1. Understanding and Reaching Family Forest Owners Brett J. Butler U.S. Forest Service Mary Tyrrell Yale University Changing Roles Conference April 23, 2009

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

3. Pop Quiz

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

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

6. 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. 7 Who is this? A.John W. Weeks B.John E. Weeks C.John W. Weeks D.Edgar Weeks

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

9. Pop Quiz

10. 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

11. 11 Forest Ownership, 2006 U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey United StatesSouthern U.S.

12. 12 U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey

13. 13 Forest Conservation: The Next Phase

14. Who are the family forest owners?

15. 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. 16 National Woodland Owner Survey Family Forests Owners of the United States, 2006 (NRS-GTR-27) NWOS Table Maker www.fia.fs.fed.us/nwos

17. Size Matters

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

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

20. Beauty, Legacy, and Privacy

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

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

23. To Manage or Not to Manage – That is the Question

24. 24 Timber harvesting 64% of family forestland Forest management plan 19% of family forestland Management advice 42% of family forestland Management of Family Forests Southern U.S., 2006 U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey

25. They are a bunch of old guys

26. 26 Age: 46% 65 or older Occupation: 52% retired Gender: 84% male Race: 96% white Education: 45% college degree Income: 30% $100,000 or greater Demographics of Family Forest Owners Southern U.S., 2006 U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey

27. 27 Plans for Family Forest Land Southern U.S., 2006 U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey

28. 28 Concerns Southern U.S., 2006 1.Insects and plant diseases 2.Family legacy 3.Fire 4.Property taxes 5.Trespassing U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey

29. How do we reach them?

30. Pop Quiz

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

32. 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. 33 Social Marketing Selling ideas, not products Examples: Anti-smoking Mothers Against Drunk Driving Smokey Bear Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

34. 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. 35 Attitudinal Segmentation Woodland retreat Supplemental income Working the land Uninvolved Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

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

37. 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. 38 Prime Prospects Segmentation Southern U.S., 2006 Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

39. 39 Prime Prospects and Attitudinal Segmentations Southern U.S., 2006 Percent of Forest Land Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

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

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

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

43. 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. 44 MESSAGING 1.It’s wonderful to own such beautiful, peaceful, and valuable woodlands. But ownership comes with responsibility. Help prevent unnecessary clear-cutting or over development of forest lands. 2.Your woodlands mean a lot to you, to your family and to your community. Do you know you can preserve or even increase the value of your woodlands through a sustainability plan? 3.Your forest land is your legacy. Preserve your legacy by preserving your woodlands. 4.Managed properly, your woodlands will pay off forever rather than just once. 5.You hold a key to conserving America’s woodlands by helping to prevent unnecessary clear-cutting and massive development. 6.The responsible thing to do as a woodlands owner is to have a forest management plan. That way, everybody wins. 7.You get a lot of satisfaction from your woodlands. They are beautiful, relaxing, colorful, full of wildlife. Preserve that satisfaction for future generations. 8.Leave your heirs a legacy – your woodlands. Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

45. 45 Group Membership Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

46. 46 General Information Sources Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

47. 47 Preferred Methods for Receiving Forest Management Information U.S. Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey

48. 48 Communication Messages Do Hit hot button issues Stress options Use their words Don’t Be preachy Go global Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

49. 49 What are the hot buttons? Specific features, woods are often secondary Inheritance and passing on their land Wildlife, critters Privacy, security, and safety “There not making any more of it” Love of the land - deep, emotional attachment Country life and community, but not neighbors Financial rewards Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

50. 50 Pilot Study: Call Before You Cut http://callb4ucut.com/

51. 51 TOOL BOX Potential Elements Media 101 Templates – mass mailings, letters to the editor, radio spots, … Statistics generator Language and graphics User and “expert” generated Sustaining Family Forests Initiative

52. 52 Conclusions Family forest owners rule! Size matters Beauty, legacy, and privacy To manage or not to manage? They are a bunch of old guys Family forest owners don’t own forests Surround sound communications

53. 53 Credits National Woodland Owner Survey –Brett Butler –Earl Leatherberry Sustaining Family Forests Initiative –Scott Wallinger –Mary Tyrrell –Brett Butler –Larry Wiseman –Geoff Feinberg –Bill Banzhaf –Bob Fledderman –Eric Norland –Judy Langer –Don Ferguson –Scott van Manen

54. 54 Questions? Brett Butler U.S. Forest Service, Amherst, MA bbutler01@fs.fed.us; 413.545.1387 www.fia.fs.fed.us/nwos www.SustainingFamilyForests.org www.FamilyForestResearchCenter.org