Sustaining Ecological and Economic Diversity Among Limited Resource Landholders by Expanding Opportunities for Management of Productive Woodlands

2003 Annual Report for LS01-126

Project Type: Research and Education
Funds awarded in 2001: $180,431.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2005
Region: Southern
State: North Carolina
Principal Investigator:
Sarah Warren
North Carolina State University

Sustaining Ecological and Economic Diversity Among Limited Resource Landholders by Expanding Opportunities for Management of Productive Woodlands

Summary

Combining productive and sustainable woodlands with farming systems raises quality of life and diversity, especially for landowners not always able to take full advantage of forest management opportunities. Our two goals are to strengthen the capacities of limited-resource, traditionally under-served forest landholders to sustainably and profitably manage their forest resources, and to identify opportunities for and constraints on their participation in timber and alternative forest-products sectors. Working with voluntary organizations, community leaders, and local and state agencies, the project team focuses on seven counties: Duplin, Halifax, Northampton, Robeson, Sampson and Warren counties in North Carolina, and Brunswick county in Virginia.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Objective 1: to develop and apply methods for identifying and contacting landholders.
Objective 2: to describe and analyze the preferences, opportunities, and constraints that inform decision-making about woodland management within farming systems.
Objective 3: to analyze and select technically proven options for woodland management that are sustainable and appropriate to farm family goals and economic systems.
Objective 4: to extend these options to the client population through education and outreach.

Accomplishments/Milestones

The survey of limited-resource forest landowners described in objective 2 commenced in February 2004. Locally hired experienced interviewers have been recruited, trained, and are working in the field; completion of the survey is expected by May 2004. The sampling frame was based on publicly available information obtained from county, state, and national level agencies and institutions. Although problems remained with obtaining specific information that would have allowed better identification of the target population, fine-grained data from censuses and county-based GIS data enabled focus on those segments of study counties expected to have higher-than-average numbers of limited-resource landholders. Survey data will be analyzed at the NC A&T Applied Survey Research Laboratory. This survey continues to be supplemented and enriched by listening sessions, landowner interviews, professional contacts, and collaboration with our NGO partners.

The investigation of local and regional markets (objective 3) for the timber and non-timber products derived from small forest land holdings is ongoing. Research conducted by students at NCSU has been supplemented by discussions with key informants from forest industry, state and county forestry administrators, extension personnel, registered consulting foresters, and other forest landowners.

The year 2003 has been focused primarily on outreach and education (objective 4). By leveraging funding obtained through the Rural Resources Extension Act, four new outreach documents were published in December 2003. The “Guide to Consulting Foresters” is in the WoodsWise series intended for audiences with 8th to 10th grade reading levels. For audiences with 4th to 6th grade reading levels and for those unfamiliar with forestry terminology, “Getting Started With Your Woods,” “Goods from Your Woods,” and “Getting Help from a Consulting Forester” have been published in the Tree Tips series. Also funded through the RREA was the publication of a laminated poster “Got Forestry Questions? Got Answers: Sources of Information and Assistance.” The publications and posters have been distributed throughout the study counties and neighboring counties. Additional publications will appear during 2004.

Further education activities have included two “Working with your Small Woodlands” meetings (organized by the extension faculty on our research team), and the updating of our Sustainable Woodlands website (www.ncsu.edu/woodlands). The latter now includes descriptions of and contacts for cost-share and incentive programs, geographic and population information for the study counties, and copies of the publications, presentations, and peer-reviewed articles.

Other activities include support of graduate and undergraduate students, participation and presentations at multiple local and regional workshops, and presentation of papers at the Human Dimensions of Family and Farm Forestry International Symposium, March 2004, entitled “Outreach to Limited-Resource Forest Landowners: Extension Innovation for Low-Literacy Audiences” and “Sustaining Diversity: Limited-resource Forest Landowners in the Southern United States.”

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

We continue to raise awareness of issues concerning limited-resource, traditionally under-served forest landholders, to respond to inquiries about forest management and marketing, to increase press and other media coverage, and to work around the difficulties associated with identifying limited-resource forest landholders in the study counties. During 2003 we have focused almost entirely on survey preparation and administration and public outreach and education.

Collaborators:

Savi Horne

savi@landloss.org
Executive Director
Land Loss Prevention Project
P.O. Box 179
Durham, NC 27702
Office Phone: 9196825969
Gary Grant

tillery@aol.com
Executive Director
Concerned Citizens of Tillery
P.O. Box 61
Tillery, NC 27887
Office Phone: 2528263017
Website: http://members.aol.com/tillery/
Frederick Cubbage

fred_cubbage@ncsu.edu
Professor
North Carolina State University
Box 8008
Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources
Raleigh, NC 27695-8008
Office Phone: 9195157789
Website: http://natural-resources.ncsu.edu/for/faculty/cubbage.html
Susan Moore

susan_moore@ncsu.edu
Director of Educational Outreach
North Carolina State University
Box 8003
Department of Forestry
Raleigh, NC 27695-8003
Office Phone: 9195153184
Website: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/nreos/forest/feop/
Benjamin Gray, Jr.

grayb@ncat.edu
Assistant Professor
North Carolina A&T State University
A-27, C.H. Moore Agricultural Research Facility
Department of Agribusiness
Greensboro, NC 27411
Office Phone: 3363347072
Website: http://www.ag.ncat.edu/academics/edecon/faculty/bgray/Default.htm
Godfrey Chima Ejimakor

ejimakor@ncat.edu
Associate Professor
North Carolina A&T State University
Department of Agricultural Economics and Education
145 Carver Hall, 1601 East Market Street
Greensboro, NC 27411
Office Phone: 3363347943
Website: http://www.ag.ncat.edu/academics/edecon/faculty/ejimakor/default.html
Rick Hamilton

rick_hamilton@ncsu.edu
Extension Specialist, Department Extension Leader
North Carolina State University
Box 8003
Department of Forestry
Raleigh, NC 27695-8003
Office Phone: 9195155574
Robert Williamson

robertw@ncat.edu
Natural Resources Specialist
North Carolina A&T State University
P.O. Box 21928
Cooperative Extension Program
Greensboro, NC 27420
Office Phone: 3363347957
Erin Sills

erin_sills@ncsu.edu
Associate Professor
North Carolina State University
Box 8008
Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources
Raleigh, NC 27695-8008
Office Phone: 9195157784
Website: http://www4.ncsu.edu/~sills/home.htm