Factors Influencing Family Woodland Management Action After Calling a Public Agency Forester

Abstract

Many public agencies make foresters available to answer landowners’ land management questions. We gathered data about landowner calls to private forest management (PFM) foresters employed by a Minnesota state agency in 2017 and 2018. We used a mailed questionnaire to assess the outcomes of these contacts, including land management actions taken and factors most influential the landowner’s subsequent decision process. The most common topic landowners called about was enrolling in a property tax program, followed by harvesting and planting trees, obtaining financial assistance, and controlling forest pests. Eighteen months after the initial call, implementation rates and intent were high, ranging from 73%–91%. Across management actions, information from a PFM forester, likelihood of timely implementation, and expected benefit were highly influential. PFM calls also informed landowners about additional land management actions, many of which they implemented. Our results offer new insight into the value of landowner contact with public sector foresters. Over one year in 2017–2018, about 2% of Minnesota family forest owners called a state service forester for information and advice. In declining frequency order, these landowners were primarily inquiring about enrolling in a property tax program, controlling forest pests, harvesting trees, obtaining financial assistance, and planting trees. The factors that most influenced their subsequent land management action were information from a private forest management forester, likelihood of timely implementation, and expected benefits. Our results highlight the value of professional advice and suggest an emphasis on advice for timely implementation and information about the benefits of potential management activities.