1. Outreach to Minority Landowners Tamberly Conway, M.S. Conservation Education Coordinator National Forests and Grasslands in Texas Doctoral Candidate Stephen F. Austin State University Changing Roles : Train the Trainer Workshop - April 24, 2009

2. Changing Demographics Projections :  Ethnic and racial minorities will comprise a majority of the U.S. population by 2042  Latinos will account for approx. 30% of the population by 2050  Southern states have seen extreme increases in Latino populations  Between 1990 – 2000  GA – 324%  NC – 440%  TN – 284%

3. Changing Demographics  AK, MS, GA, SC, NC, TN, KY, VA – African American largest minority  OK – 8% African American, American Indian & Hispanic  FL, TX – Latino largest minority

4. (Murdock, 2004b)

5. Three of the nation’s 10 largest cities: 42% Latino Houston (4) - 42% Latino 58% Latino Dallas (9) - 58% Latino 77% Latino San Antonio (7) - 77% Latino

6. Foreign-born share of employment by occupation Source: 2005, BLS (Murdock, 2006)

7. National studies have not historically been very thorough in counting minority landowners National studies have not historically been very thorough in counting minority landowners National Woodland Owner Survey Does not include race, ethnicity and economic class Does not include race, ethnicity and economic class Census of Agriculture (farm operators)Barriers:  Language  Cultural  Socioeconomic

8. USDA Agricultural Economics and Land Ownership Survey (AELOS) Special efforts to include minority farmers Special efforts to include minority farmers ‘97 Census of Ag reported 16,560 Black farmers owned 1.5 million acres of land ‘99 AELOS reported 68,000 Black agricultural landowners with over 7.7 million acres of land African American African American Highly concentrated in south Smallest avg. acreage Crops and woodland Above avg. % of woodland CRP representation highest among minorities

9. AELOS American Indians American Indians Data only on private Indian land (excludes reservations) 2 million acres private; 46 million on reservation Mostly pastureland Asian Asian Smallest racial group Highly concentrated in crops Small % in pasture, woodland and CRP Low concentration in south

10. AELOS Hispanics (Latinos) Hispanics (Latinos) 47,000 Hispanic landowners Approx 13 million acres Over 70% operate land themselves Larger avg. landholdings (273 acres) than any racial group, including whites Over 60% in pasture 28% in crops Only approx. 5% in CRP program High concentration in the south

11. Constraints Diverse ownership objectives Forestlands may not contribute significantly to household income Lack of : capital capital labor labor knowledge knowledge marketing marketing

12. Why should we pay attention to this change? Ownership changes over time important to policymakers and land-based community development Differences in land use and value systems among different ethnicities and cultures Differences in participation and preferences b/w ethnic groups in urban parks and forests Historically underserved by assistance and extension programs in the south Important to consider development of natural resource programs

13. Language Preference SpanishEnglishBoth To receive information/ conservation education program ( n =121) 52% (13 yrs) 33% (22 yrs) 15% (20 yrs) Spoken ( n =121) 39% (14 yrs) 4% (24 yrs) 57% (20 yrs) Read ( n =121) 40% (14 yrs) 6% (28 yrs) 54% (20 yrs) Language spoken at home ( n =121) 67% (14 yrs) 17% (26 yrs) 16% (22 yrs) Language preference/Time in the US Language preference/Time in the US Reinforces the need for materials and communication in the Spanish language. Generating a level of comfort with subject matter that may be uncomfortable initially.

14. Language Spoken at Home of Foreign-Born and U.S.-Born Hispanics and Non-Hispanics, 2000 (Persons 5 Years and Older)

15. Language Interface South Multidisciplinary research team State forestry agency in seven states Spanish speaking audience increasing Majority Spanish-speaking audience not landowners Prioritization of materials to be translated Inability to write and speak Spanish is an obstacle Partnering for translation services

16. Solutions to language barriers Increase opportunities for minorities Recruit minority and multilingual youth and community leaders to assist in the field ) Join forces with minority community groups, religious organizations and universities to assist in translation of materials (language/verbage)

17. Research and Outreach Successes Alabama Consortium on Forestry Research and Education Alabama Consortium on Forestry Research and Education Rural development needs of minority landowners Relationship b/w minority landowners and public lands Outreach and assistance needs

18. Research and Outreach Successes Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) Bilingual information and support sustainable agriculture sustainable agriculture Farm management Farm management Agronomy Agronomy Conservation Conservation Environmental restoration Environmental restoration Pest management Pest management Business management Business management marketing marketing

19. Research and Outreach Successes Latino Legacy – Amigos del Bosque

20. “The secret to getting ahead is getting started” Tom Boggus

21. Need for Change Create awareness of potential income and other benefits derived from forestland Improve technical assistance to landowners is critical to efficient and sustainable management of forest resources Increase communication with minority landowners Recruit of minorities in natural resource management and conservation careers Collaborate b/w governments, universities, forest industries and consulting foresters in assisting landowners

22. Need for future research, outreach and education for minority landowners Obtain numbers of minority forest landowners perceptions, opinions Define minority landowners needs, perceptions, opinions and knowledge of land management Review relationships b/w landowners and national/state forests and agencies in the south Create consortiums of federal, state & local agencies, university research institutions and NGOs. Conduct in-depth interviews with minority landowners

23. Needs continued:  Identify best methods of communication with each minority group group  Conduct extensive survey research targeting minority communities using ethnically diverse researchers  Combine survey efforts and include more effective dissemination within minority communities within minority communities

24. Data Gathering Personal interview approach by trusted individuals Personal interview approach by trusted individuals Interview/survey questions using familiar and friendly language Interview/survey questions using familiar and friendly language

25. Benefits of Outreach Through efforts to communicate with minority communities, people will be more likely: to be environmentally literate to be environmentally literate to value and sustain our nation’s natural resources to value and sustain our nation’s natural resources to understand wise management of our public lands to understand wise management of our public lands to become conservation leaders to become conservation leaders

26. Literature cited ATTRA News. 2004. “ALBA & NCAT train Hispanic-American farmers.” Newsletter of the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. ATTRA News, 12 (4) July-August, 2004. ATTRA News. 2004. “ALBA & NCAT train Hispanic-American farmers.” Newsletter of the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. ATTRA News, 12 (4) July-August, 2004. Gan & Kolison, 1998. Minority Forest Landowners in (Monroe, M.C.; Southeastern Alabama. South. J. Appl. For. 23(3):175-1 78. Gan & Kolison, 1998. Minority Forest Landowners in (Monroe, M.C.; Southeastern Alabama. South. J. Appl. For. 23(3):175-1 78. Gilbert, J.; S.D. Wood; & G. Sharp. 2002. “Who Owns Land: Agricultural Land Ownership by Race /Ethnicity.” Rural America 17(4): 55-62. Gilbert, J.; S.D. Wood; & G. Sharp. 2002. “Who Owns Land: Agricultural Land Ownership by Race /Ethnicity.” Rural America 17(4): 55-62. Hartel, D. & A. Hermansen-Baez, 2009. Leaves of Change. Interface South. Hartel, D. & A. Hermansen-Baez, 2009. Leaves of Change. Interface South. Johnson, C. & M. Monroe. “Working with African American and Latino Communities in the Wildland-Urban Interface.” University of FL; IFAS Extension Johnson, C. & M. Monroe. “Working with African American and Latino Communities in the Wildland-Urban Interface.” University of FL; IFAS Extension Monroe, M.C.; L.W. McDonell; L.A. Hermansen-Baez (Eds.) 2006. Changing Roles: Wildland- Urban Interface Professional Development Program. Gainsville FL: University of Florida Monroe, M.C.; L.W. McDonell; L.A. Hermansen-Baez (Eds.) 2006. Changing Roles: Wildland- Urban Interface Professional Development Program. Gainsville FL: University of Florida Schelhas, J.& R. Zabawa. “Minority and Limited Resource Landowners and Forests in the South: Developing a Research Agenda.” Poste. Conference on Southern Forst Resource Assessment. Accessed online April 14, 2009. Schelhas, J.& R. Zabawa. “Minority and Limited Resource Landowners and Forests in the South: Developing a Research Agenda.” Poste. Conference on Southern Forst Resource Assessment. Accessed online April 14, 2009. Warren, S.; R. Williamson & E. Sills, 2003. Minority Landholders and Working Forests in the South. Accessed online April 02, 2009. Warren, S.; R. Williamson & E. Sills, 2003. Minority Landholders and Working Forests in the South. Accessed online April 02, 2009.

27. Acknowledgments Financial and logistical support provided by: U.S.D.A. Forest Service, National Forests and Grasslands in Texas Stephen F. Austin State University U.S.D.A. Forest Service, WO Texas Forest Service tkconway@fs.fed.us