Representatives of 35 diverse organizations from across the country – ranging from grassroots woodland owner groups to foundations, the forest industry and state and federal forestry programs – met at the historic Wingspread Conference Center in southeastern Wisconsin in November of 2005 and identified eight priority activities for improving family forest management practices.

The Wingspread Conference on “The Future of Family Woodlands in the United States” identified policies and practices to increase the number of acres of family-owned woodlands under active, sustainable management. Conference participants also began the process of developing strategies and timetables to implement these priority policies and practices.

In March of 2007, conference participants and interested parties were asked what progress has been made on these eight key strategies. Over 70 from across North America responded. The categories in the navigation at upper left summarize those reports and comments.

The reports are heartening. In summary, there is much that is advancing to help strengthen the quality and native diversity of family-owned woodlands across the United States.

Please add to them and edit them on this site if you additional information to share.


Some Background: Sustainable management of family woodlands has become an increasingly important issue in the United States. More than 10 million families and individuals own over 350 million acres of forestland. Half of the wood harvested in this country comes from family-owned forests. Yet, less than 20% of these woodlands have sustainable management plans. This lack of effective woodland management results in low economic productivity in rural areas and environmental problems for all of us.

Parcelization of large woodland tracts, spread of invasive species, growing demand for certified wood products, concerns about fire control, emergence of new markets such as carbon sequestration, and a drive to strengthen rural economies are all forces drawing attention to ways to support private woodland owners in better management of their woodlands.

The eight priority activities represent pragmatic actions on which measurable progress can be achieved in 2006. Sub-groups of participants have indicated interest in working on each of these priority activities. Action plans are now being detailed, and funding support is being sought to carry them forward during the year
Participants said that the wide diversity of backgrounds, experience and geographic location represented was of particular value during the retreat and in work that can go forward. They learned of effective practices from each other that they are applying in their efforts at home, and they are moving toward developing a shared voice on the common purpose of advancing sustainable forestry among private woodland owners.

Participants at the meeting represented the following organizations:

Woodland Owners: Appalachian Sustainable Development; Eastern Ozarks Forestry Council; Kickapoo Woods Cooperative; Massachusetts Woodlands Cooperative; National Woodland Owners Association; Northwest Natural Resources Group; Southern Forests Network; Wisconsin Family Forests; Wisconsin Woodland Owners; Women in Land Ownership.

Education: University of Minnesota Extension Service; University of Wisconsin Stevens Point; Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.

Private Sector: Carley Wood Associates; Fleishman-Hillard, Inc; Rapid Improvement Associates; Starpoint Consulting; Stora Enso North America; Weyerhaeuser.

Associations & NGOs: American Forests; Community Forestry Resource Center; Cooperative Development Services; Dovetail Partners; EcoTrust; Forest Stewards Guild; Mississippi Association of Cooperatives; Northwest Cooperative Development Center; Pacific Forest Trust; Pinchot Institute for Conservation; Trust to Conserve the Northeast Forests.

Foundations: Blandin Foundation; Cooperative Development Foundation.

Government: Alabama State Forestry Commission; US Forest Service; Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Funding support for this project was provided by:

• Blandin Foundation
• Ford Foundation,
• Home Depot Foundation,
• The Johnson Foundation.
• Ralph K. Morris Foundation
• Stora Enso North America
• USDA Forest Service
• University of Wisconsin Stevens Point Forestry Outreach Programs
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Forestry Division.