How Many Hancrews Does The Forest Service Have

Nearly forests and woodlands across America are privately owned. There are 819 million acres of forests and woodlands across the U.S. –an area twice the size of Texas. The combined decisions of the millions of private landowners will determine the fate of these lands, including the quality of wildlife habitat and hunting opportunities.

AMERICA'Southward Forest AND WOODLAND OWNERS

There are misperceptions nigh who owns the forests and woodlands. In fact, individual owners control a majority of our nation's forests and woodlands. The unmarried largest group of owners is families and individuals, collectively referred to as family owners. Eleven million of them, including all owners with at to the lowest degree 1 acre of forest or woodland, collectively own 290 million acres, or 35.v percent, of the nation'southward forests and woodlands. Corporate owners, ranging from multi-national forestry corporations with millions of acres to local factories with a few acres, ain an additional 19 percent. The "other" private owners, including conservation organizations, clubs and associations, own 1.7 percent. In full, private owners control 56.two percent of U.S. forests and woodlands.

The Federal government controls 31.1 percent, mostly through the U.S.D.A. Wood Service, Bureau of State Management, National Park Service, U.Southward. Fish and Wild animals Service and Department of Defence. State governments, largely parks, forestry and wildlife agencies, control nine percent. Local governments control 1.7 percent. In total, public ownership command 41.8 percent of U.South. forests and woodlands.

Native American tribes own an additional ii percent. Some of these lands are in individual allotments and tribal entities manage others.

Buying patterns vary substantially beyond the U.S. Private, especially family unit, owners dominate the eastern U.S. Public owners dominate the western U.S., but there are millions of acres of private forests and woodlands likewise.

WHO ARE THE Family FOREST OWNERS?

Let's take a more detailed look at the families who own 35.5 percentage of the forests and woodlands. In item, we'll focus on the four one thousand thousand families who own 10 or more than acres.

Dazzler, wildlife, legacy, nature and privacy: These are the primary reasons family owners have land. And these are what we need to have in mind if we want to run across the trees through their eyes. Financial gain from their country, through timber harvesting or other activities, is not the primary reason for the majority of them. That causes a major disconnect between owners and the traditional programs designed to increase wildlife comeback and other conservation activities.

Many family unit forest owners are actively working on their country. Over half of them have harvested trees for personal utilize or sale, and many have improved roads or trails, removed invasive species and improved wildlife habitat. Interestingly, while 21 percent of family unit owners have improved wildlife habitat in the past 5 years, another 45 percent say they plan to practise and so in the adjacent five years.

We also know that recreation is a major activity occurring on these lands. Along with hiking/walking, hunting is the nearly common activity. Four out of five of the family forest owners either have hunted on their land themselves or take had a family unit fellow member or friend hunt on it.

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Only 20 percent of family unit forest owners have received wood direction advice, but 13 percentage have a written forest management plan and less than 10 percent have participated in price-share programs. Information technology is articulate that traditional programs and approaches are missing the marking.

Most family forest owners have a stiff stewardship ethic and try to do right by the state. They know more than than nigh how valuable country is: "They're not making whatsoever more of information technology," many say. Asked if they want to keep their woods undeveloped, 86 percent said yes. There is a great opportunity to appoint with more people.

A PATH Forward

Although family forest owners may not be "engaged" by standard forestry metrics, many are, or are interested in, actively managing their land. In particular, based on the show stated above, there is a bully opportunity to appoint more family wood owners to enhance wild fauna habitat.

If the wildlife and conservation community want to appoint more than family unit forest owners, we need to clearly define the objectives of our efforts and ensure they align with those of the owners. Knowing wildlife is an important objective, resources consultants tin tailor recommendations to activities that will increment the corporeality and quality of wildlife habitat, in addition to the multitude of other benefits that come from sound management. The current challenge of the conservation customs is creating targeted, compelling messages and effectively implementing these approaches.

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

All of this information is from the Forest Service's National Woodland Owner Survey. On a recurring basis, this program contacts a random sample of owners from across the nation to collect data on general characteristics, attitudes and behaviors. For additional information near this programme and America's private forest and woodland owners, please visit www.fia.fs.fed.united states/nwos.

— Brett J. Butler, U.S. Forest Service, bbutler01@fs.fed.u.s.