The Maryland Forests Association and A Landowners Concerns

Maryland Forests Association Membership – Membership – Forest land owners Forest land owners Foresters Foresters Loggers Loggers Mills Mills Hunt Clubs Hunt Clubs individuals individuals

Maryland Forests Association Mission: Mission: To promote the maintenance of a healthy and productive forest landbase so as to enhance the economic, environmental, and social well-being of all who live in the state. To promote the maintenance of a healthy and productive forest landbase so as to enhance the economic, environmental, and social well-being of all who live in the state.

Maryland Forests Association Education – Education – Lobbying – legislature and agencies Lobbying – legislature and agencies Alliances with other organizations to achieve mission Alliances with other organizations to achieve mission Maryland Master Logger Program Maryland Master Logger Program

Landowners Concerns Or Or Will growing trees be an asset or liability for our children? Will growing trees be an asset or liability for our children?

Trends – MD Forest Areas Timberlands Declining Timberlands Declining Non- commercial Increasing Non- commercial Increasing Overall- Forests Declining Overall- Forests Declining

MD Forest Landowners Trend: Trend: Landowners Increasing Landowners Increasing Acreage per Owner dropping Acreage per Owner dropping Forest Fragmentation Forest Fragmentation

Forest Dynamics Age Structure Changing Age Structure Changing Volume per area increasing Volume per area increasing Composition changing Composition changing

MD Forest Industry Mills declining Mills declining Logger infrastructure Declining Logger infrastructure Declining Loss of Competition Loss of Competition

Forest Land Economics Lumber Price Flat Lumber Price Flat Maryland Timber Competes on World Market Maryland Timber Competes on World Market

Secondary Assets of Forests Hunting Activities Hunting Activities Niche markets Niche markets Mushrooms. Ginsing… Mushrooms. Ginsing… Income variable Income variable

Non-Market Benefits of Forests Realized by the People of the State Water Quality Water Quality Air Quality Air Quality Wildlife Wildlife Aesthetics Aesthetics

A Landowners Perspective

Concerns about Timberlands Future Critical Mass to Support FPI? Critical Mass to Support FPI? Lose of sustainable timber Lose of sustainable timber Competitive Markets? Competitive Markets? Infrastructure? Infrastructure? Regulations? Zoning? ESA? Regulations? Zoning? ESA?

Economics of Growing Trees Plant seedlings, manage Plant seedlings, manage Harvest after 45 years Harvest after 45 years Return on Capital ~ 1% per year Return on Capital ~ 1% per year Wall Street > 3-5+% per year Wall Street > 3-5+% per year

Incentives for Forest Sustainability Return on benefits realized by the people Right to Practice Forestry Right to Practice Forestry Equity with Farms Equity with Farms Credit for Buffer timber taking Credit for Buffer timber taking See Virginia tax credit See Virginia tax credit Tax relief Tax relief See Delaware Ag and Forests - zero tax See Delaware Ag and Forests - zero tax

Incentives for Forest Sustainability Easements – similar to Ag Easements – similar to Ag Regulatory relief – similar to Ag Regulatory relief – similar to Ag