The National Woodland Owner SurveyYesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Brett J. ButlerU.S. Forest Service

SAF National FIA User Group Meeting AgendaMarch 3, 2009 New Orleans, La

2

Who are these people?What do these people have in common?

The Forefathers of Forest Conservation in the United States

T. Roosevelt J. Muir J. WeeksG. Pinchot

3

According to 1,000 likely voters: who owns most of the forests in the U.S.?

A. U.S. GovernmentB. Forest industryC. Family forest owners

4

5

NWOS: Yesterday

6

NWOS: Today

• 2002-2006• Family Forest Owners

of the U.S., 2006• NWOS Table Maker

7

Family Forest Owners of the US, 2006

• Family forest owners rule!

• Size matters• Beauty, legacy, and

privacy• To manage or not to

manage?• They are a bunch of

old guys

8

9

Step 1: Step 2: Step 3:

Step 4: Step 5:

10

Who is this?

A. Woodsy OwlB. Smokey BearC. Connie FirD. Santa Claus

11

NWOS: Tomorrow

• 2010– Trends– Sample size– State-specific

12

Partnerships

• State and Private Forestry

• Family Forest Research Center

• Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

13

Projects

• P2 inventory data– ownership variables– TIMOs and REITs

• Ownership trends• Social availability• Geospatial products

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

1953 1978 1993 2006

Year

Are

a (1

,000

,000

ha)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Ow

ners

(1,0

00,0

00)

Area Owners

14

Questions?

Brett ButlerU.S. Forest Service, Amherst, MA

bbutler01@fs.fed.us; 413.545.1387

www.fia.fs.fed.us/nwos