Introduction

Most of the forests in the United States are owned privately, with 253 million acres owned by individuals, families, trusts, and estates. These 7.5 million owners own at least 10 acres with the average property size of 69 acres. As reported by the National Woodland Owners Survey, only 1.3 million of those owners have received management advice; only 800,000 have management plans that help them plan for the long-term health of their forest; and only 300,000 have received financial assistance with the management of their trees.

Millions of landowners don’t have professional support to address the concerns they have for their land, including keeping land intact, addressing safety concerns, insects, and diseases. And we all depend on these lands to:

• Protect the quality of our drinking water.

• Provide habitat for wildlife.

• Provide renewable wood products for our use.

• Support jobs in forest products, recreation, and related industries.

• Filter the air, generate oxygen, and help alleviate pollution.

• Protect land and property from flooding by reducing stormwater.
  

To maintain these critical public benefits, the forestry community needs to extend its support to the millions of landowners who are not engaged through traditional means, such as networks and their workshops, field days, and other events. To protect these 253 million acres from the threats of fragmentation, parcelization, and taxation that can lead to poor forest management or conversion from trees to development, the forestry community needs to include new outreach strategies, work with new partners, and reach more landowners.

This toolkit is designed to help foresters establish respectful, informed, and effective relationships with these forest landowners. The guidance and tools provided here are based on field experience and proven practices that help connect all eligible landowners—including those in emerging communities located in rural and low-income areas—to available forestry resources, programs, and assistance.

The private lands forestry community is dedicated to delivering programs with professionalism, integrity, and responsiveness. This toolkit reflects that dedication by providing approaches that strengthen local partnerships, build trust, and improve our service to landowners.

The goal is straightforward: to help staff perform their tasks with greater clarity, connection, and confidence.