Promising TrendsThis is a featured page

What is a promising trend on the horizon that you believe can really help strengthen sustainable forestry practices on private woodlands?

  • A tax break for certified forest is a significant step in the right direction.
  • Much broader understanding by government and industry about value of ecosystem services of forests for clean water, air, etc.
  • A growing number of interest groups recognize that family owners represent the largest single area of forest ownership in the country and that the family forest, in the aggregate, dominates the countryside and is the main system for wildlife, water and green space. Divestment of forest industry land into institutional investments, some of which are later parcelized and sold to owners on a family scale, adds to the base and reemphasizes that family woodlands are 'where it's at' for the future. In some areas, companies are breaking up large blocks into smaller parcels and selling them in increments of 20 to 50 acres to individuals, and this may increase the number of active family forest owners over time. In many parts of the country we are finding that 'timberland' that sells for about $1,000/acre as such is being valued at $3-4,000/acre as 'forest' by people who want to own it for a rural retreat, hunting, general recreation, investment, etc. that may include some timber income but where the timber isn't the driving factor in its valuation
  • Your work and desire of others to band together to deal with these issues; farm bill potentials; growth of green market; incentives around climate change
  • Successful examples; real life stories which include assessment of the triple bottom line. With these we can accomplish changes in public policy and mainstream media as well as convincing more landowners.
  • The development of the Blue Ridge Forest Cooperative and the introduction of LandCare into SW Virginia
  • Property and income taxation policies or incentives to offset disadvantage of longer-term investment returns of forest management vs. short-term gain from conversion to non-resource based uses. Energy policy incentives to encourage biofuel markets and carbon sequestration or requirements to reduce carbon emissions.
  • The recognition of the value of non timber forest products.
  • 1 NTFPs 2 Partnering with and marketing to other co-ops and higher conscious groups. 3 More concern for the environment do to greater awareness of global warming
  • Increasing interest by MN's government officials to support programs that will support local economies dependent upon the forest land base (e.g. Vital Forest/Vital Communities initiative)
  • Many of the industrial forest are being divided and sold to private landowners who are putting them into the MFL because of taxes. This means there will be more land with a forest management plan. The industrial forests have there land managed but not the detailed plan the new landowners will have under MFL.
  • Working to identify the value of Ecosystem services.
  • The growth of a land ethic.
  • Increased public awareness of destructive forestry practices and their ecological, social and economic costs.
  • The interest of a number of governors (most recently Western state governors who formed the Western Regional Climate Action Initiative) in doing something to manage/reduce the greenhouse gas emissions on a state, regional and national level. Sustainable forestry initiatives should play a significant role in these efforts.
  • 1. Landowners learning the value of their timber. When timber is shown to have value over its long term holding, people will manage for that value and other land values with timber mgmt. 2. Landowners wanting to learn more about the management of their forest.
  • Potential markets for carbon credits which could provide cash payments to landowners for sustainable management. More wood/biomass fueled electrical generation Higher prices for fossil fuels Growth in the wood pellet fuel industry
  • The 'rural urbanite' that is moving into the country to buy their slice of nature is part of the problem and solution. Their financial interest and ability to purchase forty acres for high cost is making parcelization more common. Their financial abilities and interest in nature provide a foundation on which stewardship of their property can be viewed as their responsibility and obligation. Typically, these type of landowners are not concerned with dollars from a timber sale, but rather how they will feel walking through the woods after it is done. They are not going to directly undermine the very reason they moved out there. More landowners are realizing their role in maintaining and sustaining what ultimately could be considered our quality of life in Wisconsin. In my township, this came through in our Smart Growth planning. This type of comprehensive planning that forces townships to take stock of their situation (e.g. natural resources) are good ways of putting natural resources in the same discussion of roads, development, etc.
  • The increasing perception of the forestry community, governments, and the public as a whole about the importance of private forests.
  • There has been an increase in the number and types of classes offered for landowners. UW-extension, The Woodland School, and others offer many classes, lectures and field days to promote land stewardship. Helping people develop a connection with land is the first step to getting people to take part in management.
  • I may not have the organization name right, but the family forest initiative is a big step in the right direction. It seems like FSC is starting to see the value in what the small landowner can bring to the table, if there are enough of them.
  • The COCS studies showing that on the whole, working lands produce more income for counties than residential and vacation developments; the emergence of collaborative community forestry processes that allow for landscape level planning on public and private lands in the west.
  • Certification being accepted in the market place
  • The biggest impediment to helping good management get done is reaching the unreached landowners...I think the most promising trend is reaching out to these folks in new and different ways for new and different owners, and targeting what they are interested in to get them to the trough of management info.
  • The growth of forestry groups and more media exposure.
  • The fact that as woodland becomes scarce, it will increase in 'value' to all parties. We are reaching a point where the ability of people to buy/retain forestland is almost out of reach. At some point, more pressure will be brought on private owners to be more responsive to the public interests.
  • Not a promising future in general, but perhaps awareness of global warming will make carbon sequestration by forests more important in the eyes of the public.
  • FSC certification BioMass for cogen opportunities
  • Emerging local markets for quality wood
  • There is increasing interest in bioenergy from wood and cellulosic ethanol. This could create new markets for wood from private forestland owners, and thus help forests to 'pay their way' for the owners. If done properly and professionally, the harvesting for these products can be done sustainably.
  • Increasing interest in conservation easements and other tools to prevent parcelization. Increasing investments in low value woody biomass utilization and marketing.
  • FSC certification of forestland continues to grow in our region. The ability for small woodland owners to sell into the FSC markets will attract more small wood land owners towards FSC certification. I believe this commitment will provide the incentives to keep the land from being developed into real estate developments.
  • Community-owned and/or managed woodlands
  • The FSC Family Forests Alliance!!!
  • Integrated wood-use sort-yards that have public funding for the public benefits that are achieved (air quality, fire risk reduction, green waste diversion, etc.) that allow value added processing of otherwise sub/un merchantable material and pull merchantable material out of the industrial supply stream that squeezes cost out of the fiber.
  • Master Logger Certification
  • Wood energy can improve markets for family forest owners and encourage more active management and thinning of low quality trees.
  • Many of the woodland organizations in Iowa have joined together as a larger Iowa forestry organization to promote forestry.
  • Development of markets for ecosystem services.



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WarrenG 		Latest page update: made by WarrenG , Mar 28 2007, 10:31 AM EDT (about this update About This Update WarrenG Rename - WarrenG

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