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Reaching Beyond the Choir: To Underserved Private Forest Landowners

Reaching Beyond the Choir: To Underserved Private Forest Landowners. Adam K. Downing Forestry & Natural Resources Agent, Northern District. Fig 2. Forestland ownership in Extension’s Northern District. Situation. A relatively rapid rate of ownership turnover.

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Reaching Beyond the Choir: To Underserved Private Forest Landowners

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  1. Reaching Beyond the Choir:To Underserved Private Forest Landowners Adam K. Downing Forestry & Natural Resources Agent, Northern District

  2. Fig 2. Forestland ownership in Extension’s Northern District. Situation • A relatively rapid rate of ownership turnover. • Need to continually attract new and unreached landowners to educational opportunities. Forest 68% 120,000 landowners, 2.4 million acres Fig 1. Virginia’s land use distribution. Residential 3% Water 2% Wetland 4% Transitional 1% Agriculture 24%

  3. Goals • Reach Forest landowners • “bring them into the fold” • Educational objectives: • As a result of attending an all day conference, participants will…. • Identify one or more specific stewardship actions to take on their land. • Network with other landowners. • “Get connected” with public and private natural resource professionals.

  4. Methods & “keys” • 2 day-long conferences • mix of session types: general & concurrent • Accessible location • Time of year and Saturday • Mix of material: large & small acreage owners • silviculture, invasive control, fish ponds, wildlife habitat, alternative income opportunities, tree id, backyard birding, forest history, forest future, myths, planning, cost share programs, selling timber, etc., etc.

  5. Methods & “keys” - continued • Planning Committee • Broad representation: natural resource related agencies, landowners, associations, etc. • Keep it “nimble” • Meet once to brain storm topics, identify a good balance (acreage)

  6. Methods & “keys” –continued • Marketing • Take advantage of “WILDLIFE” • “Couple” friendly registration • Exciting word choice

  7. Methods & “keys”- continued • Promotion • Quad-fold brochure • Posters • E-mail notices • Newsletter announcements • Press releases

  8. Methods & “keys” • $ support • First year = grant • Subsequent years = sponsors • 2 forest industry sponsors at $200.00 each • Increases “buy-in” • Helps the budget • Looks good on faculty reports

  9. Impacts • 684 individual participants. ~ 66% each year are new to Nat. Res. Education • ~ 80% each year identify at least one action to take • 1-year follow-up: • 89% indicated they had put into practice something on their land • 78% identified more than one action they had taken Keep up the good work; best use of my tax dollars I can think of! Thank you for providing an opportunity to enhance my property’s usefulness and future. Super opportunity to network with all the various agencies.

  10. Impacts Attendee distribution from 2005

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