In Massachusetts, about 70% of the wooded landscape is owned by thousands of individuals and families. This mosaic of privately owned parcels means that the future of our forests depends on the actions and values of many people, often acting independently.

In the past, studies about family forest owners have focused on those who participate in more traditional forestry programs, such as Tree Farm or Forest Stewardship, or who have a written management plan and conducted harvesting, because those are the landowners about whom data are available.

In a recent survey of landowners in western Massachusetts by the Family Forest Research Center at UMass Amherst, 40% of respondents fall into a different category from those who have been extensively studied in the past. These landowners value their woods, yet they don’t engage in the typical activities often promoted by state and federal agencies or by private consulting foresters. These "unengaged" landowners choose not to harvest, do not have a written management plan, and don’t participate in any of the traditional forestry programs available to them.

By  conventional forestry standards, these woodland owners are “unengaged”, yet they own an average of 35 acres for an average of 26 years. The long ownership tenure of these nontraditional woodland owners implies they have a strong connection to their land.  Seventy three percent of them live in or within a few miles of their woodland, with the rest living away from their land. They are mostly men ages 51 to 65; only 26% of the owners are female.  And nearly 85% report that their children are or may be interested in inheriting the land, which has important implications when it comes to the future of their land.

Most have never made any major decisions regarding their land, including its sale, harvesting, denying public access, or developing a management plan. Similarly, the majority surveyed reported to have never conducted any major activities involving their land, such as a timber sale, putting in a trail, developing an estate plan, or putting their land in a conservation restriction. What the responses indicate is that these landowners, who are not involved in traditional forestry programs, are also not actively involved in decision-making regarding their woods, perhaps preferring to leave things the way they are. It follows that most also report never, or rarely, discussing issues related to their land with neighbors, friends, or professionals, though there does seem to be some conversation within families about the land. When all the data on the traditionally engaged and less engaged are analyzed, it will be interesting to see how the two populations compare. Are there differences in how they relate to their woods?

It remains a challenge to gauge the attitudes and values the “unengaged” landowners hold regarding their land, and what challenges they might face. Finding ways to reach out to and learn about the differently engaged landowners presents a challenge to researchers.

And yet, understanding the “unengaged” is vital to finding ways to help them make decisions about their land, and, in the end being able to conserve the important natural resources in Massachusetts. Do you fall into this “nontraditional” category? Do you value your land yet choose to sit out of management plans, forestry programs, and the like? If so, we’d love for you to share with us your philosophy in terms of owning your land: how and why you manage/don’t manage your woods, what is most important to you about your woods (privacy, wildlife, recreation, etc.?), what concerns you have regarding owning land and the future of your land, and anything else that comes to mind. Click the “Share Info” tab above, and then “Woodland Owners Collective Wisdom” to share your thoughts and learn how other landowners relate to their own woods.