Understanding and Reaching Family Forest Owners Brett J. Butler U.S. Forest Service Northeastern Area Association of State Foresters Forest Resource Planning Committee Annual Meeting June 7-9, 2011Portsmouth, NH

2 Conclusions Family forest owners rule! Size matters Beauty, privacy, nature, and legacy To manage or not to manage? They’re a bunch of old guys Family forest owners don’t own forests

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4 Who is this? A.William McKinley B.Teddy Roosevelt C.Eleanor Roosevelt D.Smokey Bear

5 Who is this? A.Walt Whitman B.Henry David Thoreau C.John Muir D.Teddy Roosevelt

6 Who is this? A.The first chief of the U.S. Forest Service B.Gifford Pinchot C.The former governor of Pennsylvania D.All of the above

7 Who is this? A.John W. Weeks B.John E. Weeks C.John W. Weeks D.Edgar Weeks

8 What do these people have in common? Catalysts of Forest Conservation

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10 According to 1,000 likely voters: who owns most of the forests in the U.S.? A.U.S. Government B.Forest industry C.Family forest owners

Forest Ownership 11 U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey U.S.Northern U.S.

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13 Forest Conservation: The Next Phase

Who are family forest owners?

15 National Woodland Owner Survey To better understand: Who the landowners are Why they own land How they have used it How they intend to use it Conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis program

16 National Woodland Owner Survey Family Forests Owners of the United States, 2006 (NRS-GTR-27) NWOS Table Maker

Size Matters

18 Size of Family Forest Holdings Northern U.S., 2006 U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey

19 Size Matters U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey

Beauty, Privacy, Nature & Legacy

21 Family Forest Ownership Objectives Northern U.S., 2006 U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey

22 Family Forest Ownership Objectives Northern U.S., 2006 U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey

To Manage or Not to Manage – That is the Question

24 Timber harvesting 53% of family forestland Forest management plan 16% of family forestland Management advice 31% of family forestland Management of Family Forests U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey

They’re a Bunch of Old Guys

26 Age: 40% 65 or older Occupation: 49% retired Gender: 86% male Race: 98% white Education: 34% college degree Demographics of Family Forest Owners U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey

27 Plans for Family Forestland U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey

28 Concerns 1.Property taxes 2.Family legacy 3.Trespassing 4.Insects and plant diseases 5.Dumping/vandalism U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey

How do we reach them?

Pop Quiz

31 Who is this? A.Woodsy Owl B.Smokey Bear C.Connie Fir D.Santa Claus

32 Sustaining Family Forests Initiative A collaboration among government, industry, conservation, certifications, landowner, and academics organizations Our goal is to conduct social marketing research: That will serve as a wide-ranging resource To aid in the development of outreach and services Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

33 Social Marketing Selling ideas, not products Examples: Anti-smoking Mothers Against Drunk Driving Smokey Bear Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

34 Social Marketing A program designed to promote a voluntary change in behavior by a target audience for personal and social benefit Three components: Research Attitudinal segmentation Prime prospects Focus groups Campaign Evaluation (behavior change?) Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

35 Attitudinal Segmentation Woodland retreat Supplemental income Working the land Uninvolved Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

36 Attitudinal Segmentation Northern U.S., 2006 Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

37 Prime Prospects Segmentation Engaged in land management Unengaged in land management Favorable attitudes toward stewardship Model Owners Prime Prospects Unfavorable attitudes toward stewardship Potential Defectors Write- offs? Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

38 Prime Prospects Segmentation Northern U.S., 2006 Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

39 Prime Prospects and Attitudinal Segmentations Northern U.S., 2006 Percent of Forestland Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

40 Fleishman-Hillard, Inc. Online Partnerships PSA/ Advertising News Media Celebrity Sightings Retail Direct Mail Events Social Marketing: “Surround Sound” Communications

41 Words Matter Very few forest owners own any forest – Trees, Woods, Wildlife Richard Scarry Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

42 Words Matter What is forestry, foresters and loggers? Dr. Seuss Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

43 Words Matter Terms like stewardship, sustainable management, and forest health are not part of their regular vernacular They do not strongly differentiate between conservation and preservation Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

44 Group Membership Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

45 General Information Sources Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

46 Preferred Methods for Receiving Forest Management Information U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey

47 Communication Messages Do Target Hit hot button issues Stress options Use their words Don’t Be preachy Go global Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

48 Pilot Study: Call Before You Cut

Traditional Tools 1.Working forests 2.Management plans 3.Cost share 4.Conservation easements 5.Preferential tax programs 53

New Tools 1.Targeted marketing 2.Succession planning 3.Peer to peer 4.Ecosystem services 5.Health care 54

Forest Health-Human Health Initiative The Pinchot Institute for Conservation 55 Insurance Provider Forest Owner (& Offspring) Forest Health Human Health Carbon Investor

56 Conclusions Family forest owners rule! Size matters Beauty, privacy, nature, and legacy To manage or not to manage? They’re a bunch of old guys Family forest owners don’t own forests

57 Credits National Woodland Owner Survey – Brett Butler – Jake Hewes – Earl Leatherberry Sustaining Family Forests Initiative – Brett Butler – Mary Tyrrell – Purnima Chawla – Geoff Feinberg – Judy Langer – Ravi Singh

58 Questions? Brett Butler U.S. Forest Service, Amherst, MA