02/17/1992

Survey Yields Insight into Alabam Forest Owners' Attitudes

AUBURN, Ala.—Private individuals own most of Alabama's forestland, and hence greatly influence the economy and environmental quality of the state. In an Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station study, a detailed questionnaire was designed to determine forest owners' social and economic characteristics, past and planned forest management activities, and opinions about several currently "hot" issues in forestry.

They indicated that Alabama's nonindustrial private forest owners are a diverse group of individuals not readily classified into neat categories. Still, some interesting patterns are discernible. Most of the owners come from rural backgrounds. Approximately 40% are 65 years of age or older, while only about two percent are less than 35 years old. Since timber is often sold when land changes hands, the aging of Alabama's forest owners could mean an increase in land ownership changes in the future, and with it an increase in the amount of timber offered for sale.

Alabama's forest owners of today are also more highly educated than those surveyed in the past. While fewer than 10 percent of the study respondents have not completed high school, 40 percent have completed at least 16 years of formal education, the equivalent of a college degree. This trend should bode well for the future care of Alabama's forests. Those surveyed own and use their forestlands for a variety of benefits from nature appreciation to timber production. One-third of the respondents said that "keeping land in the family" was the primary benefit they receive from owning forestland in Alabama. About 25 percent of the sample cited income from timber sales as the primary benefit of ownership, and an additional 14 precent said the primary benefit they receive is "beauty or land appreciation." In addition to these primary benefits, the owners said that personal recreational opportunities, hunting opportunities and habitat for game and non-game wildlife were important benefits.

A majority of respondents have actively taken measures to utilize or increase the productivity of their forestlands through preparing sites for forest regeneration, planting trees, conducting prescribed fires, and harvesting timber. This suggests that they find timber production activities compatible with the other benefits they derive from their land.

Some of the most enlightening results concern forest owner attitudes toward current forestry issues. Of those responding, 74 percent agreed with the statement "Producing timber is the most important objective of forest management." However, they hold somewhat diverse opinions as to what constitutes acceptable forest management, 74 percent agreed that "Prescribed burning is an acceptable forest management practice," 53 percent felt the same about clearcutting, while 48 percent of those expressing an opinion felt using herbicides is acceptable.

Regarding the economics of timber growing, 51 percent felt that prices received by landowners for their timber provide a fair return on investment (20 percent disagreed). About 64 percent felt that inheritance taxes have a negative effect on forest management and more than 78 percent felt that a reduced tax rate for capital gains income is essential to encourage management.

Given that 71 percent of survey respondents classified themselves as conservative on most issues, it is not surprising that 49 percent disagreed with the general statement "Forestry practices on private land should be regulated in order to protect the environment." When asked to respond to a more specific statement, "Timber harvesting should be strictly controlled in wetlands," 58 percent agreed, and only 24 percent disagreed.

While this result doesn't answer the question of who should do the controlling, it does indicate that forest owners recognize a need for protection of environmentally sensitive areas. This interpretation is strengthened by the finding that 64 percent of the respondents agreed with the statement "Timber harvesting practices should be regulated where necessary to protect habitat for endangered species." While some might argue that survey responses report what people say -- not what they do -- at least these results indicate that Alabama's private forest owners are concerned about protecting the environment.

-30-

News from:

Office of Ag Communications & Marketing

Auburn University College of Agriculture
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
3 Comer Hall, Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849
334-844-4877 (PHONE) 334-844-5892 (FAX)

Contact Jamie Creamer, 334-844-2783 or jcreamer@auburn.edu
by John Bliss

02/17/92