Strategy Target: Develop and implement educational programs to encourage children and grandchildren to maintain family woodlands, including identifying the use of estate planning and wills to maintain family forests across generations.

Highlights . . .

Nationally -- The Forest Service “More Kids in the Woods” pilot program aims to build meaningful and lasting connections with nature and re-establish the relevance of the nation's forests and grasslands to all Americans, especially young people and urban populations.

The primary objective of the pilot program is to develop new, and expand existing, innovative partnerships that provide meaningful, hands-on experience with public lands. The Chief of the Forest Service will announce the selected projects with Richard Louv, author of "Last Child in the Woods - Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder," at a special event on May 22, 2007, in Washington, D.C. See this website for more details.

The Family Forest Research Center In an effort to increase the utility of the National Woodland Owner Survey and to further research related to family forest owners, the USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Forest Inventory and Analysis program has initiated the Family Forest Research Center (FFRC). The major projects with which the FFRC has been involved with to date are the Sustaining Family Forests Initiative (http://sustainingfamilyforests.org/) and the Next Generation Owner study
. . . & Reports from Around the Country

I think that in Wisconsin the most important effort has been the work of the LEAF program in helping spread the message to kids - I am not sure that much has been accomplished r.e. estate planning and wills, nor am I wholly convinced that is entirely desirable

I haven't seen much actual work in this area, but I DO hear a lot more discussion about it. Interestingly, the discussion has been among industry and State Foresters. Seems they realize their supply chain is in danger!

Virginia -- The Virginia Department of Forestry does get into the schools with educational materials but I'm only remotely familiar with the program.

Indiana -- Indiana had two workshops in 2006, 'Transferring Forestland to the Next Generation.' The March 2006 workshop had a huge turnout, with 150 attendees.

West Virginia -- We have a tremendous amount of land in transition in West Virginia but there has not been any major effort yet to help with the pit falls of intergenerational transfer.

Landowners have had a number of workshops on heir property. In addition, we have a forestry youth camp each year to expose high school students to forestry and natural resources. We also continue to provide traditional programs such as Project Learning and forestry in the classroom.

Project Learning Tree is a great example of teaching kids and teachers.

Wisconsin has enacted a new law that allows real property to be passed onto heirs without having to go through probate. Good deal for out of state landowners - no need to set up a living trust to do the same now.

Wisconsin Woodlands Owners Association is implementing thru the chapters to have an event for all the chapters at the same time of the year. It has chosen Arbor Day as that event where they will be reaching children (the next generation).

Wisconsin -- We are funding a research study through the University of Wisconsin to analyze the attitudes and intent of the 'next generation of forest owners' related to their parents forest land.

Minnesota -- We're trying to begin to promote family activities and projects to get families out into the woods together, and to create positive experiences for children outdoors. But we're not making a lot of progress and it's going to take MUCH more to make a real impact in this area. This is a daunting item. If anybody has ideas for family projects or activities outside, please share! E-mail me at esagor@umn.edu. UMN Extension is working with partners to develop a curriculum for woodland owners around intergenerational land transfer. Oregon State University is the leader in this area now (within Extension) and has developed excellent print and digital materials. We plan to build on their work and modify it for use in Minnesota. Others in many other states are also planning to build on OSU's work and bring it to their areas.

Wisconsin -- Our Wasuau Winter Woodland Conference (WWOA,DNR-Forestry, Extentsion)- Feb. 10, 07 focused on assisting Woodland Owners in extate planning - we anticipate 100 to 140 attendees and will have attorneys, foresters, and at least one land owner discussing such plans.

“An Inconvenient Truth” and other environmental 'events' have increased awareness about the need for sustainable alternatives. Hopefully this increased interest in environment will spawn interest among younger people in getting involved.

Before this group ever thought about it, passing the family farm to the next generation has been a concern for forest landowners. There has always, before this group, been incentives and pushes to get the younger generation involved with forestry and we have had successes. Within this fiscal year, over 400 landowners will have attended meetings on estate planning.

The Forest Service, and other organizations, are pushing for stronger ties between children and the natural environment and are starting to implement some new programs (or are at least planning to do so). The Next Generation Owner Study (Pinchot/USFS) is providing new information here. The idea about increasing FAMILY legacy planning is important!

Forest Legacy Programs may be helpful to very large private landowners but small acreage owners do not qualify.

A co-sponsored project called “Ties to the Land: Your Family Forest Heritage -- Planning for an Orderly Transition” was developed and is being delivered to Oregon family landowners. A project of the OSU Austin Family Business Program, OSU Forestry Extension and Oregon Forest Resources Institute, as part of an Intergenerational Family forest Project. Workshops to deliver the work book and CD are being held around the state.

Indiana -- We held a seminar in March 2006 on 'passing your woodland onto the next generation' and 150 people attended it. This showed us that it is a subject that older people want to know more about. We need to continue to promote this subject any time we get woodland owners together.

Support for inclusion of forest-based learning experiences in public schools, and private programs that introduce youth to forest-based experiences continue to top my list of things that continue to slowly develop. We just need more.

Vermont/New Hampshire -- Both VT and NH are providing estate planning workshops but it is slow going as many don't want to face up to their mortality.

Ontario -- The Ontario Stewardship Network works on these issues

The South --The Southern Region Extension program will be conducting a satellite conference on next generation owners and downlink sites will be located throughout the south.

Oregon -- Increasing action at the state level again through Oregon Small Woodlands Association and Oregon State University. OSWA's efforts are organized but underfunded and thus not achieving full potential.

Oregon -- The Oregon extension offices are currently financially strapped and not able to address this issue.

Washington -- Northwest Natural Resource Group is running workshops on at least a quarterly basis. We provide family pricing to encourage cross regenerational participation.

California -- CA Oaks Foundation has developed an estate planning training.

Wisconsin -- The Leaf program and school forest program seem to be the tool that could be most successful. It seems to me that if local woodland owner groups could adopt a school forest it would not only provide volunteers for developing the school forest, but link local landowner groups to the young people interested in forest stewardship.

Wisconsin -- We are doing a statistical survey of next generations landowners here in Wisconsin. Interviews are getting underway in March 2007.