forest certification, especially for small non-industrial private forest (NIPF) landowners. We explored NIPF landowners’ willingness-to-pay (WTP) for adopting forest certification and compared it with certification cost. Using a state-wide landowner survey, we estimated average WTP for certifying forestland in Arkansas, USA. We also employed Tobit regression to explore factors that influence the WTP. We found that the average WTP for certification was US$12.10/property, considerably lower than average certification cost (US$75/property). However, among respondents who had a non-zero WTP, the average WTP was US$57.60/property. Moreover, we found that landowners WTP was positively related with gender, income, length of land tenure, intention of family legacy, interest in adopting forest certification, motivations for timber production and recreation, and price premium benefits; whereas it was negatively correlated with hunting and farming motivations and beliefs about expanded markets and increased paperwork. While targeting the landowners with attributes that influence WTP may help increase the certification enrollment of NIPF landowners, the broader success of forest certification entails reaching out to the majority proportion of NIPF landowners who are not yet willing to pay for certification programs. In addition to better connecting with NIPF landowners, bridging the gap between the WTP for certification and certification cost, for example, via providing joint certification for multiple landowners and incentive programs (e.g., tax reductions, cost sharing), is essential to expand NIPF landowners’ participation in forest certification.

Nonindustrial Private Forest Landowners (NIPF) Willingness to Pay for Forest Certification in Arkansas

Nonindustrial Private Forest Landowners (NIPF) Willingness to Pay for Forest Certification in Arkansas

Willingness of private landowners to participate in forest conservation in the Chaco region of Argentina

To effectively conserve forests and the ecosystem services they provide, mechanisms are needed to promote conservation on private lands that reduce forest fragmentation, secure lands with high conservation value, and enhance landscape connectivity. Incentive-based programs like payments for ecosystem services (PES) are important policy tools for attaining conservation on private lands. In 2019, we conducted 81 in-person surveys with private forestland owners, whose properties are located on the border of protected areas and in corridors connecting protected areas in Argentina's Chaco forest. We examined landowners' preferences for alternative conservation incentives, how Argentina's current PES program could be altered to increase landowner enrollment, and the amount of compensation landowners require to enroll in PES. We found that knowledge of Argentina's PES program, motivations for forest ownership, attitudes toward forest conservation policy, and property characteristics influenced landowners' preferences for conservation program design. Although indigenous communities preferred conservation easements, other private landowners were more likely to choose a PES program. Research participants preferred PES programs with shorter contract lengths or that permitted them to engage in silvopasture. The payments research participants required to engage in land uses currently authorized under Argentina's PES program exceed current PES funding. Relying solely on PES to engage landowners in conservation may result in lost opportunities to conserve forest on private lands.

Improving Communications to Increase Nonindustrial Private Forest Landowner (NIPF) Participation in Forest Certification Programs: A Case Study in Arkansas, USA

Despite the socioeconomic and ecological significance of the 10.4 million acres of forestland owned by nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) landowners across Arkansas (approximately 58% of forestland in the state), only 5% of this land is certified through the American Tree Farm System. As such, understanding how to improve the reach and content of communications to NIPF landowners is vital for expanding certification participation and subsequent improvement of forest management in Arkansas and throughout the southern United States. To explore current and optimal communications to increase NIPF participation, we employed Berlo’s source–message–channel–receiver (SMCR, 1960) model to analyze survey data collected from Arkansas NIPF landowners regarding their familiarity with, interest in, and information sources for forest certification programs. Our results indicate that NIPF landowners have a relatively low familiarity with certification programs and a low interest in adopting a certification program regardless of personal involvement throughout the certification process, the transparency of on-sight inspections to the public, and the requirements of forest management plans. However, positive correlations were found between self-reported familiarity with certification programs and the perceived usefulness of various information sources, indicating that communications to NIPF landowners have the ability to be influential. Furthermore, the results showed that the greatest perceived benefits to landowners were improved timber growth and health, better management actions, and environmentally-friendly timber harvesting, whereas the most concerning perceived drawbacks were increased record-keeping and paperwork as well as management costs. These findings will offer actionable insights into future messaging campaigns and provide directions for new approaches of reaching NIPF landowners to increase their participation in forest certification.

Planning and Professional Assistance as Factors Influencing Private Forest Landowner Best Management Practice Implementation

Abstract Virtually all states have developed best management practices (BMPs) to mitigate potential adverse effects associated with timber harvesting. This study examined how BMP implementation on Minnesota’s family forest lands varied according to whether the land had a forest management plan, the timber sale was administered by a forester, or a written timber harvesting contract was used. Analysis of field monitoring data from 174 commercial timber harvesting sites on family forest lands found that BMP implementation is only modestly influenced by a forest management plan, supervising forester, or timber harvesting contract. Supervision of a forester had the greatest influence, with six guidelines implemented differently. In contrast, differences were found for just two BMPs with a forest management plan and only one with a written timber harvesting contract. When timber sales were administered by a forester, forest management guidelines generally related to management of the land-water interface were implemented to a higher standard, with significant increases observed for avoidance of infrastructure in filter strips, use of water diversion and erosion control structures, avoiding unnecessary wetland and waterbody crossings, and slash management. Higher timber utilization efficiency (within leave tree guidelines) was also found when a professional forester supervised the timber sale. Study Implications: We examine how BMP implementation on family forest lands varies with three types of supervisory and planning assistance: a forest management plan for the property, sale administration by a professional forester, and a written timber harvesting contract. Field monitoring data from 174 commercial timber harvests on family forest lands indicate that BMP implementation is only modestly influenced by any single form of assistance. Supervision by a forester had the greatest influence, increasing use of four guidelines related to management of the land-water interface. Results may help to inform best practices for landowner assistance and planning.