Sustaining Pennsylvania’s Private Forests Jim Finley, Ibberson Professor and Director, Center for Private Forests at Penn State Department of Ecosystem Science and Management

Private Forest Issues: Private forest owners (Management Challenges) Harvesting practices (High Grading, Quality) Regeneration (Competition, Deer) Invasive species (Insects, Diseases, Plants, Biodiversity and Forest Function) Parcelization(Access, Parcelization, Legacy) Development (Local Government, Taxes) Markets (Economy, Mills, Loggers) Regulations (Water, Ordinances)

2010 PA’s Private Forests – 738, – 738,000 PFLs (average 16 acres, 25% < 20 acres) 1993 – 513,900 PFLs (average 24.3 acres, 15.8% < 20 acres) 1978 – 492,800 PFLs (average 27.4 acres, 15% < 20 acres)

PFL Profile - Sociodemographics Who are they: ̶Average age 59, 80% > 45 ̶Mostly male – 82% Most are employed full-time (55%) ̶Next biggest group is retired (35%) Well educated ̶65% have some college, 18% have advanced degree Higher income (US Median $44,000 ̶30% > $75,000, 12% > $150,000 Some absentee-ism ̶(absentee owners typically own larger properties)

Private Forest Landowner Profile Why do PFLs own their land? – Wildlife – 62% – Solitude – 59% – Incidental (!) – 49% – Recreation – 34% – Personal use of wood – 38% – Land investment/Family legacy – 14% – Timber – 18% (5% VI, 13% I) -Few have harvested (26%)

Most Important Ownership Objective

Attaining Conservation: Depends on understanding values – Social – Economic – Ecological Challenged by – Societal understanding? – Acceptance of need? – Commitment to resource stewardship?

Private Forest Issues: Private forest owners (Management challenges) Harvesting practices (High Grading, Quality) Regeneration (Competition, Deer) Invasive species (Insects, Diseases, Plants, Biodiversity and Forest Function) Parcelization(Access, Parcelization, Legacy) Development (Local Government, Taxes) Markets (Economy, Mills, Loggers) Regulations (Water, Ordinances)

Harvesting Practices on Private Forests

Forest Land by Stand-size Class

Pennsylvania - Total Trees 1989, 2004, 2009 Thousands of TreesThousands of Trees

Percent of Samples Meeting Regeneration Criteria, Timber Management (Stands from 40% to 75% Stocked – High Deer) Based on 2009FIA Data Desirable Commercial All Woody 40 % 49 % 54 % Interpretation: Desirable: More than two-thirds would likely fail to regenerate. Commercial: Half would likely fail. All Woody: About half would likely fail.

The Deer Conflict

Competitive Plants Ferns – Hayscented – New York – Bracken Mountain Laurel Stripped Maple Beech Brush Grapevines

Exotic Insects and Diseases Gypsy Moth – 1968 reached PA Hemlock Wooly Adelgid Emerald Ash Borer Thousand Canker Sudden Oak Death Syndrome Asian Longhorned Beetle

2010 PA’s Private Forests – 738, – 738,000 PFLs (average 16 acres, 25% < 20 acres 1993 – 513,900 PFLs (average 24.3 acres, 15.8% < 20 acres) 1978 – 490,100 PFLs (average 27.4 acres, 15% < 20 acres)

PA Private Forest Ownership by Region Region Owners Private Forest Avg. Holding (Number) (Acres) (Acres) NC 107,628 2,767, NE 167,934 2,881, NW 36, , SC 108,335 2,107, SE 132, , SW 185,299 2,501, Total 738,048 12,176,

Breakdown of biophysical, social constraints by owners Twenty-five Pennsylvania Counties Biophysical and Social constraints by owners Hardwood Development Council 2008

Owner Values and Market Opportunities Market needs vary regionally Volume Quality Species Supply potential Ownership patterns Competition Owner values vary regionally

Pennsylvania’s Private Forests Persistent threats to forest stewardship happens when ownership changes Changes in ownership often result in changed management and use decisions Tenure ̶Most “change” at owner exchange -Timber harvesting -Parcelization

PFL Future Plans 14% plan to sell forestland “as is” 12% plan to establish trusts 9% plan conservation easements 9% plan to subdivide 45% plan to let heirs handle it 30% plan to leave forestland to 1 child 50% plan to leave forestland to >1 child 57% - It is important to me that my forestland remain in the family (Parcelization Study)

Pennsylvania’s Private Forests While 80% of forest owners plan to keep forestland in the family… ̶ Only 40% have discussed the plan with their children ̶ Only 35% of children are involved with the current forest plan Even fewer landowners have a plan in place

The Situation in Pennsylvania In 2003, 375 – 600 forest and farm acres lost daily 64% forestland owners < 10 acres; 472,000 owners Average forest owner < 16 acres; Tenure < 13 years Changing land ethic with land use change NEED – Approaches to conserve working forests

Attaining Conservation: Depends on understanding values – Social – Economic – Ecological Challenged by – Societal understanding? – Acceptance of need? – Commitment to resource stewardship?

Conservation is not merely a thing to be enshrined in outdoor museums, but a way of living on the land;...It must ultimately prevail on all lands, public and private, or go down in history as a pleasant but futile pipe-dream. Aldo Leopold, 1927