Defining Forest Landowners in Emerging Communities

Purpose

• Practical landowner definitions provide a common basis for the Toolkit and offer a framework for recognizing landowner groups as unique without resorting to stereotypes.

The USDA Forest Service IRA Forest Landowner Support Program has specific definitions and requirements regarding eligible landowners. Given that the included categories cover many different landowners, we have identified three landowner groups that could cross many of the definitions while also being unique to themselves. These landowner groups may be emerging or evolving as landowner populations in some regions, and are generally less connected to forestry. The samples, examples, and background information provided throughout this toolkit will support you to meet your landscape goals by showing you how you can open doors across communities and build trust with landowner groups who are potentially new to you. Below, you will find what we call working definitions of African American or Black, Appalachian, and Hispanic landowner groups. We acknowledge that these definitions are imperfect, that these landowner groups are not monolithic, and that any outreach or programming effort should be tailored to the specific needs of the community in which you hope to work. However, we aim to give you a starting place which you can use to begin a respectful relationship and an outline to which you can add the unique nuances of the community you are engaging with.

Working Definition of African American and Black

African American refers to individuals, families, and communities connected by heritage, language, culture, and ancestry to Americans of African descent who are generally the descendants of enslaved people. Black can include African Americans but can also include a multitude of other Black people that do not identify as African American and represent a multiracial demographic. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “over half of those who reported their race as Black or African American identified as African American, Jamaican or Haitian.” In addition, “in the 2020 Census, 46,936,733 respondents identified as Black or African American alone or in combination, [which constituted] the third largest race group.”*

Multiracial: Encompasses not only American-born African Americans but also a diverse group of self-identifying American black people comprised of national or ethnic groups living in America identifying wholly or partially as Jamaicans, Nigerians, Haitians, those originating on the African continent or others like African Britons, African Canadians, or African Brazilians, to name a few. Additionally, the American Indigenous peoples and those who identify wholly or in part as Black-Indigenous also come into play.

Geographically Diverse: Black and/or African American landowners live throughout the United States.

Culturally Complex: Can include various traditions for food, dress, music, religions, and social norms depending on age, gender, education, citizenship, and geographic origin and current location.

Linguistically Varied: Most African Americans will primarily be English speakers, however some may be multilingual and may speak French, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian, Creole, or other African-based languages such as Swahili or Yoruba, with English as their primary or secondary language.

Generationally Nuanced: There may be a difference in the way generations look at the land. Older generations, or generations who live on the land, may have more of a personal connection to the land while younger generations, or those who are remote, may be disconnected or have a very transactional approach to the land. While these are generalities, they can be important considerations when discussing the land.

*Coritz, Ali; Ricardo Henrique Lowe, Jr.; and Jessica E. Peña. 2023. “Over Half of Those Who Reported Their Race as Black or African American Identified as African American, Jamaican or Haitian.” Census.Gov. Accessed August 26, 2025. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2023/10/2020-census-dhc-a-black-population.html.

Working Definition of Appalachian

Appalachian refers to individuals, families, and communities connected by geography, heritage, culture, or ancestry to the Appalachian region, which is a mountainous area stretching from southern New York to northern Mississippi, spanning parts of 13 U.S. states. The term reflects a wide range of identities and lived experiences shaped by Indigenous, European (particularly Scots-Irish, English, and German), African American, and immigrant roots, as well as distinct subregional cultures like Central, Southern, and Northern Appalachia.

Many Appalachian families trace ancestry to 18th-century Borderlander immigrants from the British Isles, whose values of independence, self-reliance, and localism continue to influence regional identity. But Appalachian identity is not defined by a single lineage or experience—it continues to evolve through the presence and contributions of Black Appalachians, Indigenous peoples, and immigrant communities.

Being Appalachian does not represent a single race, culture, or worldview. It includes both long-settled and newer residents, rural and urban populations, and those deeply rooted in their culture as well as those actively exploring or reclaiming it.

Key Dimensions This Definition Highlights:

• Multiracial and Multiethnic: Encompasses Black Appalachians, Indigenous peoples (e.g., Cherokee, Shawnee), Melungeon (a tri-racial European, African, and Native American ethnic group), and individuals of mixed or immigrant heritage.

• Geographically Layered: Spans a diverse terrain across 13 states, with distinct subregional identities like Southwest Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, Western North Carolina, and the Alabama highlands.

• Culturally Rooted: Encompasses unique music (bluegrass, old-time, gospel), storytelling traditions, dialects, foodways (e.g., foraging, preserving, cornbread cultures), spiritual practices, and strong ties to land and labor history.

• Historically Distinct: Influenced by the ancestral traditions of the Scots-Irish Borderlanders as described in American Nations, with a historical emphasis on individual liberty, distrust of hierarchy, and kin-based community resilience.

• Linguistically Diverse: Includes Appalachian English dialects, African American vernacular English, Cherokee (Tsalagi), Spanish, and other immigrant or heritage languages.

• Generationally Varied: From multigenerational families with deep ties to specific hollers (i.e., small valleys) or counties, to returning Appalachian youth and newer residents reshaping what it means to belong.

  
  

Working Definition of Hispanic

Hispanic refers to individuals, families, and communities connected by heritage, language, culture, or ancestry to Spanish-speaking countries, primarily in Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula. However, the term encompasses a wide variety of identities, experiences, and histories shaped by Indigenous, African, European, and Asian roots; diverse national origins (e.g., Mexican, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Colombian, Cuban, and others); as well as regional and generational variations within the United States and beyond.

Being Hispanic does not represent a single race, culture, or worldview. It includes both urban and rural populations, recent immigrants and multigenerational citizens, Spanish-dominant and English-dominant speakers, as well as individuals with a strong sense of cultural identity and those who are still exploring or redefining it.

Key Dimensions This Definition Highlights:

1. Multiracial: Encompasses Afro-Latinos, Indigenous peoples, and individuals of mixed heritage.

2. Geographically Diverse: Covers numerous countries and U.S. territories.

3. Culturally Complex: Includes various food traditions, religions, dialects, and values.

4. Linguistically Varied: Spanish, Spanglish, English, Portuguese, Indigenous languages.

5. Generationally Nuanced: From first-generation immigrants to sixth-generation U.S. citizens.